A left-of-centre coalition took power as Norway’s first majority government in 20 years on Monday, aiming to ensure jobs for all, raise welfare spending and ease social inequality.
New Prime Minister and leader of the Labour party, Jens Stoltenberg, 46, presented a 19-strong cabinet, which includes nine women, to King Harald.
The New Norwegian Foreign Minister is Jonas Gahr Støre, 45, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Red Cross and a close confidante of Mr. Stoltenberg.
Erik Solheim, 50, the Special Envoy to Sri Lanka is the new Development Minister.
Mr. Solheim belongs to the Socialist Left Party (SV), the second largest party in the new coalition. He served as the leader of SV between 1987-1997.
The new Norwegian Foreign Minister, Mr. Støre, has served under four Norwegian Prime Ministers including Kjell Magne Bondevik, under whom Oslo’s initiative in Sri Lanka began.
Mr. Støre has also served as the Director of World Health Organisation (WHO) prior to his assignment in the Norwegian Red Cross in 2003.
The government is the first with a majority in Norway’s parliament since a Conservative-led coalition from 1983-85. All governments since have been fragile minority coalitions. And it is the first coalition to include the Labour party since just after World War Two.
New Prime Minister and leader of the Labour party, Jens Stoltenberg, 46, presented a 19-strong cabinet, which includes nine women, to King Harald.
The New Norwegian Foreign Minister is Jonas Gahr Støre, 45, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Red Cross and a close confidante of Mr. Stoltenberg.
Erik Solheim, 50, the Special Envoy to Sri Lanka is the new Development Minister.
Mr. Solheim belongs to the Socialist Left Party (SV), the second largest party in the new coalition. He served as the leader of SV between 1987-1997.
The new Norwegian Foreign Minister, Mr. Støre, has served under four Norwegian Prime Ministers including Kjell Magne Bondevik, under whom Oslo’s initiative in Sri Lanka began.
Mr. Støre has also served as the Director of World Health Organisation (WHO) prior to his assignment in the Norwegian Red Cross in 2003.
The government is the first with a majority in Norway’s parliament since a Conservative-led coalition from 1983-85. All governments since have been fragile minority coalitions. And it is the first coalition to include the Labour party since just after World War Two.
