Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet was the
Government of Norway
The Council of State () is a formal body composed of the most senior government minister (government), ministers chosen by the Prime Minister of Norway, Prime Minister, and functions as the collective decision-making organ constituting the Go ...
from 17 October 2005 to 16 October 2013. It was a
coalition
A coalition is formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political, military, or economic spaces.
Formation
According to ''A G ...
between the
Labour Party, the
Socialist Left Party and the
Centre Party, known as the
Red–Green Coalition. On 9 September 2013, the coalition was defeated in the
2013 election.
The cabinet had ten members from the Labour Party, five from the Socialist Left Party and four from the Centre Party. It replaced
Bondevik's Second Cabinet
Bondevik's Second Cabinet governed Norway between 19 October 2001 and 17 October 2005. It was led by Kjell Magne Bondevik and consisted of the Conservative Party of Norway, Conservative Party, the Christian Democratic Party (Norway), Christian De ...
following the
2005 parliamentary election where the three parties won a majority in
parliament
In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
. In the
2009 parliamentary election, the three parties retained their majority, and the coalition continued.
The cabinet is the first time the Socialist Left Party has sat in government, and the second time, after the post-war interim
Gerhardsen's First Cabinet, where the Labour Party sits in a coalition government. It was the first cabinet to have had a majority of women, the first to have had a member with a non-Western heritage and the first to have had a member who was a Muslim.
Replacements
There have been several changes since Prime Minister
Jens Stoltenberg
Jens Stoltenberg (; born 16 March 1959) is a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. Since 2025, he has been the Minister of Finance in the Støre Cabinet. He has previously been the prime minister of Norway and secretary general of NATO.
...
presented his first team in October 2005:
* On 29 September 2006,
Odd Eriksen resigned as Minister of Trade and Industry, and was succeeded by
Dag Terje Andersen.
* On 21 September 2007,
Odd Roger Enoksen resigned as Minister of Petroleum and Energy and was replaced by
Åslaug Haga, who was succeeded as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development by
Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa, thus making the first government in the history of Norway with more women than men.
* On 18 October 2007,
Helen Bjørnøy resigned as Minister of Environment and
Øystein Djupedal as Minister of Education and Science. Fellow Socialist Left Party minister
Erik Solheim
Erik Solheim (born 18 January 1955) is a Norwegian diplomat and former politician. He served in the Norwegian government from 2005 to 2012 as Minister of International Development and Minister of the Environment, and as Under-Secretary-General ...
became joint Minister of International Development and Environment (though the two roles were not merged, International Development is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), while Djupedal was succeeded by
Bård Vegard Solhjell as Minister of Education and
Tora Aasland as Minister of Science.
Karita Bekkemellem resigned as Minister of Children and Equality and was replaced by Norway's first minister with a minority background,
Manuela Ramin-Osmundsen
Manuela Myriam Henri Ramin-Osmundsen (born 15 July 1963 in Antony, France) is a French-Norwegian politician and former Minister of Children and Equality (Norway), Minister of Children and Equality from the Norwegian Labour Party, Labour Party. In ...
.
* On 15 February 2008, Ramin-Osmundsen was forced to resign following the strong criticism she faced after withholding information and lying to the Prime Minister on a possible conflict of interest in appointing a new children's
ombudsman
An ombudsman ( , also ) is a government employee who investigates and tries to resolve complaints, usually through recommendations (binding or not) or mediation. They are usually appointed by the government or by parliament (often with a sign ...
.
Anniken Huitfeldt
Anniken Scharning Huitfeldt (born 29 November 1969) is a Norwegian historian and politician for the Labour Party (Norway), Labour Party. She has served as the Norwegian Ambassador to the United States since 2024. She previously held several mini ...
was appointed new minister on 29 February 2008.
