Kjell Magne Bondevik
Kjell Magne Bondevik | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Prime Minister of Norway | |
| In office October 17, 1997 – March 3, 2000 October 19, 2001 – October 17, 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Thorbjørn Jagland Jens Stoltenberg |
| Succeeded by | Jens Stoltenberg Jens Stoltenberg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 3, 1947 Molde, Norway |
| Political party | Christian People's Party |
| Spouse | Bjørg Rasmussen |
Kjell Magne Bondevik [IPA: çɛl mɑgne bondevik](born September 3, 1947) is a Norwegian Lutheran minister and politician. He was Prime Minister of Norway from 1997 to 2000, and from 2001 to 2005, making him Norway's longest serving non-Socialist Prime Minister since World War II. He is also the first Prime minister who took sick leave due to mental illness. Currently, he is the President of the Oslo Centre for Peace and Human Rights.
Bondevik's first term as prime minister lasted from October 17, 1997 to March 3, 2000, in a coalition cabinet consisting of the Christian Democratic Party, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.
His cabinet during his second period in office, a coalition cabinet consisting of the Christian People's Party, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, was appointed October 19, 2001, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg.
However, Bondevik was defeated in the 2005 parliamentary election, with 81 seats obtained for Bondevik's coalition and its supporters to the opposition Red-Green Coalition's 88.
Bondevik announced his retirement from national-level politics at the end of his term as prime minister and did not seek reelection for his seat in parliament.
Bondevik was born in Molde, Norway. He became a theological candidate from MF Norwegian School of Theology in 1975. In 1979 he was ordained as pastor in the (Lutheran) Norwegian State Church. He is married to Bjørg Bondevik (born Rasmussen), and has three children.
Representing the Christian Democratic Party, Bondevik has been a member of the Storting (Parliament) since 1973. He was his party's parliamentary leader in the periods of 1981–1983, 1986–1989, 1993–1997, 1997 and 2000–2001, and party leader from 1983 to 1995. In this position, he was succeeded by Valgerd Svarstad Haugland. Bondevik was also Minister of Foreign Affairs in Jan P. Syse's government of 1989–1990, Minister of Church and Education in Kåre Willoch's government 1983–1986, also Prime Minister Willoch's deputy 1985–1986, and state secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister during Lars Korvald's government 1972–1973.
While serving his first term as Prime Minister, Bondevik attracted international attention in August 1998 when he admitted that he was suffering from depressive episode, becoming the highest ranking world leader to admit to suffering from a mental illness while in office. Upon this revelation, Anne Enger Lahnstein became acting Prime Minister for three weeks, from August 30 to September 23, while he treated the depression. Bondevik then returned to office.
In 2004 he was accused of being a member of the Fellowship Foundation, but continues to deny these claims. Furthermore the media has criticized him for his involvement in the establishment and operation of the Oslo Centre for Peace and Human Rights which was established from the donations of Norwegian companies that are believed to be loyal to Bondevik. The Norwegian political party Fremskrittspartied is of the opionion that this Centre is not an ethically acceptable project and has thus questioned the former Prime Minister's involvment.
Bondevik was awarded the Grand Cross of St. Olav in 2004, the first sitting Norwegian Prime Minister to receive the Order of St. Olav in 80 years.
