Martin Kolberg

Martin Kolberg (born 24 February 1949) is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party, where he was party secretary.

Political career

Kolberg served as a deputy representative in the Norwegian Parliament from 1977 to 1981. He served as a deputy representative for the second time from 2001 to 2005, and met regularly from 1 October to 19 October 2001 while Thorbjørn Jagland was Minister of Foreign Affairs. In total he met 144 days as a deputy.^[1]

From 13 July 1995 to 25 October 1996, Kolberg was state secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister under the third cabinet Brundtland. When the new cabinet Jagland was announced, it became clear that the new prime minister, Thorbjørn Jagland, who was also Kolberg's childhood friend, had discarded him as state secretary. Kolberg reacted with anger and frustration, and the media portrayed the matter as Jagland firing his best friend. Jagland stated that "Martin had wanted to work for Gro [Harlem Brundtland] ... I really wanted him to work as party secretary". To Kolberg's reaction, Jagland stated: "I followed an agreement between us, and I thought he did not want the job. I am very surprised by his reaction". Jagland further stated that it was all a misunderstanding, because he Jagland thought that Kolberg did not want to work with "the Norwegian House".^[2] Five days later, Kolberg was appointed state secretary in the Ministry of Defence, where he remained until the cabined withdrew on 17 October 1997, following the defeat in the 1997 election.^[1]

Since 2002 he has been the party secretary of the Labour Party. In 2009 he will step down, choosing instead to stand for election again, this time with the prospect of winning a seat of his own. Several people have been suggested for the vacant position as party secretary, including Geir Axelsen, Rita Ottervik, Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen, Raymond Johansen,^[3] Trond Giske^[4] and Bjarne Håkon Hanssen.^[5]

References