The woman expected to become Iceland's interim prime minister is an openly gay former flight attendant who rose through the political ranks to lead a new leftist government. Johanna Sigurdardottir, the island nation's 66-year-old social affairs minister, began as an union organiser for flight attendants and is now among the country's longest-serving lawmakers.
Both political parties forming Iceland's new coalition government support her appointment _ and a decision could be announced as early as Thursday. ``She is a senior parliamentarian, she is respected and loved by all of Iceland,'' said Environment Minister Thorunn Sveinbjarnardottir.