Stoltenberg mourns mother’s death

Karin Stoltenberg, a veteran politician for Norway’s Labour Party and mother of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, died during the night after what her family said was a short illness. She was 80, and her death was being mourned not only by her prominent family but by top politicians and her party as well. The prime [...]

Wave of criticism hits top ministers

UPDATED: Claims of corruption, camaraderie and conflicts of interest have been pouring down on some of Norway’s top government ministers, with Justice Minister Grete Faremo a prime target. Trade Minister Trond Giske is also catching flak, with some raising questions about the ministers’ ability to do their jobs. Faremo, Giske and even new Health Minister [...]

Oval Office meeting firmed relations

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg finally got his 45 minutes of fame with US President Barack Obama and claimed his visit to the White House cemented the relationship between the US and Norway as “close allies.” The two men talked for less than an hour but emerged to report discussions on everything from the situation in [...]

July 22 attacks commission appointed

Members of the independent commission to review the July 22nd terrorist attacks were named on Friday by Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. The commission will be led by Alexandra Bech Gjørv, who is a partner in the law firm Hjort, deputy chair of the board of Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) and a director of Norske Skog, [...]

New criticism of terror response

As Norway’s initial mourning period comes to a close, Norwegian media have begun criticizing various police agencies for their response to the Oslo bombing and Utøya shootings. New details are also emerging about boat problems, the lack of availability of a helicopter and issues encountered in the post-crisis command structure. Police had already been criticized [...]

‘New form of debate’ promised

With local elections due across the country on September 11 and 12, Norwegians and their political representatives are discussing how the election campaign and sensitive debates, including those around immigration and integration, will be carried out following the attacks on Oslo and Utøya island. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has warned against a “witch-hunt against opinions” [...]

Labour support surges after attacks

The Norwegian Labour Party has received record levels of support in opinion polls taken during the week after the terrorist attacks on Oslo and Utøya island, which confessed defendant Anders Behring Breivik has confirmed were targeted against the party. Meanwhile, as the mourning for the dead continues, Norway’s politicians are seeking agreement on how to [...]

Prime Minister on week-long sick leave

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg will be on partial sick leave until 6th May with sinusitis, official sources have confirmed. Stoltenberg had originally been forced to cancel his planned speech to the Labour Day rally on Sunday 1 May in Bergen. He would later cancel all his Monday appointments before the latest news from the [...]

Parliamentarians doubt own power

Only 10 percent of Norwegian parliamentarians believe that parliament is the most important political institution in the country, the lowest number ever recorded by researchers. The latest study, carried out in April, shows that 70 percent of parliamentary representatives believe that government is the place where policy is made and decided on. In last year’s [...]

Syrian asylum seekers still sent back

Unsuccessful Syrian applicants for asylum in Norway are still being sent back to their homeland despite the recent government violence against the civilian population and pro-democracy protests there. Denmark has already temporarily stopped the return of asylum seekers back to Syria – but the Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board (Utlendingsnemnda, UNE) will not do the same. [...]

Stoltenberg’s Twitter jeopardy

Security specialists are criticizing Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg for making himself an easy target for terrorists. Last April Stoltenberg “Twittered” his way through Europe as he drove by car from Spain after planes were grounded by volcanic ash. As he went, he informed anyone with an Internet connection about his exact whereabouts. “We plan to [...]

Stoltenberg rejects rumors of new job

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg trounced speculation on Monday that he’s a candidate for top international jobs that may tempt him to resign his post as Norway’s premier before his term is up. He said he has no plans to leave the government he now heads. Newspaper reports over the weekend and chatter among even his [...]

Outsider Jens joins EU in-crowd

Norway’s prime minister Jens Stoltenberg (left) with the president of the EU commission, José Manuel Barroso, on June 16. Stoltenberg paid a routine visit to Brussels, discussing global financial turmoil and prospects for the European economies with EU leaders. According to Stoltenberg, the financial crisis is fast becoming a debt crisis and a labor market [...]

Jens fends off critics at home

NEWS ANALYSIS: As Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg welcomed heads of state to Oslo, and got ready to host another climate conference and effort to save the world’s rain forests, he continued to face criticism from environmentalists and opposition politicians at home. Stoltenberg, it seems, has a better environmental image abroad than he does in Norway. [...]

Stoltenberg spends 17th with troops

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg took off on a sudden and secret trip to Afghanistan during the holiday weekend, landing in Kabul Monday morning to spend Norway’s Constitution Day on the 17th of May with Norwegian soldiers on duty in the area. In what’s becoming typical Stoltenberg style, the prime minister revealed his visit via social [...]

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