Jonas Gahr Støre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jonas Gahr Støre
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Støre in 2025
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| Prime Minister of Norway | |
| Assumed office 14 October 2021 |
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| Monarch | Harald V |
| Preceded by | Erna Solberg |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 14 June 2014 – 14 October 2021 |
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| Monarch | Harald V |
| Prime Minister | Erna Solberg |
| Preceded by | Jens Stoltenberg |
| Succeeded by | Erna Solberg |
| Leader of the Labour Party | |
| Assumed office 14 June 2014 |
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| First Deputy | Helga Pedersen Hadia Tajik Tonje Brenna |
| Second Deputy | Trond Giske Bjørnar Skjæran Jan Christian Vestre |
| Preceded by | Jens Stoltenberg |
| Minister of Health and Care Services | |
| In office 21 September 2012 – 16 October 2013 |
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| Prime Minister | Jens Stoltenberg |
| Preceded by | Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen |
| Succeeded by | Bent Høie |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 17 October 2005 – 21 September 2012 |
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| Prime Minister | Jens Stoltenberg |
| Preceded by | Jan Petersen |
| Succeeded by | Espen Barth Eide |
| Member of the Storting for Oslo |
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| Assumed office 1 October 2009 |
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| Deputy | Truls Wickholm Vegard Wennesland Frode Jacobsen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 August 1960 Oslo, Norway |
| Political party | Labour (since 1995) |
| Other political affiliations |
Conservative (before 1989) |
| Spouse |
Marit Slagsvold
(m. 1988) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Royal Norwegian Naval Academy Sciences Po London School of Economics |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Norway |
| Branch/service |  Navy |
Jonas Gahr Støre (born 25 August 1960) is a Norwegian politician. He has been the prime minister of Norway since 2021. He has also led the Labour Party, a major political group in Norway, since 2014.
Before becoming prime minister, he was a minister in other important government roles. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2012. Then, he was the Minister of Health and Care Services from 2012 to 2013. Støre has also been a member of the Storting, which is Norway's parliament, representing Oslo since 2009.
Støre was born in Oslo, Norway. He trained as a naval officer at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy. He also studied political science in Paris and international relations in London. In his early career, he worked as an advisor in the Prime Minister's Office. He later became a member of the Labour Party in 1995. He also worked for the World Health Organization and was the Secretary-General of the Norwegian Red Cross.
In the 2021 Norwegian election, the parties on the centre-left side won enough votes to form a government. As the leader of the largest party, Støre became the prime minister. He formed a government with the Centre Party.
Contents
About Jonas Gahr Støre
Family Life and Background
Jonas Gahr Støre was born in Oslo. His father was a ship broker, and his mother was a librarian. He grew up in the western part of Oslo. Støre is a multi-millionaire. Much of his family's wealth comes from the sale of a company called Jøtul in 1977. His paternal grandfather was a well-known business executive.
Støre married Marit Slagsvold in 1988. She is a sociologist and a minister in the Church of Norway. They have three sons. Støre is a Christian and a member of the state church.
Education and Early Career Steps
Støre went to Berg School in Oslo. After that, he trained to be a naval officer at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy. He then studied political science for five years in Paris at Sciences Po. He also started a PhD at the London School of Economics but left after a short time.
From 1986 to 1989, he was a researcher at the Norwegian School of Management. He worked on a project called Scenarier 2000.
Working in Public Service
In 1989, Støre became a special advisor in the Prime Minister's Office. He worked for Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland. Her guidance inspired him to join the Labour Party in 1995. He also became a director-general in the Prime Minister's Office. From 1998, he was an executive director at the World Health Organization under Gro Harlem Brundtland.
Støre was the executive chairman of a research group called ECON Analyse from 2002 to 2003. He then became the secretary general of the Norwegian Red Cross from 2003 to 2005.
Political Journey
Chief of Staff Role
Støre served as State Secretary and Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister's Office. This was during the first government of Jens Stoltenberg from 2000 to 2001.
Foreign Minister Years
After the 2005 election, Støre was chosen as the foreign minister in Jens Stoltenberg's government. He held this position until 2012. During this time, many polls showed that Støre was the most popular member of the government.
In 2006, Støre spoke about the 2006 Lebanon War. He called Israel's actions "totally unacceptable" and a "dangerous escalation." He also spoke against Hezbollah's attack on Israeli soldiers.
Safety Concerns and Attacks
On 14 January 2008, a bomber attacked the Serena Hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan. Støre was staying there but was not hurt. Six people died in the attack, including a Norwegian journalist. The United Nations Secretary-General said Støre was the target, but the Taliban denied this.
On 22 July 2011, Støre was also one of the main targets of the attacks by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway.
