List of heads of government of Norway

This is a list of heads of government of Norway. In the modern era, the head of government has the title prime minister (Norwegian: Statsminister). At various times in the past, the highest governmental title has included steward (Norwegian: Rigsstatholder), viceroy (Norwegian: Vicekonge) and first minister (Norwegian: Førstestatsraad)

Until 1873, the King of the personal union between Sweden and Norway governed Norway through two cabinets: one in Stockholm and another in Christiania (now Oslo). The newly created Stockholm cabinet consisted of a prime minister and two ministers, whose role was to convey the attitudes of the Christiania cabinet to the Swedish King. The cabinet in Christiania was led by a steward (Norwegian: Rigsstatholder). For brief periods, the incumbent crown prince was appointed Viceroy of Norway by the King, in which case the viceroy became the highest authority in Christiania. Whenever the King was present in Christiania, however, he assumed the highest authority, thus putting the governor or viceroy temporarily out of charge. Likewise, when there was no governor, viceroy, or king present in Christiania (which was not unusual), the cabinet was led by the first minister, who was the most prominent member of the cabinet.

In July 1873, the position of governor was abolished after being vacant since 1856. Simultaneously, the post of First Minister in Christiania was upgraded to Prime Minister of Norway. Although the office of Norwegian prime minister in Stockholm still existed, the real power and influence over state affairs was moved to the prime minister in Christiania, while prime minister in Stockholm became the second highest cabinet position, responsible for conveying the government's views to the King. When the union was dissolved in 1905, the position of prime minister in Stockholm was abolished.

Stewards of Norway

Main article: Governor-general of Norway

The Steward of Norway, styled Rigsstatholder in Danish (riksstattholder in modern Norwegian spelling), meaning Royal steward of the realm (see Steward), was the appointed head of the Norwegian Government in the absence of the Monarch during the Dano-Norwegian union. As Norway was a separate kingdom, with its own laws and institutions, the position of Steward of Norway was arguably the most influential position for a Danish-Norwegian nobleman or royal to hold, second to the King.

Split premiership (1814–1905)

First Minister (1814–1873)

Prior to 1884, there were no organised political parties in Norway; the prime ministers were considered senior civil servants (Embedsmenn). They were appointed by the King and were not subject to legislative confirmation. All Prime Ministers before 1884 opposed the constitutional reforms proposed by the parliamentary opposition, and were in their time viewed as conservatives. The Prime Minister was subordinate to the Steward and Viceroy, and the First Minister was subordinate to the Prime Minister. The de facto head of government was the First Minister.

Prime minister			Term of office		First Minister			Term of office		Government
	Name (Birth–Death)	Picture				Name (Birth–Death)	Picture
	Peder Anker (1749–1824)		1814	1822		Frederik Gottschalk von Haxthausen (1750–1825)		1814	1814	Wedel I
						Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz (1762–1838)		1814	1815	Wedel I
						Mathias Sommerhielm (1764–1827)		1815	1822	Wedel I
	Mathias Sommerhielm (1764–1827)		1822	1827		Jonas Collett (1772–1851)		1822	1836	Wedel I
	Severin Løvenskiold (1777–1856)		1828	1841		Nicolai Johan Lohmann Krog (1787–1856)		1836	1855	Wedel II Løvenskiold/Vogt
	Frederik Gottschalck Haxthausen Due (1796–1873)		1841	1858		Jørgen Herman Vogt (1784–1862)		1856	1858	Løvenskiold/Vogt Vogt
	Georg Christian Sibbern (1816–1901)		1858	1871		Hans Christian Petersen (1793–1862)		1858	1861	Sibbern/Birch/Motzfeldt
	Otto Richard Kierulf (1825–1897)		1871	1873		Frederik Stang (1808–1884)		1861	1873	Frederik Stang

Prime Minister in Christiania (1873–1905)

In 1873 the office of the First Minister of Norway was upgraded to prime minister, based in Christiania. The office of prime minister based in Stockholm continued, with responsibility for communicating the policies of the Prime Minister in Christiania to the King, making it subordinate to the office in Christiania. In addition, a separate Prime Minister of Sweden was appointed from 1876 onwards.

  Liberal Party of Norway (Venstre)   Conservative Party (Høyre)   Coalition Party (Samlingspartiet)

