Ansgar Gabrielsen

Ansgar Gabrielsen (born 21 May 1955) was a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party.

He was born in Mandal. He is an insurance agent by education and worked in this profession before entering politics. He is also a trained officer in the Norwegian Defence Force. He was a member of Lindesnes municipal council from 1983 to 1993, the last six years as mayor.^[1] His father Terje Gabrielsen has also been mayor of Lindesnes, from 1975 to 1979. Ansgar Gabrielsen also chaired his county party chapter from 1989 to 1990, and was a member of the Conservative Party central board during the same period.^[1]

He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Vest-Agder in 1993, and was re-elected on the two following occasions in 1997 and 2001. In 2001 Gabrielsen was appointed Minister of Trade and Industry as a part of Bondevik's Second Cabinet. Following the cabinet reshuffle in 2004 he became Minister of Health and Care Services. While Gabrielsen was a cabinet member his seat in parliament was taken by Peter Skovholt Gitmark. Bondevik's Second Cabinet fell following the 2005 election.^[1]

While Minister of Trade and Industry, Gabrielsen was first criticized for his suggestion about a law that requires 40% of the board members in Norwegian companies to be female. The law was passed with the blessing of the socialist parties, but his own party opposed it.^[1]

Gabrielsen started his own consultant company in 2006.^[1] In 2007 he was again elected to Lindesnes municipal council, but had to relinquish the seat after moving to Oslo.^[2] In the same year he became chairman of the Special Olympics and the Norwegian Council for Mental Health.^[1]

Gabrielsen was decorated as a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 2005.^[1] He is married and has four children.

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