Health Minister Role
On 21 September 2012, Støre became the Minister of Health and Care Services. He was replaced as foreign minister by Espen Barth Eide.
Member of Parliament Service
In the 2009 general election, Støre was elected to the Norwegian parliament, the Stortinget. He has been re-elected several times since then.
Leading the Labour Party
On 14 June 2014, Jonas Gahr Støre was chosen as the leader of the Labour Party. He took over from Jens Stoltenberg, who became the Secretary General of NATO. Støre also became the Leader of the Opposition.
He led the party into the 2017 Norwegian parliamentary election. The red-green coalition, which included Labour, did not win enough seats to form a majority government.
Støre also led the Labour Party in the 2021 Norwegian parliamentary election. This time, the red-green coalition secured a majority. This meant they had enough seats to form a government.
After the election, Støre and the Centre Party began talks to form a government. On 8 October, they announced that they were ready to form a new government. Støre officially became prime minister on 14 October.
Prime Minister of Norway (2021–Present)
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Jonas Gahr Støre became prime minister on 14 October 2021. He formed a minority government with the Labour Party and the Centre Party. In January 2025, the Centre Party left the government. This made Støre the leader of the first Labour minority government in 25 years.
Domestic Policies and Actions
When he became prime minister, Støre announced his government's main goals. These included fighting against unfair working conditions. He also aimed to secure permanent jobs with good pay for people in Norway. His government also planned to support Norwegian industries that use natural resources and green energy.
Regarding regional policy, Støre's government proposed to divide Troms and Finnmark and Viken back into separate counties. He also promised to cut ferry prices in half over four years. This included making ferries free for islands and communities without road connections to the mainland.
Støre's government also worked to lower high electricity prices. In November 2021, he announced new national measures to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. These included allowing local areas to use COVID-19 passports. They also offered booster vaccine doses to adults. In December 2021, more measures were put in place to fight the Omicron variant. These included keeping distance, wearing masks, and working from home.
In February 2022, Støre's government lifted almost all COVID-19 measures. This included ending social distancing and mandatory mask-wearing. He reminded people that the pandemic was not over.
In April 2022, Støre apologized to the queer community in Norway. This marked 50 years since laws against homosexuality were removed. He said the government was sorry for the past criminalization and shame.
In August 2022, Støre said his government would do what was needed to fight high electricity prices. He mentioned that a maximum price was one idea being considered. He also supported the decision to euthanize Freya the Walrus.
In November 2022, Støre announced that Norway would increase its climate goal. The new goal was to reduce emissions by 55%, up from 50%. This change would apply to all parts of the economy.
In March 2023, Støre apologized to the Sami people for human rights issues related to wind farms. He visited the Sámi Parliament of Norway and promised to fight harassment against Sami people.
In September 2023, Støre announced that the government would invest 1 billion NOK in research on artificial intelligence and digital technology.
In March 2024, Støre announced that Norway would reach its goal of spending at least 2% of its GDP on defense by July 2024. This goal is part of an agreement among NATO members.
Energy Policies
In October 2021, Støre said that Norway should develop its energy industry towards green energy. He did not want to shut down the fossil fuels industry completely. He also noted that Norway, as a large oil producer, invests a lot in green technology.
In December 2021, Støre announced a new plan to help with rising electricity prices. If the average price went above a certain level, the state would pay half of the extra cost. This plan was for December 2021 through March 2022. In January 2022, this support was increased.
In September 2022, Støre announced that the government would collect 33 billion NOK from power producers and the aquaculture industry. He said this was to protect the welfare state and avoid raising taxes for ordinary people.
In February 2023, Støre announced that the electricity support plan would continue until 2024. The way the support was calculated also changed to be based on hourly prices.
In August 2023, Støre's government allowed the electrification of the Melkøya power plant. This would help it stay open until 2040 and cut emissions.
In January 2025, Støre announced new electricity actions. These included a fixed price for electricity and a VAT cut.
Responding to Terrorism
After the Kongsberg attack in October 2021, Støre visited the city to show support for the victims.
Following the 2022 Oslo shooting during the Pride Festival, Støre said that queer people are often targets of hate. He stated that Norway would not accept such hate.
Foreign Policy and Global Relations
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Støre's government announced that Norway would send observers to a summit about a nuclear ban in Vienna in early 2022. This made Norway the only NATO country to do so.
Relations with Asia
Støre visited China in September 2024 to celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations. He met with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. He spoke about China being an important partner in trade, artificial intelligence, and climate change.
Relations with the Baltics
In February 2023, during a visit from the Lithuanian President, Støre said he would consider sending Norwegian fighter jets to Lithuania. In July, he announced that Norwegian troops in Lithuania would stay for another year through 2024.