Prime Minister in Stockholm				Prime Minister in Christiania				Term of office		Cabinet
	Name (Birth-Death)	Picture	Political party		Name (Birth-Death)	Picture	Political party
	Otto Richard Kierulf (1825–1897)		N/A		Frederik Stang (1808–1884)		N/A	1873	1880	F.Stang
					Christian August Selmer (1816–1889)		Conservative Party	1880	1884	Selmer
	Wolfgang Wenzel von Haffner (1806–1892) (acting)		N/A					1884	1884
	Carl Otto Løvenskiold (1839–1916)		N/A		Christian Homann Schweigaard (1838–1899)		Conservative Party	1884	1884	Schweigaard
	Ole Jørgensen Richter (1829–1888)		Liberal Party		Johan Sverdrup (1816–1892)		Liberal Party	1884	1888	Sverdrup V
	Hans Georg Jacob Stang (1830–1907)		Liberal Party					1888	1889
	Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram (1846–1929)		Conservative Party		Emil Stang (1834–1912)		Conservative Party	1889	1891	Stang I H
	Otto Blehr (1847–1927)		Liberal Party		Johannes Steen (1827–1906)		Liberal Party	1891	1893	Steen I V
	Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram (1846–1929)		Conservative Party		Emil Stang (1834–1912)		Conservative Party	1893	1895	Stang II H
					Francis Hagerup (1853–1921)		Conservative Party	1895	1898	Hagerup I H–MV–V
	Otto Blehr (1853–1921)		Liberal Party		Johannes Steen (1827–1906)		Liberal Party	1898	1902	Steen II V
	Ole Anton Qvam (1834–1904)		Liberal Party		Otto Blehr (1847–1927)		Liberal Party	1902	1903	Blehr I V
	Sigurd Ibsen (1859–1930)		Liberal Party		Francis Hagerup (1853–1921)		Coalition Party	1903	1905	Hagerup II H–V
	Jørgen Løvland (1848–1922)		Liberal Party		Christian Michelsen (1857–1925)		Liberal Party	1905	1905	Michelsen V–H–MV

Prime Ministers of Norway (1905–present)

In 1905, the union between Sweden and Norway was dissolved. Since then the office of the Prime Minister of Norway has been in Oslo, except for the years of Nazi-German occupation during World War II when the Norwegian government was in exile in London.

Prime Ministers of Norway (1905–1940)

  Liberal Party (Venstre)   Free-minded Liberal Party (Frisinnede Venstre)   Conservative Party (Høyre)   Norwegian Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)   Agrarian Party (Bondepartiet)

No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Party		Election	Cabinet coalition	Monarch (reign)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Christian Michelsen (1857–1925)	11 March 1905	23 October 1907	2 years, 226 days		Liberal Party	–	Michelsen V–H–MV	Haakon VII (1905–1957)
								1906
2		Jørgen Løvland (1848–1922)	23 October 1907	19 March 1908	148 days		Liberal Party	–	Løvland V–MV
3		Gunnar Knudsen (1848–1928)	19 March 1908	2 February 1910	1 year, 320 days		Liberal Party	–	Knudsen I V
								1909
4		Wollert Konow (1845–1924)	2 February 1910	20 February 1912	2 years, 18 days		Free-minded Liberal Party	–	Konow H–FV
5		Jens Bratlie (1856–1939)	20 February 1912	31 January 1913	346 days		Conservative Party	–	Bratlie H–FV
								1912
(3)		Gunnar Knudsen (1848–1928)	31 January 1913	21 June 1920	7 years, 142 days		Liberal Party	–	Knudsen II V
								1915
								1918
6		Otto Bahr Halvorsen (1872–1923)	21 June 1920	22 June 1921	1 year, 1 day		Conservative Party	–	Bahr Halvorsen I H–FV
7		Otto Albert Blehr (1847–1927)	22 June 1921	6 March 1923	1 year, 257 days		Liberal Party	–	Blehr II V
								1921
(6)		Otto Bahr Halvorsen (1872–1923)	6 March 1923	23 May 1923	78 days		Conservative Party	–	Bahr Halvorsen II H–FV
8		Abraham Berge (1851–1936)	30 May 1923	25 July 1924	1 year, 56 days		Free-minded Liberal Party	–	Berge H–FV
9		Johan Ludwig Mowinckel (1870–1943)	25 July 1924	5 March 1926	1 year, 223 days		Liberal Party	–	Mowinckel I V
								1924
10		Ivar Lykke (1872–1949)	5 March 1926	28 January 1928	1 year, 329 days		Conservative Party	–	Lykke H–FV
								1927
11		Christopher Hornsrud (1859–1960)	28 January 1928	15 February 1928	18 days		Labour Party	–	Hornsrud Ap
(9)		Johan Ludwig Mowinckel (1870–1943)	15 February 1928	12 May 1931	3 years, 86 days		Liberal Party	–	Mowinckel II V
								1930
12		Peder Kolstad (1878–1932)	12 May 1931	5 March 1932	298 days		Agrarian Party	–	Kolstad B
13		Jens Hundseid (1883–1965)	14 March 1932	3 March 1933	354 days		Agrarian Party	–	Hundseid B
(9)		Johan Ludwig Mowinckel (1870–1943)	3 March 1933	20 March 1935	2 years, 17 days		Liberal Party	–	Mowinckel III V
								1933
14		Johan Nygaardsvold (1879–1952)	20 March 1935 in exile from 1940	25 June 1945	10 years, 97 days		Labour Party	–	Nygaardsvold Ap
								1936

Heads of Government (1940–1945)

Government sanction by Nazi Germany during the occupation of Norway. The Nygaardsvold exile government (1935–1945) is recognised as the elected government during the occupation.

