Olav Akselsen
Encyclopedia
Olav Akselsen is Director General of Shipping and Navigation
. Akselsen has served six terms in the Norwegian Parliament for the Norwegian Labour Party
, and was Minister of Petroleum and Energy
in the first cabinet Stoltenberg
from 2000 to 2001.
, as the 14th representative from Hordaland
county. He was re-elected in 1993
and 1997
.
Three years into his third term, the Centrist first cabinet Bondevik
fell due to a failed motion of confidence. Jens Stoltenberg
took over as Prime Minister
, and selected Akselsen to his cabinet
as Minister of Petroleum and Energy
. During this period, Akselsen's seat in parliament was taken by Sigurd Grytten
and Rita Tveiten
, the latter for two weeks in 2001.
The position of Minister of Petroleum and Energy was central in the first cabinet Stoltenberg, partly because the first cabinet Bondevik lost the motion of confidence because of unwillingness to build fossil fuel power plant
s. The parliamentary opposition, including the Labour Party, held this to be necessary, and Akselsen had marked himself as a strong supporter of natural gas
power plants. He views the power plant at Mongstad
as especially important.
During Akselsen's tenure as Minister of Petroleum and Energy, the controversial part-privatization
of the petroleum company Statoil
also occurred. In January 2004, he was revealed to be a member of the secret "Oil Group", an informal forum consisting of present and former Labour Party politicians as well as representatives from Norwegian business sector, especially oil companies. On the other hand, in 2001 Akselsen retracted a permission to drill for oil in the Norwegian Sea
outside of Lofoten
.
, as a second cabinet Bondevik
was formed. Akselsen, however, had entered the same election, and was re-elected for his fourth term. He was re-elected again in 2005
, but despite the return of Stoltenberg as Prime Minister, Akselsen was not selected to his cabinet
—although stated to possess the "potential".
From 1989 to 1993 Akselsen was, within the parliament, mainly a member of the Standing Committee on Justice, chairing it from April 1993. From 1993 to 1997 he was the secretary of the Standing Committee on Justice; from December 1996 he was also a member of the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee. From 1997 to 2001 he was a member of the Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment, chairing it from February to March 2000, at which point he became Minister of Petroleum and Energy. He was also a member of the 37-member Election Committee. From 2001 to 2005 he chaired the Standing Committee on Business and Industry, and from 2005 to 2009 he chaired both the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee.
One year before the Norwegian parliamentary election, 2009
, Akselsen announced that he declined to stand for re-election. Norwegian election researcher Anders Todal Jenssen stated that his specific declination is "probably problematic for[Norwegian Prime Minister] Stoltenberg
", at a time when 31 politicians of the present Red-Green Coalition
had announced their withdrawal from Parliament. In late August 2008 Akselsen was appointed director of the Norwegian Maritime Directorate
, a position he took after his parliamentary term ran out in October 2009.
in 1983, was re-elected in 1987 but left in 1989 when entering the national parliament.
From 1983 to 1985 he had chaired the local branch of the Workers' Youth League
, the youth wing
of the Labour Party. At the same time he was a member of the board of the Labour Party local chapter. He was a member of the board of the regional Hordaland party chapter from 1986 to 1988. After a hiatus from local politics he returned as leader of the local party chapter from 1998 to 2001.
He also served on several public committees in Stord; pertaining to such matters as wild game, the environment, industry and equality. He was the deputy chair of some of this committees.
as the son of builder Arne Akselsen (born 1928) and his wife Aud Sortland (born 1932), who worked as an "assistant".
He graduated from upper secondary school in 1984, took his examen philosophicum
course at the University of Bergen
in 1986 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in geography
in 1988. Except for a tenure as a carpenter between 1986 and 1987, Akselsen has very little work experience outside of political life. Because of this, commentators have referred to him as a "broiler
", a term referring to a person socialized mainly within a political party.
Norwegian Maritime Directorate
Norwegian Maritime Directorate is a Norwegian government agency responsible for life, health, vessel and the environment for Norwegian registered ships and ships at Norwegian ports...
. Akselsen has served six terms in the Norwegian Parliament for the Norwegian 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....
, and was Minister of Petroleum and Energy
Minister of Petroleum and Energy (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy is the head of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.- Councillor of State and Chief of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy 1978 – 1992 :...
in the first cabinet Stoltenberg
First cabinet Stoltenberg
Stoltenberg's First Cabinet governed Norway between March 17, 2000 and October 19, 2001. The Labour Party cabinet was led by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. It had the following composition.-Cabinet members:-State Secretaries:-References:...
from 2000 to 2001.
