Stoltenberg appointed as Norway's new finance minister

Former NATO Secretary General, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Jens Stoltenberg has been appointed the new Minister of Finance of Norway. This became known from his press release on February 4.

"After careful consideration of the current challenges we face, I have decided to honor the request of [Italian Prime Minister Gara] Stere to take up the post of finance minister," Norwegian broadcaster NRK quoted Stoltenberg as saying.

He added that he would return to the Munich Security Conference and his other duties when his term expires.

Earlier, on January 30, NRK reported that Norway's Center Party had announced it would quit the government over its opposition to the Labor Party's intention to implement European Union electricity directives into Norwegian law.

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Jens Stoltenberg served as Prime Minister of Norway from 2000 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2013. Then, from 2014, Stoltenberg became secretary general of the North Atlantic Alliance. He was supposed to leave his post on October 1, 2022, but NATO leaders decided to extend his powers until September 30, 2023, and after that for another year. Thus, Stoltenberg handed over his powers as NATO Secretary General to Mark Rutte in October 2024.