Tonje Brenna

Tonje Brenna (born 21 October 1987) is a Norwegian politician currently serving as the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion since 2023.

A member of the Labour Party, she has served as its deputy leader since 2023 and previously served as the Minister of Education from 2021 to 2023, chairwoman of the Viken county cabinet from 2020 to 2021, and is currently a deputy member in the Storting for Akershus since 2017.

Brenna was born on 21 October 1987.

She was formerly in a relationship with fellow party member Martin Henriksen.

She married Vetle Larsen in the summer of 2022, with whom she has one son.

They also have a Labrador retriever named Jussi.

Brenna also has a child from a previous relationship.

In July 2023, Se og Hør revealed that Brenna and Larsen were separated.

Brenna was a member of the county council of Akershus from 2007 to 2019, and from 2020 a member of the county council of Viken.

Brenna was the General Secretary of the Workers' Youth League from 2010 to 2012.

In her position, she was present during the time of the 2011 Norway attacks on the island of Utøya, and responsible for the camp there.

She was also responsible for taking care of loved ones, victims and survivors during the aftermath of the attack.

She was a political advisor at the Office of the Prime Minister from 2012 to 2013.

During this time, the 22 July commission was handed over.

She was also a political advisor to minister of justice Grete Faremo from May to October 2013.

She was elected deputy representative to the Storting from the constituency of Akershus for the periods 2017–2021 and 2021–2025, for the Labour Party.

In 2021 she published a book related to the 2011 Utøya shootings, ''22.

juli – og alle dagene etterpå''.

On 14 October 2021, she was appointed minister of education in Støre's Cabinet.

Brenna expressed that the Solberg Cabinet's early re-instalment of school absence rules were wrong.

She promised to be back with a better solution as soon as possible, saying that rules had to be understandable for both teachers and students and to be experienced as sensible.

Following demands for the absence limit in upper secondary schools to be relaxed, Brenna announced that this change would become effective on 5 November and last throughout the school term.

The primary cause for the demand had been that students shouldn't be given absence remarks due to having COVID-19 and have the need to go into quarantine.

She said she understood the dilemma for students, and noted that they would have to get an approved leave of absence, to for example go to a doctor's appointment or similar.

On 17 November, Brenna ordered the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training to halt the case process of private schools.

Brenna said that the government wanted to strengthen public schools and wanted to stop the previous government's privatisation of schools.

The Conservative Party's Margret Hagerup called it "a dark day" for Norwegian students, and that the government had focused on "ideology and structure" instead of "quality and diversity".

In early December, Brenna expressed that private schools earned to much from students taking private exams.

She stressed that upper secondary schools should advise students better and to inform them of their choices when it comes to higher education.

She did however add that private education isn't necessarily bad, and serves as "a safety valve" for those who don't have other options.

On 13 December, at a government press conference with prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre and health minister Ingvild Kjerkol, it was announced that kindergartens, primary and lower secondary schools would be adjusted to yellow tier, while upper secondary schools to red.

Brenna announced that municipalities should prioritise vaccinating kindergarten and school staff once the vaccination of a third vaccine dose commences.

Following criticism of the government's measure to give exceptions to teachers and kindergarten staff in regards to quarantine, Brenna defended the decision, citing it to be crucial for children's ability to learn.

She chaired the county cabinet of Viken from 2020 to 2021.

In the wake of Hadia Tajik's resignation in March 2022, Brenna was floated as a possible successor, and was so again in December the same year.

In February 2023, both Troms and Akershus county chapters chose her as their preferred candidate for the national party's deputy leader.

Brenna thanked for the confidence and said that she was willing to take on the role if that's the party wish for at the party conference in May.

She officially announced her candidacy on 1 March.

On 21 April, the party election committee announced that they would designate her as one of two deputy leaders, alongside Jan Christian Vestre.

She was formally elected during the party conference in May.