Former NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg has returned to politics as he has accepted the post of Norway’s Finance Minister.
Norwegian media reported that he has taken an indefinite leave of absence from his other position as chair of the Munich Security Conference to take the new role.
Stoltenberg was previously Prime Minister of Norway in 2000-2001 and 2005-2013.
Stoltenberg led NATO from 2014, until he handed over to current Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the beginning of October, 2024.
His term at NATO was repeatedly extended to keep a steady hand at the helm after Russian launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, thwarting plans for Stoltenberg to take over as head of Norway’s central bank.
Stoltenberg’s news post came as part of a cabinet reshuffle after last week’s collapse of the Labour Party’s coalition with the Eurosceptic Centre Party.
Norway’s governing coalition split last week with the junior partner, the Center Party, announcing its departure, in a dispute over European Union energy market regulations.
That left current Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, the leader of Stoltenberg’s center-left Labor Party, with several Cabinet posts to fill, among them that of outgoing Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, the leader of the Center Party.
According to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Gahr Støre said that Stoltenberg has done most things in Norwegian and international politics. “And for me, he is also a good friend,” he added.
In a statement released by the Munich Security Conference in Germany, which Stoltenberg was due to take over as Chairman after its annual meeting later this month, Stoltenberg said that he was “deeply honored to have been asked to help my country at this critical stage.”
“Having carefully considered the current challenges we face, I have decided to accept Prime Minister Støre’s request to serve as his Minister of Finance.
“I will return to the Munich Security Conference and to my other responsibilities when my tenure is over. I am grateful for the decision to temporarily release me from my duties while I serve my country once again. I will remain engaged with the MSC and its many activities as much as my new office allows in the meantime.”
Jens Stoltenberg
Stoltenberg previously served as Norwegian Finance Minister from 1996 to 1997.
Stoltenberg’s Competence Hailed
The leaders of the country’s two main right-wing parties, Sylvi Listhaug of the Progress Party and Erna Solberg of the Conservative Party, both praised Stoltenberg’s competence and criticised Labour’s economic policies.
“It’s nice to welcome Jens Stoltenberg back to Norwegian politics. After three and a half years, Norway finally gets a competent Finance Minister, but unfortunately, the policy remains the same.”
Sylvi Listhaug
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told reporters outside the Royal Palace after the new government met with King Harald, “This team is ready to lead Norway in difficult times.”
“We will implement policies that mean something to people on a daily basis and (we) are aware of the instability in the world that affects Norway as a small country.”
Jonas Gahr Støre
Norway, which is not a member of the European Union (EU) and is home to 5.5 million people, fears that a trade war could damage its economy if Trump imposes tariffs on EU goods.
Norway mainly exports oil, gas and fish.
Appointing the widely popular and well-respected Stoltenberg could give the struggling Labour government a boost in opinion polls ahead of September’s parliamentary elections.
Norway is due to hold a parliamentary election on September 8, 2025.
The Labor Party has been trailing in recent polls.
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