* On 20 June 2008,
Åslaug Haga resigned as Minister of Petroleum and Energy citing health problems following press revelations about a building violations scandal. The resignation led to a major reshuffle. Haga was replaced as Minister of Petroleum and Energy by
Terje Riis-Johansen, who was himself replaced as Minister of Agriculture and Food by member of parliament and fellow Centre Party politician
Lars Peder Brekk. Among the Labour Party ministers,
Dag Terje Andersen moved to the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion and was replaced as Minister of Industry and Trade by
Sylvia Brustad. Her former Ministry of Health and Care Services was taken by
Bjarne Håkon Hanssen.
* On 2 October 2009,
Dag Terje Andersen resigned as Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion to become
President of the Storting and
Helga Pedersen as Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs to become parliamentary leader for the Labour party in the Storting.
* Following the
re-election of the Government, the Prime Minister on 20 October 2009 presented a new cabinet with several changes. The election strengthened the Labour party, while weakening the Socialist Left party, and the latter thus handed over one ministry to the former. They also gave up the Ministry of Finance for the Ministry of Children, Equality and Social inclusion. Another change in the composition of the government was the promotion of
Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen from state secretary to Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister, thus adding to the number of ministers. In the Labour party, Minister of Health and Care Services
Bjarne Håkon Hanssen and Minister of Trade and Industry
Sylvia Brustad, both resigned from politics. The health portfolio was given to
Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen, who was succeeded as Minister of Defence by
Grete Faremo. The Trade and Industry portfolio was given to
Trond Giske, who was succeeded as Minister of Culture by
Anniken Huitfeldt
Anniken Scharning Huitfeldt (born 29 November 1969) is a Norwegian historian and politician for the Labour Party (Norway), Labour Party. She has served as the Norwegian Ambassador to the United States since 2024. She previously held several mini ...
(while the church portfolio was moved to the Ministry of Government Administration and Reform). Her former Ministry of Children of Equality was handed to the new Socialist Left party chairman
Audun Lysbakken
Audun Bjørlo Lysbakken (born 30 September 1977) is a Norwegian politician who served as the leader of the Norwegian Socialist Left Party (Norway), Socialist Left Party from 2012 to 2023. His career in national politics began when he was elected ...
, who also took the portfolio of social inclusion. The former Socialist Left party chairman
Kristin Halvorsen left the Ministry of Finance to become new Minister of Education, while the incumbent of that ministry,
Bård Vegar Solhjell
Bård Vegar Solhjell (born 22 December 1971) is a former Norwegian politician for the Socialist Left Party. He served as Minister of Education from 2007 to 2009, and as Minister of the Environment from 2012 to 2013, both in Stoltenberg's Sec ...
, resigned from the government to become parliamentary leader for the Socialist Left party in the Storting.
Sigbjørn Johnsen became new Minister of Finance for the Labour party. The Ministry of Government Administration and Reform received the church portfolio, and Labour party MP
Rigmor Aasrud was appointed minister. The outgoing Socialist Left party minister,
Heidi Grande Røys, resigned from politics. To fill the vacancies left by the post-election (2 October) resignations of
Andersen
Andersen () is a Danish- Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Anders" (itself derived from the Greek name " Ανδρέας/Andreas", cf. English Andrew). It is the fifth most common surname in Denmark, shared by about 3.2% of the populati ...
as Minister of Labour, and
Pedersen Pedersen () is a Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname, literally meaning "son of Peder". It is the fifth most common surname in Denmark, shared by about 3.4% of the population, and the sixth most common in Norway. It is of similar origin as the ...
as Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, new Labour party ministers were
Lisbeth Berg-Hansen and
Hanne Bjurstrøm. The Centre party kept their ministers, but there was a switch of ministries. Party leader
Liv Signe Navarsete
Liv Signe Navarsete (born 23 October 1958 in Sogndal Municipality) is a Norwegian politician from the Centre Party. She has served as county governor of Vestland county since 2022. She previously served as Minister of Local Government from 2009 ...
became Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, while
Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa took Navarsete's former Ministry of Transport and Communications.
* On 4 March 2011,
Terje Riis-Johansen resigned as Minister of Petroleum and Energy and was replaced by
Ola Borten Moe.