Nordic Cooperation
At a Nordic Council meeting in November 2021, Støre said he wanted to improve relations with Sweden after the COVID-19 pandemic. He also defended the previous government's decision to close the border during the pandemic.
Støre called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO "surprising." He also called Erdogan's claim that "Scandinavia is like a guest house for terrorist organisations" completely false.
In June 2023, Støre spoke against the burning of the Quran and other holy books. He called such actions hate crimes.
Relations with Europe
Støre met with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in October 2021. They discussed cooperation in the northern regions.
Støre attended the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. He spoke about Norway's large oil fund and its goal to be a leader in responsible investments.
In January 2022, Støre visited Berlin and met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They talked about energy cooperation and the situation in Ukraine.
In May 2022, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs changed the name it used for Belarus from "Hviterussland" to "Belarus." Støre said this was to show support for the Belarusian democracy movement.
Støre attended the first meeting of the European Political Community in Prague in October 2022.
After the Crocus City Hall attack in March 2024, Støre condemned the attack and offered his condolences.
Support for Ukraine
Following the 2022 Ukraine cyberattack, Støre warned that Norway needed to be more alert to cyber and hybrid attacks.
After Russia sent troops into Eastern Ukraine, Støre expressed concern and condemned Russia's actions. He also criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin's speech.
In February 2022, Støre announced that Norway would freeze its state pension fund's investments in Russia. They also started a process to remove the fund from Russia over time.
In March 2022, Støre had a phone call with Putin. He urged Putin to end the invasion of Ukraine and open humanitarian corridors.
Støre visited Kyiv in July 2022 and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He announced that Norway would give 10 billion NOK in aid to Ukraine. This money would help with humanitarian aid, rebuilding, and supporting important services like schools and hospitals.
In September 2022, Støre condemned Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian regions. He said these actions were against international law.
In October 2022, Støre warned that the war in Ukraine was entering a new and dangerous phase. He also said that the security situation in Europe was more tense after the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.
In May 2023, he attended a summit in Helsinki with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other Nordic leaders.
In February 2024, Støre announced that his government would provide 75 million NOK in support for Ukraine. He stated that Norway would continue to support the country.
In March 2025, Støre participated in a European-led Ukraine peace summit. He argued that the United States should be part of any peace talks.
Relations with the Americas
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After the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, Støre criticized the decision. He said it was a serious step backward for women's rights.
In August 2022, Støre condemned the knife attack on author Salman Rushdie.
Støre visited Washington, D. C. in April 2025. He met with President of the United States Donald Trump. They discussed Norway's role in the Arctic, the war in Ukraine, and relations between the US and Norway.
Relations with the Middle East
In November 2021, Støre criticized Qatar after two Norwegian journalists were detained there. He said that a free press is very important for a democracy.
In September 2022, Støre condemned the Iranian government for its treatment of women. He expressed concern about women's rights after the death of Mahsa Amini.
Støre criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino's response to criticism of Qatar, the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Following the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, Støre condemned the conflict and called for it to end. He also said that Israel has the right to defend itself. In November 2023, Støre stated that Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip were against international laws of war.
On 22 May 2024, Støre announced that Norway would recognize Palestine as an independent country. This decision was supported by many in the Norwegian parliament.
In October 2024, Støre called proposed Israeli laws that would ban the UNRWA from Israel "a direct catastrophe." He said Norway would pressure Israeli allies like the United States and Germany.
In March 2025, Støre said that the renewed Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip were "a great tragedy" for the people of Gaza.
Political Views
Jonas Gahr Støre is seen as part of the business-friendly side of the Labour Party. This is similar to his political mentors, Gro Harlem Brundtland and Jens Stoltenberg.
Foreign Policy Views
Middle East
When Støre was Foreign Minister, Norway was one of the first Western countries to recognize the Palestinian government. In 2011, it was known that Støre had spoken directly with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal. Støre has also praised the humanitarian work of doctors Mads Gilbert and Erik Fosse in the Gaza Strip. Støre has said that Israel's occupation of Palestinian land is against international law. In 2015, Støre said a Labour government would recognize the State of Palestine.
China
In a 2015 interview, Støre was criticized for trying to stop the Norwegian Nobel Committee from giving the Nobel Peace Prize to Chinese activist Liu Xiaobo in 2010. He was worried it would harm Norway's business with China. The Nobel committee still gave the prize to Liu. Støre later said he would not apologize to China for the award.
Libya
As foreign minister, Støre oversaw Norway's part in the 2011 NATO-led military action in Libya.
Other Activities
He is a member of the board of trustees for the International Crisis Group.
See also
In Spanish: Jonas Gahr Støre para niños
