Former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg returns to government in Norway as finance minister

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OSLO, Norway (AP) — Former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg returned to government in his native Norway as finance minister on Tuesday, months before a national election.

Stoltenberg led NATO from 2014, until he handed over to current Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the beginning of October. Before taking over at NATO, Stoltenberg served as Norway's prime minister from 2000 to 2001, and 2005 to 2013.

His term at NATO was repeatedly extended to keep a steady hand at the helm after Russian launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, thwarting plans for Stoltenberg to take over as head of Norway’s central bank.

The 65-year-old is returning to government after Norway’s governing coalition split last week with the junior partner, the Center Party, announcing its departure, in a dispute over European Union energy market regulations.

That left current Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, the leader of Stoltenberg’s center-left Labor Party, with several Cabinet posts to fill, among them that of outgoing Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, the leader of the Center Party.

Gahr Støre said that Stoltenberg “has done most things in Norwegian and international politics," Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported. "And for me, he is also a good friend.”

In a statement released by the Munich Security Conference in Germany, which Stoltenberg was due to take over as chairman after its annual meeting later this month, Stoltenberg said he was “deeply honored to have been asked to help my country at this critical stage.”

“Having carefully considered the current challenges we face, I have decided to accept Prime Minister Støre’s request to serve as his Minister of Finance,” he said. “I will return to the Munich Security Conference and to my other responsibilities when my tenure is over. I am grateful for the decision to temporarily release me from my duties while I serve my country once again.”

Stoltenberg previously served as Norwegian finance minister from 1996 to 1997.

Norway is due to hold a parliamentary election on Sept. 8. The Labor Party has been trailing in recent polls.