Jens Stoltenberg
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Jens Stoltenberg
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 17 October 2005 |
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| Monarch | Harald V |
| Preceded by | Kjell Magne Bondevik |
| In office 03 March 2000 – 19 October 2001 |
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| Monarch | Harald V |
| Preceded by | Kjell Magne Bondevik |
| Succeeded by | Kjell Magne Bondevik |
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| Born | 16 March 1959 Oslo, Norway |
| Political party | DNA |
| Spouse | Ingrid Schulerud |
| Profession | Economist |
Jens Stoltenberg (born 16 March 1959) is the Prime Minister of Norway. He took office in October of 2005; he was previously Prime Minister from 2000 to 2001. He has also been the leader of the Norwegian Labour Party since 2002. He has been a Member of Parliament from Oslo since 1993.
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[edit] Jens Stoltenberg First Cabinet
Stoltenberg's first cabinet governed Norway from 17 March 2000 to 19 October 2001. See First cabinet Stoltenberg for its composition.
[edit] Jens Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet
Stoltenberg's second cabinet has governed Norway since 17 October 2005. See Second cabinet Stoltenberg for its composition.
[edit] Political career
Stoltenberg was the leader of the Workers' Youth League between 1985 and 1989 and the Oslo chapter of the Labour Party between 1990 and 1992. He was deputy minister (statssekretær) in the Department of the Environment from 1990 to 1991, Minister of Industry from 1993 to 1996, and Minister of Finance from 1996 to 1997. His first tenure as Prime Minister (2000–2001) was controversial within his own party, being responsible for reforms and modernisation of the welfare state that included part-privatising several key state-owned services and corporations. In the parliamentary election of 10 September 2001, the party suffered one of its worst results ever, winning only 24% of the vote. The disastrous results of 2001 were quickly followed by a bitter leadership battle between Thorbjørn Jagland and Stoltenberg, with Stoltenberg winning the party leadership.
The 2005 parliamentary election saw a vast improvement for Labour, and the party gained a majority in parliament together with the other "Red-Green" parties, the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party. This paved the way for a historic first in Norway, with Labour joining in a coalition government, the Red-Green Coalition. Stoltenberg became Prime Minister for the second time on 17 October 2005. Since the election Stoltenberg’s cabinet has been hit by some scandals, and the Government has been far behind the opposition in most opinion polls. However, Mr. Stoltenberg's personal approval ratings have remained high throughout the term. The next General Election is due in September 2009.
[edit] Personal life
Stoltenberg grew up in a political family. His father, Thorvald Stoltenberg, is one of the most prominent politicians in Norway and a former Foreign Minister; his mother Karin Stoltenberg was a junior minister. The late Marianne Heiberg, married to former Foreign Minister Johan Jørgen Holst, was his aunt on his mother's side. Stoltenberg is married to the diplomat Ingrid Schulerud and has two children. He was raised in the Waldorf Education system as formulated by Rudolf Steiner, and educated at the Oslo katedralskole and the University of Oslo. He likes to spend his summer vacations on the Hvaler Islands in the Oslo fjord. He has two sisters, Camilla who is one year older than him, she is a medical reseacher and administrator, and Nini who is four years younger. She is a recovering heroin addict and the family has been portrayed in Norwegian mass media on their struggles to cope with this problem.
He belongs to the Stoltenberg family which emigrated to Norway in the 17th century, from the North German village of Stoltenberg in Schleswig-Holstein (the Duchies were then in a personal union with the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway).
[edit] Notes
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Finn Kristensen |
Minister of Trade and Energy of Norway 1993 – 1996 |
Succeeded by Grete Knudsen |
| Preceded by Sigbjørn Johnsen |
Minister of Finance and Customs of Norway 1996 – 1997 |
Succeeded by Gudmund Restad |
| Preceded by Kjell Magne Bondevik |
Prime Minister of Norway 2000 – 2001 |
Succeeded by Kjell Magne Bondevik |
| Preceded by Kjell Magne Bondevik |
Prime Minister of Norway 2005 – present |
Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Egil Knudsen |
Leader of the Workers' Youth League 1985 – 1989 |
Succeeded by Turid Birkeland |
| Preceded by Torbjørn Jagland |
Leader of the Norwegian Labour Party 2002 – present |
Incumbent |
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[edit] References
- Johansen, Marianne (Norwegian) Krever svar om Regjeringens bilordning Aftenposten, 3 May 2006, retrieved 8 November 2006.
