Jonas Gahr Støre

Born in Oslo, Støre is the son of the wealthy ship broker Ulf Jonas Støre (1925–2017) and librarian Unni Gahr (1931–2021).

He grew up in the Ris neighbourhood in West End Oslo.

Jonas Gahr Støre (born 25 August 1960) is a Norwegian politician who has served as the 36th and current Prime Minister of Norway since 2021 and has been Leader of the Labour Party since 2014.

Most of the family fortune comes from the 1977 sale of Norwegian company Jøtul, which was run by his maternal grandfather Johannes Gahr.

Støre's paternal grandfather was prominent business executive Jonas Henry Støre, the CEO and chairman of explosives manufacturer Norsk Sprængstofindustri.

He underwent naval officer training at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy and then studied political science at Sciences Po in Paris from 1981 to 1985.

In 1986, Støre was briefly a teaching fellow in the Harvard Negotiation Project at Harvard Law School.

From 1986 to 1989 he was a researcher at the Norwegian School of Management, working on the Scenarier 2000 project with sociologist Andreas Hompland and economist Petter Nore.

Støre applied for a position as a political advisor on foreign affairs for the Conservative Party in 1988.

He was offered the job but subsequently turned it down.

Originally associated with the Conservative Party, he was a career special adviser and director-general in the Prime Minister's Office from 1989 to 1997, serving under prime ministers Jan Syse, Gro Harlem Brundtland, and Thorbjørn Jagland.

In 1989, Støre became special adviser in the Prime Minister's Office of Gro Harlem Brundtland.

He became known as a protégé of Brundtland in the 1990s, and her mentorship inspired him to become a member of the Labour Party in 1995.

Brundtland's mentorship inspired him to become a member of the Labour Party in 1995, when he also became a director-general (ekspedisjonssjef) in the Prime Minister's Office.

In 1998, he followed Brundtland to the World Health Organization, where he became her chief of staff.

Støre was State Secretary and Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister's Office in the first government of Jens Stoltenberg; the government was inspired by New Labour and oversaw the most widespread privatization in Norwegian history.

From 1998, he was executive director (Chief of Staff) in the World Health Organization under the leadership of Gro Harlem Brundtland.

Støre was State Secretary and Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister's Office in the first government of Jens Stoltenberg from 2000 to 2001.

The government was inspired by the British Labour Party's New Labour agenda and oversaw the most widespread privatization in Norwegian history.

Støre was executive chairman of the ECON Analyse think tank from 2002 to 2003, and secretary general of the Norwegian Red Cross from 2003 to 2005.

He later served as Secretary-General of the Norwegian Red Cross from 2003 to 2005.

Like his political mentors Brundtland and Stoltenberg, Støre is associated with the business-friendly right-wing of the Labour Party.

He served under Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2012 and as Minister of Health and Care Services from 2012 to 2013.

When he joined the cabinet in 2005, he was perceived as part of a group of "West End executives" and confidants of Stoltenberg that represented a shift to the right.

His tenure as foreign minister nevertheless made him the most popular member of the cabinet.

Despite the Labour Party receiving 1% fewer votes and losing one seat, the centre-left won a majority in the 2021 Norwegian parliamentary election.

As the leader of the largest party, Støre was the clear favourite for the role of prime minister.

Two days after the resignation of Erna Solberg and her government on 12 October 2021, Støre was appointed as prime minister by King Harald V, leading a minority government with the Centre Party.

After the 2005 parliamentary election, Støre was appointed foreign minister in Jens Stoltenberg's government, serving in that position until 2012.

When he joined the cabinet he was perceived as part of a group of "West End executives" and confidants of Stoltenberg that represented a shift to the right.

He has been a Member of the Storting for Oslo since 2009.

Støre grew up in West End Oslo and is a multimillionaire.

Støre is a multi-millionaire, with a fortune of around NOK60 million (approx. US$7.1M in 2016).

He owns a large part of the family company Femstø.

Støre's great-grandfather Paul Edvart Støre was a Conservative Party mayor and deputy member of the Norwegian parliament from Levanger, and the family were affluent farmers in Trøndelag in the 19th century.

Støre is married to Marit Slagsvold, a sociologist and priest in the state Church of Norway.

They have three sons, who attended Oslo Waldorf School.

Støre is a professed Christian and a member of the state church.

Støre attended Berg School in Oslo, then underwent naval officer training at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy.

He later studied political science for five years at Sciences Po in Paris.