Sigbjørn Johnsen appointed Minister of Finance

County Governor Sigbjørn Johnsen was today (Oct. 20) appointed to Minister of Finance.

Johnsen, a veteran Labor Party politician, replaces Kristin Halvorsen of the Socialist Left Party (SV), who will move over to head the Ministry of Education. Halvorsen claimed she was “extremely satisfied” by the change, since education has long been one of SV’s top priorities.

Sigbjørn Johnsen (59) was born in Lillehammer, but grew up in Stavsjø, Nes, currently Ringsaker.

In 1973 he was elected to alternate member of Parliament, and became a regular member of Parliament from 1976. From 1980 he was a member of the Standing Committee on Finance, and was appointed Minster of Finance from 1990-1996. Johnsen was elected to Parliament for five terms, before he left to become County Governor of Hedmark in 1997.

Johnsen has led several major public committees, including the Election Law Commission 1997-2000 and the Pension Commission 2000-2002.

Stoltenberg claimed Norway’s finances will be “secure” in Johnsen’s hands.