Oscar Torp

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Oscar Fredrik Torp (June 8, 1893 - May 1, 1958) was Prime Minister of Norway 1951 to 1955, and chairman of the Labour party (Det Norske Arbeiderparti) from 1923-1945.

He was Mayor of Oslo from 1934-35. In 1935 he became chief of staff in the Ministry of Defense, and he became Minister of Defense in 1936 in the government of Johan Nygaardsvold. He was also Minister of Social Affairs from 1936-39, and he then became Minister of Finance in 1939-42. He was appointed Minister of Defense again in 1942 in the London based Norwegian exile Government. He continued as Minister of Defense after the end World War II, but after the election in 1945 he became Minister for Transport until 1948.

He was first elected to the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) representing Oslo in 1936. But since he was appointed to different ministerial posts until 1948 he did not take a seat in the Parliament until then. He then became the fraction leader from the Labour party in the Parliament.

When he became Prime Minister in 1951 it was because Einar Gerhardsen (from the Labour party also) stepped down from this position. When Einar Gerhardsen again became Prime Minister in 1955 Oscar Fredrik Torp became President of Parliament (Stortingspresident). He held this position until he died in 1958.