List of heads of government of Norway

Norway

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This is a list of heads of government of Norway, who held, inter alia, offices and titles such as steward (rigsstatholder), viceroy (vicekonge), first minister (førstestatsraad) and prime minister (statsminister).

Until 1873, the king of the personal union between Sweden and Norway governed Norway through two cabinets: one in Stockholm and another in Christiania (now Oslo). The newly created Stockholm cabinet consisted of a prime minister and two ministers, whose role was to convey the attitudes of the Christiania cabinet to the Swedish king.

The cabinet in Christiania was led by a steward (rigsstatholder). For brief periods, the incumbent crown prince was appointed Viceroy of Norway by the king, in which case the viceroy became the highest authority in Christiania.

Whenever the king was present in Christiania, however, he assumed the highest authority, thus putting the governor or viceroy temporarily out of charge. Likewise, when there was no governor, viceroy or king present in Christiania (which was not unusual), the cabinet was led by the first minister, who was the most prominent member of the cabinet.

In July 1873, the position of governor was abolished after being vacant since 1856. Simultaneously, the post of first minister in Christiania was upgraded to Prime Minister of Norway. Although the office of Norwegian Prime Minister in Stockholm still existed, the real power and influence over state affairs was moved to the prime minister in Christiania. When the union was dissolved in 1905, the prime minister in Stockholm simply ceased to function.

Contents

Stewards of Norway

The Steward of Norway, styled Rigsstatholder in Danish (riksstattholder in modern Norwegian spelling), meaning Lieutenant of the realm (see Steward (office)), was the appointed head of the Norwegian Government in the absence of the Monarch during the Dano-Norwegian personal union. As Norway was a separate kingdom, with its own laws and institutions, the position of steward of Norway was arguably the most influential position for a Danish-Norwegian nobleman or royal to hold, second to the King.

Stewards of Norway (1536–1814)

Stewards, Viceroys, and First Ministers (1814–1873)

Stewards of Norway (1814–1856)

  1. Count Hans Henrik von Essen (1814–1816)
  2. Count Carl Carlsson Mörner (1816–1818)
  3. Count Johan August Sandels (1818–1827)
  4. Count Baltzar von Platen (1827–1829)
  5. Count Herman Wedel-Jarlsberg (1836–1840)
  6. Severin Løvenskiold (1841–1856)

Viceroys of Norway (periodically 1814–1857)

  1. Crown Prince Carl Johan (9 November–17 November 1814)
  2. Crown Prince Carl Johan (10 June–16 July 1816)
  3. Crown Prince Oscar (11 April–1 November 1824)
  4. Crown Prince Oscar (17 June–3 December 1833)
  5. Crown Prince Carl (17 June 1856–22 June 1857)

First Ministers of Norway (1814–1873)

  1. Frederik Gottschalck von Haxthausen (1814)
  2. Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz (1814–1815)
  3. Mathias Sommerhielm (1815–1822)
  4. Jonas Collett (1822–1836)
  5. Nicolai Johan Lohmann Krog (1836–1855)
  6. Jørgen Herman Vogt (1855–1858)
  7. Hans Christian Petersen (1858–1861)
  8. Frederik Stang (1861–1873); continued as Prime Minister until 1880

In 1873, the position of First Minister was upgraded to Prime Minister.

Prime Ministers of Norway (1814–1905)

Prime Ministers (1814–1873)

In 1873 the office of the Prime Minister moved from Stockholm to Christiania.
Prior to 1884, there were no organised political parties in Norway, and the Prime Ministers were considered senior civil servants (Embedsmenn). They were appointed by the King and were not subject to legislative confirmation. All Prime Ministers before 1884 opposed the constitutional reforms proposed by the parliamentary opposition, and was in their time viewed as conservatives.
# Name Picture Took office Left office Political Party Term
1 Peder Anker 1814 1822 N/A 1
2 Mathias Sommerhielm 1822 1827 N/A 2
3 Severin Løvenskiold 1828 1841 N/A 3
4 Frederik Due 1841 1858 N/A 4
5 Georg Sibbern 1858 1871 N/A 5
6 Otto Richard Kierulf 1871 1873 N/A 6

Split Prime Ministership (1873–1905)

      Liberal Party of Norway (Venstre)       Conservative Party (Høyre)       Coalition Party (Samlingspartiet)

