- State Secretary (Norway)
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For other uses, see Secretary of State.
Norway 
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In Norway, a State Secretary (Norwegian: statssekretær) 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.
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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 (Centre), 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,[1] having originally been known as Secretaries to the Prime Minister.[2] When the cabinet Lyng (Conservative, Christian Democratic, Centre, Liberal) assumed office in August 1963, they appointed State Secretaries in nearly all ministries, and when the cabinet Korvald (Christian Democratic, Centre, Liberal) assumed office, it became the first cabinet to employ two State Secretaries in one ministry.[1]
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 (NOU 1974: 18). 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.[1]
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.[1] On the other hand, becoming a Parliament member or even Minister after serving as State Secretary is common. Jan P. Syse (State Secretary 1970–1971) and Kjell Magne Bondevik (State Secretary 1972–1973) would serve as Prime Ministers,[3][4] and Thorvald Stoltenberg (State Secretary 1971–1972 and 1973–1979) and Jonas Gahr Støre (State Secretary 2000–2001) would serve as Ministers of Foreign Affairs.[5][6]
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 (Regjeringsråd), with a regular secretary who was titled Secretary to the Government (Regjeringssekretær). 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 (Statsrådsekretær). 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 (Regjeringsråd).[7]
List of current State Secretaries
This is a list of the State Secretaries in the second cabinet Stoltenberg, which currently governs Norway.[8] Unless otherwise noted, the terms started on 17 October 2005.
Ministry State Secretary Period Party Office of the Prime Minister Svein Fjellheim Labour Torbjørn Giæver Eriksen Labour Rita Skjærvik Labour Kjersti Markusson 22 October 2007 – Socialist Left Hilde Singsaas 1 December 2006 –
(acting since 17 March)Labour Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen 1 December 2006 – Labour Per J. Jordal 3 March 2008 – Centre Jan-Erik Larsen 15 September 2008 – Labour Ministry of Foreign Affairs Raymond Johansen 28 October 2005 – Labour Elisabeth Walaas 21 September 2007 – Labour Håkon Gulbrandsen
(International Development)16 November 2007– Socialist Left Ministry of Defence Espen Barth Eide Labour Ministry of Industry and Trade Rikke Lind 26 January 2007 – Labour Øyvind Slåke 14 December 2007 – Labour Ministry of Government Administration
and ReformWenche Lyngholm 21 October 2005 – Socialist Left Ministry of Finance Roger Schjerva Socialist Left Geir Axelsen Labour Roger Sandum Socialist Left Ole Morten Geving 12 October 2007 – Centre Henriette Westhrin 18 October 2007 – Socialist Left Ministry of Local Government
and Regional DevelopmentDag-Henrik Sandbakken 21 October 2005 – Centre Janne Sjelmo Nordås 2 November 2007 – Centre Ministry of Health and Care Services Rigmor Aasrud 21 October 2005 – Labour Kari Henriksen 3 December 2007 – Labour Dagfinn Sundsbø 20 June 2008 – Centre Ellen Birgitte Pedersen 27 June 2008 – Socialist Left Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs Mette Gundersen 21 October 2005 – Labour Wegard Harsvik 3 December 2007 – Labour Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion Jan-Erik Støstad 21 October 2005 – Labour Libe S. Rieber-Mohn 21 October 2005 – Labour Laila Gustavsen 21 October 2005 – Labour Raimo Valle 26 October 2007 – Labour Ministry of Transport and Communications Erik Lahnstein 19 October 2007 –
(acting October – December 2006)Centre Hege Solbakken 3 March 2008 –
(currently: leave of absence)Centre Guri Størvold 15 September 2008 –
(acting for Solbakken)Centre Geir Pollestad 8 October 2008 – Centre Ministry of Fisheries Vidar Ulriksen 21 October 2005 – Labour Ministry of the Environment Heidi Sørensen 18 October 2007 – Socialist Left Ministry of Agriculture Ola T. Heggem 28 October 2005 – Centre Ministry of Justice and Police Terje Moland Pedersen 21 October 2005 – Labour Astri Aas-Hansen 9 February 2007 – Labour Ministry of Children and Equality Kjell Erik Øie 21 October 2005 – Labour Ministry of Petroleum and Energy Liv Monica Bargem Stubholt 21 September 2007 – Centre Robin Kåss 8 October 2008 – Labour Ministry of Education and Research Lisbet Rugtvedt Socialist Left Jens Revold 18 October 2007 – Socialist Left References
- ^ a b c d Søberg, Morten (30 October 2008). "Den nye politiske klassen" (in Norwegian). Dag og Tid. http://www.dagogtid.no/nyhet.cfm?nyhetid=1404. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
- ^ Einar Gerhardsen's Second Government. 5 November 1945 - 19 November 1951 – Government.no
- ^ "Jan P. Syse" (in Norwegian). Stortinget.no. http://www.stortinget.no/no/Representanter-og-komiteer/Representantene/Representantfordeling/Representant/?perid=JPS&tab=Biography.
- ^ "Kjell Magne Bondevik" (in Norwegian). Stortinget.no. http://www.stortinget.no/no/Representanter-og-komiteer/Representantene/Representantfordeling/Representant/?perid=KMB&tab=Biography.
- ^ "Thorvald Stoltenberg" (in Norwegian). Stortinget.no. http://www.stortinget.no/no/Representanter-og-komiteer/Representantene/Representantfordeling/Representant/?perid=THSO&tab=Biography.
- ^ "Jonas Gahr Støre" (in Norwegian). Stortinget.no. http://www.stortinget.no/no/Representanter-og-komiteer/Representantene/Representantfordeling/Representant/?perid=JGS&tab=Biography.
- ^ Secretary to the Council of State since 1814 – Government.no
- ^ Jens Stoltenberg's Second Government. 17 October 2005–present – Government.no
Categories:- Politics of Norway
- Government of Norway
- Norwegian state secretaries
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