Anniken Huitfeldt

She was born in Bærum as a daughter of public prosecutor Iver Huitfeldt (born 1943) and Sidsel Scharning (1940–1990).

She has a sister, Astrid, and a brother, Anders.

She is a niece of politician Fritz Huitfeldt and granddaughter of judge Otte Huitfeldt.

Huitfeldt grew up in the town of Jessheim.

She is married to Ola Petter Flem, with whom she has three children.

Anniken Scharning Huitfeldt (born 29 November 1969) is a Norwegian historian and politician for the Labour Party.

She served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2021 to 2023, and previously Minister of Children and Equality from 2008 to 2009, Minister of Culture from 2009 to 2012 and Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion from 2012 to 2013.

She attended Jessheim Upper Secondary School from 1985 to 1988, and then worked for one year as county secretary of the Workers' Youth League, the youth wing of the Labour Party.

She chaired the Ullensaker branch of the Workers' Youth League from 1985 to 1988 and became a central board member in 1990.

Huitfeldt was involved in student politics already while attending school, as a member of Akershus county school board from 1986 to 1988.

She was also a central board member of the Norges Gymnasiastsamband from 1987 to 1988, and in her native Ullensaker she was a member of the municipal equality committee.

From 1989 to 1992, she studied at the University of Oslo, minoring in political science and history, and from 1992 to 1993 she took a minor in geography at the London School of Economics.

From 1993 to 1996 she took the master's degree in history in Oslo.

She was elected as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Akershus for the terms 1993-1997 and 2001–2005, and entered the Labour Party's central board in 2002, but mainly worked as a researcher in the Fafo Foundation from 2000 to 2005.

Among other things she wrote reports on child slavery, trafficking, child marriage and women's rights.

She advanced to deputy leader in 1994 and was the Workers' Youth League leader from 1996 to 2000.

From 2000 to 2001, she was the vice president of the International Union of Socialist Youth.

Huitfeldt was also a board member of the Falstad Centre from 2000 to 2005 and Save the Children Norway from 2001 to 2005.

The person in question, was Hussam Shaheen, who in 2004 was designated as the secretary of Fatah's international youth.

Huitfeldt was elected as a full representative to Parliament for the first time in 2005, and has been re-elected since.

From 2005 to 2008, she served as the deputy leader of the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs, and from 2013 to 2021, she led the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence as well as the Enlarged Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence.

Since December 2006, both Huitfeldt and several other Labour MPs had demanded permission to visit Shaheen.

Huitfeldt further said: "If Israel is a country of rule of law, they should give me such permission. At least give me an answer with a reason".

The Israeli embassy in Oslo responded with saying that the guidelines only permitted relatives and families of prisoners.

She also led the Labour Party's women's network for twelve years, between 2007 and 2019.

Huitfeldt served as Minister of Children and Equality from 2008 to 2009, Minister of Culture from 2009 to 2012 and Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion from 2012 to 2013 under Jens Stoltenberg.

Her seat in Parliament was covered by deputies Gorm Kjernli (2008–2009) and Are Helseth (2009–2013).

Following the 2021 election, Huitfeldt was seen as a strong favourite to become minister of foreign affairs, in addition to Espen Barth Eide and Raymond Johansen.

However, some anonymous sources noted her as a possible candidate as minister of education, which was interpreted as a way to sabotage her foreign minister candidacy by Labour Party sources.

The reason behind this was seen by them as retaliation for her inaction to make a clear standing against Trond Giske at the time of MeToo within the party.

Despite this, she was subsequently appointed as minister of foreign affairs on 14 October 2021.

On 29 February 2008, she became Minister of Children and Equality in Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet.

She was appointed following the resignation of Manuela Ramin-Osmundsen following a scandal involving cronyism.

In July, Huitfeldt demanded permission to visit a Palestinian friend in an Israeli prison.

In March 2009, Huitfeldt met with Menije Ravandost, who had wrongly lost her residence permit after having been smuggled to Iran against her will.

She described Ravandost's story as giving "a useful impression", and further added: "her story is important so that we in the ministry can make good laws and rules".

She stepped down from the position in March 2019, after having been elected the leader of the Akershus Labour Party, succeeding Sverre Myrli.

She was rumoured as a possible candidate to become the next Norwegian ambassador to the US some time after her dismissal as foreign minister.

This was however controversial due to her not having worked for the Norwegian Foreign Service, while it also being unconventional to nominate a full time politician to an ambassadorial position.

Despite this, it was announced in mid-January 2024 that the government would nominate her to become the next ambassador to the US.