Prime Minister in Stockholm

Prime Minister in Christiania

Term of office Cabinet
# Name Picture Political Party # Name Picture Political Party
1 Otto Richard Kierulf N/A 1 Frederik Stang N/A 1873 1880 F.Stang
2 Christian August Selmer Conservative Party 1880 1884 Selmer
- Wolfgang Wenzel von Haffner
(acting)
N/A 1884 1884
2 Carl Otto Løvenskiold N/A 3 Christian Homann Schweigaard Conservative Party 1884 1884 Schweigaard
3 Ole Jørgen Richter Liberal Party 4 Johan Sverdrup Liberal Party 1884 1888 Sverdrup
V
4 Hans Georg Jacob Stang Liberal Party 1888 1889
5 Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram Conservative Party 5 Emil Stang Conservative Party 1889 1891 Stang I
H
6 Otto Albert Blehr Liberal Party 6 Johannes Steen Liberal Party 1891 1893 Steen I
V
(5) Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram Conservative Party (5) Emil Stang Conservative Party 1893 1895 Stang II
H
7 Francis Hagerup Conservative Party 1895 1898 Hagerup I
HMVV
(6) Otto Albert Blehr Liberal Party (6) Johannes Steen Liberal Party 1898 1902 Steen II
V
7 Ole Anton Qvam Liberal Party 8 Otto Blehr Liberal Party 1902 1903 Blehr I
V
8 Sigurd Ibsen Liberal Party (7) Francis Hagerup Coalition Party 1903 1905 Hagerup II
HV
9 Jørgen Løvland Liberal Party 9 Christian Michelsen Liberal Party 1905 1905 Michelsen
VHMV

Prime Ministers of Norway (1905–present)

In 1905, the union between Sweden and Norway was dissolved. Since then the office of the Prime Minister of Norway has been in Oslo, except for the years of Nazi-German occupation during World War II when the Norwegian government was in exile in London.

      Liberal Party of Norway (Venstre)       Conservative Party (Høyre)       Centre Party (Senterpartiet)       Norwegian Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)       Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti)       Liberal Left Party (Frisinnede Venstre)

Prime Ministers of Norway (1905–1945)

# Name Picture Took office Left office Political Party Cabinet
1 Christian Michelsen 01905-03-11 11 March 1905 01907-10-23 23 October 1907 Liberal Party Michelsen
VHMV
2 Jørgen Løvland 01907-10-23 23 October 1907 01908-03-19 19 March 1908 Liberal Party Løvland
VFVMV
3 Gunnar Knudsen 01908-03-19 19 March 1908 01910-02-02 2 February 1910 Liberal Party Knudsen I
V
4 Wollert Konow 01910-02-02 2 February 1910 01912-02-20 20 February 1912 Liberal Left Party Konow
HFV
5 Jens Bratlie 01912-02-20 20 February 1912 01913-01-31 31 January 1913 Conservative Party Bratlie
HFV
(3) Gunnar Knudsen 01913-01-31 31 January 1913 01920-06-21 21 June 1920 Liberal Party Knudsen II
V
6 Otto Bahr Halvorsen 01920-06-21 21 June 1920 01921-06-22 22 June 1921 Conservative Party Bahr Halvorsen I
HFV
7 Otto Albert Blehr 01921-06-22 22 June 1921 01923-03-23 23 March 1923 Liberal Party Blehr II
V
(6) Otto Bahr Halvorsen 01923-03-23 23 March 1923 01923-05-30 30 May 1923 Conservative Party Bahr Halvorsen II
HFV
8 Abraham Berge 01923-05-30 30 May 1923 01924-07-25 25 July 1924 Liberal Left Party Berge
HFV
9 Johan Ludwig Mowinckel 01924-07-25 25 July 1924 01926-03-05 5 March 1926 Liberal Party Mowinckel I
V
10 Ivar Lykke 01926-03-05 5 March 1926 01928-01-28 28 January 1928 Conservative Party Lykke
HFV
11 Christopher Hornsrud 01928-01-28 28 January 1928 01928-02-15 15 February 1928 Labour Party Hornsrud
Ap
(9) Johan Ludwig Mowinckel 01928-02-15 15 February 1928 01931-05-12 12 May 1931 Liberal Party Mowinckel II
V
12 Peder Kolstad 01931-05-21 21 May 1931 01932-03-05 5 March 1932 Agrarian Party Kolstad
B
13 Jens Hundseid 01932-03-14 14 March 1932 01933-03-03 3 March 1933 Agrarian Party Hundseid
B
(9) Johan Ludwig Mowinckel 01933-03-03 3 March 1933 01935-03-20 20 March 1935 Liberal Party Mowinckel III
V
14 Johan Nygaardsvold 01935-03-20 20 March 1935 01945-06-25 25 June 1945 Labour Party Nygaardsvold
Ap

De facto heads of government during World War II

During the German occupation of Norway during World War II there were four cabinets, that ruled as part of Josef Terboven's administration of Norway. These Governments were the de facto ruling body of Norway during the war, though Johan Nygaardsvold was still the de jure prime minister, in exile in London, United Kingdom.

