Former boss of NATO Returns to Norway's Government Achieved New Post

Stoltenberg led NATO since 2014 until it handed the mandate to current Secretary-General Mark Rutte in early October.

Before leading NATO, Stoltenberg was Norway's prime minister, Telegrafi presented.

His mandate in NATO was repeatedly extended after Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, hindering plans for Stoltenberg to take over from the central bank of Norway.

He is returning to the government following the division of Norway's ruling coalition last week, with his junior partner, the Centre Party, announcing its departure.

This left current Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Sotor, the leader of Stoltenberg's centre-left Labusist Party, with several posts in the cabinet to complete, between them and the outgoing minister of the finance Trygve Slugsvold Vedum, head of the Centre Party.

Stoltenberg and Gahr Stotor appeared together at an event in Oslo on Tuesday, where the prime minister was introducing his new team, but Gahr Sotor did not explicitly mention Stoltenberg's new work.

But in a recently issued statement, Stoltenberg said it was a highly honoured “that he was asked to help my country at this critical phase”.

“Looking carefully at the current challenges we face, I have decided to accept the request of Prime Minister Store to serve as his finance minister”, he said.

I will return to the Security Conference in Munich and to my other responsibilities when my mandate ends. I'm grateful for the decision to temporarily free me from my duties while serving my country” again.