Jens Stoltenberg, the former NATO Secretary General, is making a surprising return to Norwegian politics to become the country's new Finance Minister, The Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
Stoltenberg previously served as Norway’s Prime Minister from 2000 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2013. He became NATO’s Secretary General in 2014 and held the position for ten years.
His term was extended due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, although he initially planned to step down in 2022 to lead Norway’s central bank.
Last week, the Norwegian government collapsed over energy policy disputes. The Centre Party, which holds Eurosceptic beliefs, left the coalition with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s Labour Party after disagreements about incorporating European energy policies into national legislation. Støre will remain Prime Minister of the minority government, and there will be no early elections.
During his tenure as NATO Secretary General, Stoltenberg built a strong relationship with US President Trump during his first term. Under Stoltenberg’s leadership, Sweden and Finland also joined the organisation.
