Gisle Handeland is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party

Norwegian Labour Party

The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....

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From 1990 to 1992, during the third cabinet Brundtland

Third cabinet Brundtland

Brundtland's Third Cabinet was a minority, Labour Government of Norway. It succeeded the Conservative/Centre/Christian Democrat Cabinet Syse, and sat between 3 November 1990 and 24 October 1996. It was replaced by the Labour Cabinet Jagland. The cabinet was active during two parliaments, both...

, Handeland was appointed private secretary (today known as political advisor) in the Ministry of Transport and Communications

Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications

The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Transportation and Communications is a Norwegian ministry established in 1946, and is responsible for transportation and communication infrastructure in Norway. It is led by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa...

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In 1999 Handeland was elected county mayor (fylkesordfører) of Hordaland

Hordaland

is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...

, as the first from the Labour Party to hold this position. He lost the position in 2003

Norwegian county council election, 2003

The 2003 county council election was held on Monday September 15, 2003 for all eighteen county councils in Norway. The election was held parallel to the municipal council election.-Votes:-Seats:-County mayors:-Cabinets:...

, but remained a member of the county council. He is also a member of the board of the Western Norway Regional Health Authority

Western Norway Regional Health Authority

Western Norway Regional Health Authority is a state-owned Regional Health Authority responsible for operating the hospitals in the counties of Rogaland, Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane in Norway. Based in Stavanger the authority operates five health trusts that operate nine hospitals...

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He hails from Fedje

Fedje

Fedje is an island municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Fedje was separated from Austrheim on 1 January 1947.The main island of Fedje is surrounded by about 125 smaller islands and rocks mostly north of the main island, and the name Fedje applies both to the main island, and to all the...

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