1989 to 2001
Akselsen was first elected to the Norwegian Parliament in 1989Norwegian parliamentary election, 1989
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 11 September 1989.-Results:1 This list was a cooperation between the Norwegian Communist Party, Workers' Communist Party, Red Electoral Alliance and independent socialists....
, as the 14th representative from 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...
county. He was re-elected in 1993
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1993
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 13 September 1993. The Labour Party won a plurality of seats, and Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland remained in office. The Centre Party was particularly successful, gaining 21 seats....
and 1997
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1997
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 15 September 1997. Before the election, Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland of the Labour Party, issued the 36.9 ultimatum declaring that the government would step down unless it gained 36.9% of the vote, the percentage gained...
.
Three years into his third term, the Centrist first cabinet Bondevik
First cabinet Bondevik
Bondevik's First Cabinet governed Norway between 17 October 1997 to 3 March 2000. It was led by Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, and consisted of the Christian Democratic Party, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party. There was a major reshuffle in March 1999. It had the following...
fell due to a failed motion of confidence. Jens Stoltenberg
Jens Stoltenberg
is a Norwegian politician, leader of the Norwegian Labour Party and the current Prime Minister of Norway. Having assumed office on 17 October 2005, Stoltenberg previously served as Prime Minister from 2000 to 2001....
took over as Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Norway
The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...
, and selected Akselsen to his cabinet
First cabinet Stoltenberg
Stoltenberg's First Cabinet governed Norway between March 17, 2000 and October 19, 2001. The Labour Party cabinet was led by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. It had the following composition.-Cabinet members:-State Secretaries:-References:...
as Minister of Petroleum and Energy
Minister of Petroleum and Energy (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy is the head of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.- Councillor of State and Chief of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy 1978 – 1992 :...
. During this period, Akselsen's seat in parliament was taken by Sigurd Grytten
Sigurd Grytten
Sigurd Grytten is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party.He served as a deputy representative to the Norwegian Parliament from Hordaland during the term 1997–2001...
and Rita Tveiten
Rita Tveiten
Rita Tveiten is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party.She was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Hordaland in 1993, and was re-elected on one occasion. She served as a deputy representative during the terms 1989–1993 and 2001–2005...
, the latter for two weeks in 2001.
The position of Minister of Petroleum and Energy was central in the first cabinet Stoltenberg, partly because the first cabinet Bondevik lost the motion of confidence because of unwillingness to build fossil fuel power plant
Fossil fuel power plant
A fossil-fuel power station is a power station that burns fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas or petroleum to produce electricity. Central station fossil-fuel power plants are designed on a large scale for continuous operation...
s. The parliamentary opposition, including the Labour Party, held this to be necessary, and Akselsen had marked himself as a strong supporter of natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
power plants. He views the power plant at Mongstad
Mongstad
Mongstad is an industrial site located in the municipalities of Lindås and Austrheim in Hordaland, Norway. The site features an oil refinery for Statoil and other oil companies, including Shell. At Mongstad, Statoil has a crude oil terminal with a capacity of . The port at Mongstad is the largest...
as especially important.
During Akselsen's tenure as Minister of Petroleum and Energy, the controversial part-privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
of the petroleum company Statoil
Statoil
Statoil ASA is a Norwegian petroleum company established in 1972. It merged with Norsk Hydro in 2007 and was known as StatoilHydro until 2009, when the name was changed back to Statoil ASA. The brand Statoil was retained as a chain of fuel stations owned by StatoilHydro...
also occurred. In January 2004, he was revealed to be a member of the secret "Oil Group", an informal forum consisting of present and former Labour Party politicians as well as representatives from Norwegian business sector, especially oil companies. On the other hand, in 2001 Akselsen retracted a permission to drill for oil in the Norwegian Sea
Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea is a marginal sea in the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Norway. It is located between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea and adjoins the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast. In the southwest, it is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a...
outside of Lofoten
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
.
2001 to 2009
The first cabinet Stoltenberg did not survive the Norwegian parliamentary election, 2001Norwegian parliamentary election, 2001
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on September 10, 2001. The Labour Party won a plurality of votes and seats, closely followed by the Conservative Party...
, as a second cabinet Bondevik
Second cabinet Bondevik
Bondevik's Second Cabinet governed Norway between 19 October 2001 and 17 October 2005. It was led by Kjell Magne Bondevik and consisted of the Conservative Party, the Christian Democratic Party and the Liberal Party. It had the following composition:...
was formed. Akselsen, however, had entered the same election, and was re-elected for his fourth term. He was re-elected again in 2005
Norwegian parliamentary election, 2005
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway on 12 September 2005. More than 3.4 million Norwegians were eligible for vote for the Storting, the parliament of Norway. The new Storting has 169 members, an increase of four over the 2001 election....