* On 11 November 2011,
Knut Storberget resigned as Minister of Justice, stating he wanted to spend more time with his children after troubling months following the
2011 Norway attacks
The 2011 Norway attacks, also called 22 July () or 22/7 in Norway, were two domestic terrorism, domestic terrorist attacks by far-right politics, far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik against the politics of Norway, government, the civil ...
. He was replaced by
Grete Faremo, who was succeeded as Minister of Defence by
Espen Barth Eide
Espen Barth Eide (born 1 May 1964) is a Norwegian politician and political scientist. He is currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Jonas Gahr Støre's government, having previously done so under Jens Stoltenberg. He has been ...
.
* On 5 March 2012,
Audun Lysbakken
Audun Bjørlo Lysbakken (born 30 September 1977) is a Norwegian politician who served as the leader of the Norwegian Socialist Left Party (Norway), Socialist Left Party from 2012 to 2023. His career in national politics began when he was elected ...
left the government as Minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion and was replaced by
Kristin Halvorsen until further notice
* On 23 March 2012,
Erik Solheim
Erik Solheim (born 18 January 1955) is a Norwegian diplomat and former politician. He served in the Norwegian government from 2005 to 2012 as Minister of International Development and Minister of the Environment, and as Under-Secretary-General ...
and
Tora Aasland retired. Both education portfolios were put under the responsibility of Halvorsen.
Inga Marte Thorkildsen was appointed Minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion;
Heikki Holmås was appointed Minister of International Development; and Solhjell was appointed Minister of the Environment.
* On 18 June 2012,
Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa and
Lars Peder Brekk resigned. Kleppa was succeeded as Minister of Transportation and Communication by
Marit Arnstad, while Brekk was succeeded as Minister of Agriculture and Food by
Trygve Slagsvold Vedum
Trygve Magnus Slagsvold Vedum (born 1 December 1978) is a Norwegian politician and farmer who served as Minister of Finance (Norway), Minister of Finance between 2021 and 2025. A member of the Centre Party (Norway), Centre Party, which he has led ...
.
* On 21 September 2012,
Hanne Bjurstrøm resigned, and was replaced as Minister of Labour by
Anniken Huitfeldt
Anniken Scharning Huitfeldt (born 29 November 1969) is a Norwegian historian and politician for the Labour Party (Norway), Labour Party. She has served as the Norwegian Ambassador to the United States since 2024. She previously held several mini ...
. Her former Ministry of Culture was handed to
Hadia Tajik, who thus became Norway's first Muslim member of government. At the same time
Jonas Gahr Støre
Jonas Gahr Støre (; born 25 August 1960) is a Norwegian politician who has served as the prime minister of Norway since 2021.
He has been Leader of the Labour Party since 2014. He served under Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as Minister of ...
was appointed Minister of Health and Care Services, replacing
Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen who was re-appointed as Minister of Defence (the position she held between 2005 and 2009). The Minister of Defence,
Espen Barth Eide
Espen Barth Eide (born 1 May 1964) is a Norwegian politician and political scientist. He is currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Jonas Gahr Støre's government, having previously done so under Jens Stoltenberg. He has been ...
, succeeded Gahr Støre as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Change in ministry structure
From 1 January 2010 there was a change in the Ministry structure, following the September 2009 election and re-formation of the government. The Social Inclusion division of the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion was split between the Ministry of Children and Equality and the Ministry of Justice and Police. The Church Affairs division of the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs was moved to the Ministry of Government Administration and Reform.
From 1 January 2012 the Ministry of Justice and Police was renamed as the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Planning
Cabinet members
State Secretaries
References
Jens Stoltenberg's Second Government. 17 October 2005 –present–
Government.no
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stoltenberg 2
Cabinet of Norway
Cabinets involving the Labour Party (Norway)
Cabinets involving the Centre Party (Norway)
Cabinets involving the Socialist Left Party (Norway)
2005 establishments in Norway
Cabinets established in 2005