# Name Picture Took office Left office Political Party Cabinet
Vidkun Quisling 01940-04-09 9 April 1940 01940-04-15 15 April 1940 Nasjonal Samling Quisling I
NS
Ingolf Elster Christensen
as Chairman of the Administrative Council
01940-04-15 15 April 1940 01940-09-25 25 September 1940 Non-party Administrative Council
Josef Terboven
as Reichskommissar
01940-09-25 25 September 1940 01942-02-01 1 February 1942 National Socialist German Workers' Party Reichskommissariat
NSDAP
Vidkun Quisling
as Minister President
01942-02-01 1 February 1942 01945-05-09 9 May 1945 Nasjonal Samling Quisling II
NS

Prime Ministers of Norway (1945–present)

# Name Picture Took office Left office Political Party Elected Cabinet(s)
15 Einar Gerhardsen 01945-06-25 25 June 1945 01951-11-09 9 November 1951 Labour Party Gerhardsen I
ApHSpVNKP
1945
1949
Gerhardsen II
Ap
16 Oscar Torp 01951-11-09 9 November 1951 01955-01-22 22 January 1955 Labour Party 1953 Torp
Ap
(15) Einar Gerhardsen 01955-01-22 22 January 1955 01963-08-28 28 August 1963 Labour Party 1957
1961
Gerhardsen III
Ap
17 John Lyng 01963-08-28 28 August 1963 01963-09-25 25 September 1963 Conservative Party Lyng
HSpKrFV
(15) Einar Gerhardsen 01963-09-25 25 September 1963 01965-10-12 12 October 1965 Labour Party Gerhardsen IV
Ap
18 Per Borten 01965-10-12 12 October 1965 01971-03-17 17 March 1971 Centre Party 1965
1969
Borten
SpHKrFV
19 Trygve Bratteli 01971-03-17 17 March 1971 01972-10-17 17 October 1972 Labour Party Bratteli I
Ap
20 Lars Korvald 01972-10-17 17 October 1972 01973-10-12 12 October 1973 Christian Democratic Party Korvald
KrFSpV
(19) Trygve Bratteli 01973-10-12 12 October 1973 01976-01-15 15 January 1976 Labour Party 1973 Bratteli II
Ap
21 Odvar Nordli 01976-01-15 15 January 1976 01981-02-04 4 February 1981 Labour Party 1977 Nordli
Ap
22 Gro Harlem Brundtland 01981-02-04 4 February 1981 01981-10-14 14 October 1981 Labour Party Brundtland I
Ap
23 Kåre Willoch 01981-10-14 14 October 1981 01986-05-09 9 May 1986 Conservative Party 1981 Willoch I
H
1985 Willoch II
HKrFSp
(22) Gro Harlem Brundtland 01986-05-09 9 May 1986 01989-10-16 16 October 1989 Labour Party Brundtland II
Ap
24 Jan P. Syse 01989-10-16 16 October 1989 01990-11-03 3 November 1990 Conservative Party 1989 Syse
HKrFSp
(22) Gro Harlem Brundtland 01990-11-03 3 November 1990 01996-10-25 25 October 1996 Labour Party 1993 Brundtland III
Ap
25 Thorbjørn Jagland 01996-10-25 25 October 1996 01997-10-17 17 October 1997 Labour Party Jagland
Ap
26 Kjell Magne Bondevik 01997-10-17 17 October 1997 02000-03-17 17 March 2000 Christian Democratic Party 1997 Bondevik I
KrFSpV
27 Jens Stoltenberg 02000-03-17 17 March 2000 02001-10-19 19 October 2001 Labour Party Stoltenberg I
Ap
(26) Kjell Magne Bondevik 02001-10-19 19 October 2001 02005-10-17 17 October 2005 Christian Democratic Party 2001 Bondevik II
KrFHV
(27) Jens Stoltenberg 02005-10-17 17 October 2005 Incumbent Labour Party 2005
2009
Stoltenberg II
ApSVSp

See also

External links