, but despite the return of Stoltenberg as Prime Minister, Akselsen was not selected to his cabinet
Second cabinet Stoltenberg
Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet is the current government of Norway. Appointed on 17 October 2005, it is a coalition between the Labour Party, the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party, known as the Red–Green Coalition. The cabinet has ten members from the Labour Party, five from the Socialist...
—although stated to possess the "potential".
From 1989 to 1993 Akselsen was, within the parliament, mainly a member of the Standing Committee on Justice, chairing it from April 1993. From 1993 to 1997 he was the secretary of the Standing Committee on Justice; from December 1996 he was also a member of the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee. From 1997 to 2001 he was a member of the Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment, chairing it from February to March 2000, at which point he became Minister of Petroleum and Energy. He was also a member of the 37-member Election Committee. From 2001 to 2005 he chaired the Standing Committee on Business and Industry, and from 2005 to 2009 he chaired both the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee.
One year before the Norwegian parliamentary election, 2009
Norwegian parliamentary election, 2009
The 2009 parliamentary election was held in Norway on 14 September 2009. Elections in Norway are held on a Monday in September, usually the second or third Monday, as determined by the king. Early voting was possible between 10 August and 11 September 2009, while some municipalities held open...
, Akselsen announced that he declined to stand for re-election. Norwegian election researcher Anders Todal Jenssen stated that his specific declination is "probably problematic for
Jens Stoltenberg
is a Norwegian politician, leader of the Norwegian Labour Party and the current Prime Minister of Norway. Having assumed office on 17 October 2005, Stoltenberg previously served as Prime Minister from 2000 to 2001....
", at a time when 31 politicians of the present Red-Green Coalition
Red-Green Coalition (Norway)
The Red-Green Coalition is a centre-left coalition of Norwegian parties, formed by the Labour , the Socialist Left Party , and the Centre Party. Unlike many other Red-Green coalitions, the "Green" here is the colour of a centrist party rather than an actual Green party...
had announced their withdrawal from Parliament. In late August 2008 Akselsen was appointed director of the Norwegian Maritime Directorate
Norwegian Maritime Directorate
Norwegian Maritime Directorate is a Norwegian government agency responsible for life, health, vessel and the environment for Norwegian registered ships and ships at Norwegian ports...
, a position he took after his parliamentary term ran out in October 2009.
Local politics
Before entering national politics, Akselsen had some experience in local politics. He was elected to the executive committee of the municipal council in his native StordStord
Stord is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Stord is sometimes called "Norway in miniature" - as it has such a variety of landscapes: coastline, fjords, forests, agricultural land, and mountain areas....
in 1983, was re-elected in 1987 but left in 1989 when entering the national parliament.
From 1983 to 1985 he had chaired the local branch of the Workers' Youth League
Workers' Youth League (Norway)
The Workers' Youth League is Norways biggest political youth organization, and is affiliated with the Norwegian Labour Party.AUF took its current form in April 1927, following the merger of Left Communist Youth League and Socialist Youth League of Norway corresponding with the merger of its...
, the youth wing
Youth wing
A youth wing is a subsidiary, autonomous or independently-allied front of a larger organization that is formed in order to rally support and allegiance for that organization's campaigns from members and potential members of a younger age...
of the Labour Party. At the same time he was a member of the board of the Labour Party local chapter. He was a member of the board of the regional Hordaland party chapter from 1986 to 1988. After a hiatus from local politics he returned as leader of the local party chapter from 1998 to 2001.
He also served on several public committees in Stord; pertaining to such matters as wild game, the environment, industry and equality. He was the deputy chair of some of this committees.
Early life and education
Olav Akselsen was born in StordStord
Stord is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Stord is sometimes called "Norway in miniature" - as it has such a variety of landscapes: coastline, fjords, forests, agricultural land, and mountain areas....
as the son of builder Arne Akselsen (born 1928) and his wife Aud Sortland (born 1932), who worked as an "assistant".
He graduated from upper secondary school in 1984, took his examen philosophicum
Examen philosophicum
Examen philosophicum, often abbreviated ex. phil., is a course at certain Norwegian universities that functions as an introductory course within philosophy and scientific method...
course at the University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
in 1986 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
in 1988. Except for a tenure as a carpenter between 1986 and 1987, Akselsen has very little work experience outside of political life. Because of this, commentators have referred to him as a "broiler
Broiler
A broiler is a type of chicken raised specifically for meat production. Modern commercial broilers, typically known as Cornish crosses or Cornish-Rocks are specially bred for large scale, efficient meat production and grow much faster than egg or traditional dual purpose breeds...
", a term referring to a person socialized mainly within a political party.