State Secretary (Norway)


In Norway, a State Secretary is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government. Contrary to the position Secretary of State in many other countries, the Norwegian State Secretary does not head his or her Ministry, rather, they are second in rank to a Minister. Resembling a de facto vice minister, the State Secretary, however, cannot attend a Council of State, and does not act as a temporary Minister in case of illness or other leave of absence.

Modern use

The modern State Secretary institution was established in 1947, following a 78-41 vote in the Norwegian Parliament. The Labour and Communist parties voted for, whereas the Agrarian, Christian Democratic, Liberal, and Conservative parties voted against. The cabinet at that time was a single-party Labour cabinet led by Einar Gerhardsen, and one State Secretary was appointed seven of the ministries. State Secretaries in the Office of the Prime Minister followed in 1956, having originally been known as Secretaries to the Prime Minister. When the cabinet Lyng assumed office in August 1963, they appointed State Secretaries in nearly all ministries, and when the cabinet Korvald assumed office, it became the first cabinet to employ two State Secretaries in one ministry.
In 1968 the Conservative representative Paul Thyness, himself a former State Secretary, had proposed a parliamentary resolution which requested the sitting cabinet to "take the function and status of State Secretary position into closer consideration. A public reporting committee convened in 1970; in 1971 Thyness became a member of this committee. In 1972, Thyness and fellow committee member Guttorm Hansen proposed four changes to the Norwegian Constitution in order to cement the State Secretary position in Norwegian law. A Norwegian Official Report was also produced; in 1974. In 1976 the constitutional change was passed, following a 146-9 parliamentary vote. The only party which opposed the change was the Anders Lange Party; its four representatives voted together with individuals from other parties. One proposal was scrapped, though; the idea that State Secretaries should meet in parliamentary sessions, allowing for closer scrutiny of the executive branch of government by the legislative branch.
Originally, the position was typically given to external technical experts or young politicians with little or no prior expericence as elected politicians. In 1980, a landmark was made as Helen Bøsterud became the first State Secretary with prior experience in Parliament. However, this is still not the rule. On the other hand, becoming a Parliament member or even Minister after serving as State Secretary is common. Jan P. Syse and Kjell Magne Bondevik would serve as Prime Ministers, and Thorvald Stoltenberg and Jonas Gahr Støre would serve as Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

Historical use

The title State Secretary was first used in 1814. While Norway was still a part of Denmark, in March 1814, Crown Prince Christian Frederick created a Government Council, with a regular secretary who was titled Secretary to the Government. According to the Norwegian Constitution of May 1814, the name of the Government Council was changed to Council of State, the secretary position being renamed to the State Secretary at the same time. The name remained until 1925, when it was changed to Secretary to the Council of State. Following restructuring in 1969 and 1987, the position were transformed into a civil servant position in the Office of the Prime Minister, and is today known as Secretary to the Government.

List of current State Secretaries

This is a list of the State Secretaries in the second cabinet Stoltenberg, which governed Norway from 2005 to 2013. Unless otherwise noted, the term started on 17 October 2005.
MinistryState SecretaryPeriodParty
Office of the Prime MinisterSvein FjellheimLabour
Office of the Prime MinisterTorbjørn Giæver EriksenLabour
Office of the Prime MinisterRita SkjærvikLabour
Office of the Prime MinisterKjersti Markusson22 October 2007 -Socialist Left
Office of the Prime MinisterHilde Singsaas1 December 2006 -
Labour
Office of the Prime MinisterKarl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen1 December 2006 -Labour
Office of the Prime MinisterPer J. Jordal3 March 2008 -Centre
Office of the Prime MinisterJan-Erik Larsen15 September 2008 -Labour
Ministry of Foreign AffairsRaymond Johansen28 October 2005 -Labour
Ministry of Foreign AffairsElisabeth Walaas21 September 2007 -Labour
Ministry of Foreign AffairsHåkon Gulbrandsen
16 November 2007-Socialist Left
Ministry of DefenceEirik Øwre ThorshaugLabour
Ministry of Industry and TradeRikke Lind26 January 2007 -Labour
Ministry of Industry and TradeØyvind Slåke14 December 2007 -Labour
Ministry of Government Administration
and Reform		Wenche Lyngholm21 October 2005 -Socialist Left
Ministry of FinanceRoger SchjervaSocialist Left
Ministry of FinanceGeir AxelsenLabour
Ministry of FinanceRoger SandumSocialist Left
Ministry of FinanceOle Morten Geving12 October 2007 -Centre
Ministry of FinanceHenriette Westhrin18 October 2007 -Socialist Left
Ministry of Local Government
and Regional Development		Aase Marthe J. Horrigmo17 January 2018 -Conservative
Ministry of Local Government
and Regional Development		Dag-Henrik Sandbakken21 October 2005 -Centre
Ministry of Local Government
and Regional Development		Janne Sjelmo Nordås2 November 2007 -Centre
Ministry of Health and Care ServicesRigmor Aasrud21 October 2005 -Labour
Ministry of Health and Care ServicesKari Henriksen3 December 2007 -Labour
Ministry of Health and Care ServicesDagfinn Sundsbø20 June 2008 -Centre
Ministry of Health and Care ServicesEllen Birgitte Pedersen27 June 2008 -Socialist Left
Ministry of Culture and Church AffairsMette Gundersen21 October 2005 -Labour
Ministry of Culture and Church AffairsWegard Harsvik3 December 2007 -Labour
Ministry of Labour and Social InclusionJan-Erik Støstad21 October 2005 -Labour
Ministry of Labour and Social InclusionLibe S. Rieber-Mohn21 October 2005 -Labour
Ministry of Labour and Social InclusionLaila Gustavsen21 October 2005 -Labour
Ministry of Labour and Social InclusionRaimo Valle26 October 2007 -Labour
Ministry of Transport and CommunicationsGeir Pollestad8 October 2008 -Centre
Ministry of Transport and CommunicationsLars Erik BartnesCentre
Ministry of FisheriesVidar Ulriksen21 October 2005 -Labour
Ministry of the EnvironmentHenriette Killi WesthrinSocialist Left
Ministry of the EnvironmentKetil RaknesSocialist Left
Ministry of AgricultureOla T. Heggem28 October 2005 -Centre
Ministry of Justice and PoliceAstri Aas-Hansen9 February 2007 -Labour
Ministry of Justice and PoliceKristin BergersenLabour
Ministry of Justice and PolicePål K. LønsethLabour
Ministry of Children and EqualityKjell Erik Øie21 October 2005 -Labour
Ministry of Petroleum and EnergyLiv Monica Bargem Stubholt21 September 2007 -Centre
Ministry of Petroleum and EnergyRobin Kåss8 October 2008 -Labour
Ministry of Education and ResearchLisbet RugtvedtSocialist Left
Ministry of Education and ResearchJens Revold18 October 2007 -Socialist Left