  National Unity (Nasjonal Samling)   Conservative Party (Høyre)   German Nazi Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei)

Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Party		Cabinet coalition
		Took office	Left office	Time in office
	Vidkun Quisling (1887–1945)	9 April 1940 (committed a coup d'état)	15 April 1940	6 days		National Unity	Quisling I NS
	Ingolf Elster Christensen (1872–1943) as Chairman of the Administrative Council	15 April 1940	25 September 1940	163 days		Conservative Party	Administrative Council
	Josef Terboven (1898–1945) as Reichskommissar	25 September 1940	1 February 1942	1 year, 129 days		Nazi Party	Reichskommissariat NSDAP
	Vidkun Quisling (1887–1945) as Minister President	1 February 1942	9 May 1945	3 years, 97 days		National Unity	Quisling II NS

Prime Ministers of Norway (1945–present)

  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)   Conservative Party (Høyre)   Centre Party (Senterpartiet)   Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)

No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Party		Election	Cabinet coalition	Monarch (reign)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
15		Einar Gerhardsen (1897–1987)	25 June 1945	19 November 1951	6 years, 147 days		Labour Party	—	Gerhardsen I Ap–H–Sp–V–NKP	Haakon VII (1905–1957)
								1945	Gerhardsen II Ap
								1949
16		Oscar Torp (1893–1958)	19 November 1951	22 January 1955	3 years, 64 days		Labour Party	1953	Torp Ap
(15)		Einar Gerhardsen (1897–1987)	22 January 1955	28 August 1963	8 years, 218 days		Labour Party	—	Gerhardsen III Ap
								1957
										Olav V (1957–1991)
								1961
17		John Lyng (1905–1978)	28 August 1963	25 September 1963	28 days		Conservative Party	—	Lyng H–Sp–KrF–V
(15)		Einar Gerhardsen (1897–1987)	25 September 1963	12 October 1965	2 years, 17 days		Labour Party	—	Gerhardsen IV Ap
18		Per Borten (1913–2005)	12 October 1965	17 March 1971	5 years, 156 days		Centre Party	1965	Borten Sp–H–KrF–V
								1969
19		Trygve Bratteli (1910–1984)	17 March 1971	18 October 1972	1 year, 215 days		Labour Party	—	Bratteli I Ap
20		Lars Korvald (1916–2006)	18 October 1972	16 October 1973	363 days		Christian Democratic Party	—	Korvald KrF–Sp–V
(19)		Trygve Bratteli (1910–1984)	16 October 1973	15 January 1976	2 years, 91 days		Labour Party	1973	Bratteli II Ap
21		Odvar Nordli (1927–2018)	15 January 1976	4 February 1981	5 years, 20 days		Labour Party	—	Nordli Ap
								1977
22		Gro Harlem Brundtland (born 1939)	4 February 1981	14 October 1981	252 days		Labour Party	—	Brundtland I Ap
23		Kåre Willoch (1928–2021)	14 October 1981	9 May 1986	4 years, 207 days		Conservative Party	1981	Willoch I H
								1985	Willoch II H–KrF–Sp
(22)		Gro Harlem Brundtland (born 1939)	9 May 1986	16 October 1989	3 years, 160 days		Labour Party	—	Brundtland II Ap
24		Jan Peder Syse (1930–1997)	16 October 1989	3 November 1990	1 year, 18 days		Conservative Party	1989	Syse H–KrF–Sp
(22)		Gro Harlem Brundtland (born 1939)	3 November 1990	25 October 1996	5 years, 357 days		Labour Party	—	Brundtland III Ap
										Harald V (1991–present)
								1993
25		Thorbjørn Jagland (born 1950)	25 October 1996	17 October 1997	357 days		Labour Party	—	Jagland Ap
26		Kjell Magne Bondevik (born 1947)	17 October 1997	17 March 2000	2 years, 152 days		Christian Democratic Party	1997	Bondevik I KrF–Sp–V
27		Jens Stoltenberg (born 1959)	17 March 2000	19 October 2001	1 year, 216 days		Labour Party	—	Stoltenberg I Ap
(26)		Kjell Magne Bondevik (born 1947)	19 October 2001	17 October 2005	3 years, 363 days		Christian Democratic Party	2001	Bondevik II KrF–H–V
(27)		Jens Stoltenberg (born 1959)	17 October 2005	16 October 2013	7 years, 364 days		Labour Party	2005	Stoltenberg II Ap–SV–Sp
								2009
28		Erna Solberg (born 1961)	16 October 2013	14 October 2021	7 years, 363 days		Conservative Party	2013	Solberg I H–FrP
								2017	Solberg II H–FrP–V
								—	Solberg III H–FrP–V-KrF
								—	Solberg IV H–V–KrF
29		Jonas Gahr Støre (born 1960)	14 October 2021	Incumbent	3 years, 16 days		Labour Party	2021	Støre Ap–Sp

See also

• List of Norwegian monarchs
• List of Norwegian governments

External links

• Norway's Prime Ministers — A pictorial with portraits of Norway's Prime Ministers (Aftenposten)