This autumn, they left national politics. Two competed for the same job. Two have gotten jobs in the same law firm, and two have left the party they represented.
– It is no secret what I have been doing for the last twenty years, to say the least. I’m also proud of what I’ve been involved in politics! But now I get a different role, simply.
Former Minister of State Torbjørn Røe Isaksen wrote this recently on Instagram. He said that he now resigned from the Conservative Party to be able to start a new job.
Among the heavyweights who left politics this fall were 15 then and former ministers. Røe Isaksen was one of them. Where have the others gone? What are they doing now?
Torbjørn Røe Isaksen (43), Conservative
He sat in the Solberg government for eight years, only interrupted by two paternity leave. First he was Minister of Education, then Minister of Trade and Industry and finally Minister of Labor and Social Affairs. After eight years in the Storting, he said no to re-election in 2017. The political scientist has led the Young Conservatives and written a number of books. The former editor of the magazine Minerva is now employed as a social editor at E24, Norway’s largest online newspaper for economics and business. For the record: E24 is owned by Schibsted, the same company that also owns Aftenposten.
Bent Høie (50), Right
He is the only minister in the Solberg government to run the same ministry for eight years. Recently, Minister of Health and Care Services Høie became best known for the “meter.” He has been deputy leader of the Conservative Party for ten years and sat in the Storting for 21 years. Before politics swallowed him, he had various jobs at Sola Strand Hotel. On November 1, he started a new job as state administrator in Rogaland, a job the Solberg government appointed him to in October 2018.
Siv Jensen (52), Frp
This autumn, she resigned after 24 years in national politics. She took over the leadership position in Frp after Carl I. Hagen. This autumn, a separate book has revealed that it has not only been easy. She has also for many years been parliamentary leader of Frp. Before the diploma economist became Minister of Finance, she was i.a. chair of the Storting’s finance committee. For the next three years, she has now taken on an assignment for the Rescue Company, where she will lead a work to prevent drowning accidents. At the same time she has created a new company where she i.a. offers advice in communication, strategy, management, government and public relations and crisis management.
Knut Arild Hareide (49), KrF
He was Minister of Transport in the Solberg government and Minister of the Environment in Bondevik’s second government. After leading KrF for almost eight years, he withdrew after a political defeat: A narrow majority at an extraordinary national meeting said, against his will, yes to rule with Frp. He has also been KrF’s parliamentary leader and has held a number of prominent positions in the Storting. Before entering the Storting twelve years ago, he was director of Schibsted. In November, the MSc in Economics was appointed new director of the Norwegian Maritime Directorate.
Frank Bakke-Jensen (56), Conservative
Finnmarkingen was, among other things, mayor before he entered the Storting in 2009. He was both Minister of Europe and Minister of Defense in the Solberg government. The same government appointed him the new director of fisheries, without being on the official applicant list. It was heavily criticized by many. Bakke-Jensen started in the position on 1 December.
Monica Mæland (53), Right
She was one of those who served eight years in the Solberg government. First she was Minister of Trade and Industry, then Minister of Local Government and Modernization – and from January 2020 Minister of Justice and Emergency Management. Before she became a national politician, she was city council leader in Bergen for ten years. She has previously worked as a lawyer. After a quarantine period, she starts a new job as lawyer and partner in Schjødt, one of Norway’s largest law firms.
Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen (57), Conservative
He took over the post of Minister of Fisheries in Erna Solberg’s government in March 2020. He then left his job as State Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. Before appearing in national politics, he was director of Indre Salten Energi. He is currently looking for a job and says he expects to land something in January or February.
–Iselin Nybø (40), Venstre
She was Minister of Trade and Industry when the Solberg government resigned this autumn. She joined the government in 2018, then first as Minister of Research and Higher Education. Nybø sat in the Storting for four years. She is a lawyer and was hired shortly after Mæland as lawyer and partner in the law firm Schjødt.
Trine Skei Grande (52), Left
She was both leader and parliamentary leader in the Liberal Party and led the party into government with the Conservatives and the Liberal Party in 2018. There she was first Minister of Culture, then Minister of Education. After ten years as Liberal leader, she resigned in 2020. It happened after a time of internal personal strife and conflicts in the party. The former teacher begins January 1 in a new job as partner and advisor in the communications agency Footprint.
–Jon Georg Dale (37), Frp.
He had been predicted a brilliant career in the FRP, but surprisingly for many, he declined re-election to the Storting this year. He has only been sitting there for four years. The former meat cutter and sheep farmer has been Minister of Agriculture and Food and Minister of Transport in Erna Solberg’s government. Now he has switched to the PR industry and started as a partner in First House on November 1.
Kjell-Børge Freiberg (50), Frp.
He was elected to the Storting in 2017 and was just over a year Minister of Petroleum and Energy in the Solberg government. For eight years he was also FRP mayor in Hadsel in Nordland. But now he is out of politics. «The county council in Nordland Frp has excluded me forever », he stated earlier this autumn on a closed Facebook page for FRP shop stewards in the home county. He was accused of leaking a document to Dagens Næringsliv. He rejected it. Later, another informed NRK that it was the person in question who was the source. But Freiberg has not appealed the exclusion.
– I have a meaningful everyday life outside of politics, so why should I spend time getting back a membership in Nordland Frp, which in my opinion is acting nonsense, he told NRK. Today he works as public contact for Holmøy Maritime in Vesterålen.
Solveig Horne (52), Frp.
She sat in the Storting for 16 years until this autumn. From the autumn of 2013 to January 2018, she was Minister for Children, Gender Equality and Inclusion. The FRP politician worked as a butcher and fresh produce manager in a COOP store before she became a full-time politician. She has held a number of local positions in Rogaland. This autumn, she applied for the job as the new director of shipping. It was Hareide who got it. Horne is still on the job hunt.
Trond Giske (55), Ap.
He left the Storting this autumn after 24 years in the Storting. The former AUF leader was Minister of Church and Education in Stoltenberg’s first government and Minister of Culture, as well as Minister of Trade and Industry in Stoltenberg’s red-green government. Giske resigned as deputy leader of the Labor Party after warnings of inappropriate behavior. This autumn, he was elected leader of Nidaros Social Democratic Forum in Trondheim. It has since had a strong membership growth. Recently he informed VG that he will now complete a master’s degree in political science at NTNU. Job hunting will not be until next autumn.
Liv Signe Navarsete (63), Sp.
As a newcomer to the Storting in 2005, she went straight into Jens Stoltenberg’s second government, the red-green one. Where she sat for eight years, first as Minister of Transport, then as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development. From 2008 to 2014, she led Sp. She resigned after internal strife and quarrels. Now she has a number of positions both nationally and locally and says she is not looking for a new permanent job.
Dag Terje Andersen (64), Ap
This autumn, he left national politics after just over 30 years. For the last 20 years he has sat in the Storting. There he has been President of the Storting and chaired three professional committees: finance, municipal and the control and constitution committee. Andersen was Minister of Agriculture in Thorbjørn Jagland’s government and both Minister of Trade and Industry and Minister of Labor and Social Inclusion in Stoltenberg’s second government. The former forest worker and mayor has also been party secretary in the Labor Party. From the new year, he will retire, but will work a bit on say for e.g. Maritime forum.
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