Jon Lilletun
Encyclopedia
Jon Lilletun was a Norwegian
politician active in the Christian Democratic Party.
, now a part of the municipality of Voss
. His father owned a farm and also worked as a mailman. Lilletun was raised as a Pentecostal
, and his family always tithed to the religious community.
After his mandatory 8-year primary education, Lilletun's family was unable to finance attendance at a higher level of school with an academic track. Lilletun worked as an apprentice at a local merchant and attended various trade schools. In 1974 he opened his own retail store that went bankrupt within a few years. He was subsequently convicted of negligence in his accounting practices and sentenced to a 55 day prison term, which he served.
He attributed this experience with a new outlook on life, and from 1975 to 1988 he worked for the municipality of Vennesla
on issues related to youth. In 1982 he ran for election as the mayor of Vennesla, but lost in a landslide defeat. During this time he also moved from the Pentecostal movement to the Church of Norway
.
, he served as a deputy member of the Norwegian parliament from 1981 to 1985, and as an elected member from 1989 until his death. In the spring of 2005 he took sick leave, and his deputy Sigmund Kroslid
filled in for him. After his death he was replaced by Dagrun Eriksen
.
Lilletun was the Minister of Education, Research and Church Affairs 1997-2000, in the first cabinet of Kjell Magne Bondevik
. Under his administration, the Norwegian Center for Studies of Holocaust and Religious Minorities
was approved.
Among his other parliamentary appointments were:
Since 2005, he was also vice president of the Lagting.
The cause of his death was cancer
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
politician active in the Christian Democratic Party.
Background
Lilletun was born in Western VossestrandVossestrand
Vossestrand is a former municipality in Hordaland county, Norway.It was created by a split from Voss on January 1, 1868. At that time, Vossestrand had a population of 2,010.On 1 January 1964 the entire municipality was reunited with Voss....
, now a part of the municipality of Voss
Voss
is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Voss. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen....
. His father owned a farm and also worked as a mailman. Lilletun was raised as a Pentecostal
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
, and his family always tithed to the religious community.
After his mandatory 8-year primary education, Lilletun's family was unable to finance attendance at a higher level of school with an academic track. Lilletun worked as an apprentice at a local merchant and attended various trade schools. In 1974 he opened his own retail store that went bankrupt within a few years. He was subsequently convicted of negligence in his accounting practices and sentenced to a 55 day prison term, which he served.
He attributed this experience with a new outlook on life, and from 1975 to 1988 he worked for the municipality of Vennesla
Vennesla
Vennesla is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Vennesla was separated from Øvrebø in 1861. Øvrebø and Hægeland were merged with Vennesla again on 1 January 1964...
on issues related to youth. In 1982 he ran for election as the mayor of Vennesla, but lost in a landslide defeat. During this time he also moved from the Pentecostal movement to the Church of Norway
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
.
Political career
Representing the county of Vest-AgderVest-Agder
In the 16th century, Dutch merchant vessels began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase salmon and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of timber began, as oak from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for shipbuilding...
, he served as a deputy member of the Norwegian parliament from 1981 to 1985, and as an elected member from 1989 until his death. In the spring of 2005 he took sick leave, and his deputy Sigmund Kroslid
Sigmund Kroslid
Sigmund Kroslid is a Norwegian politician for the Christian Democratic Party, best known for being the mayor of Flekkefjord for fourteen years.-Career:...
filled in for him. After his death he was replaced by Dagrun Eriksen
Dagrun Eriksen
Dagrun Eriksen is a Norwegian politician for the Christian People's Party .She was elected into the Norwegian parliament from the county of Vest-Agder in 2001...
.
Lilletun was the Minister of Education, Research and Church Affairs 1997-2000, in the first cabinet of Kjell Magne Bondevik
Kjell Magne Bondevik
Kjell Magne Bondevik is a Norwegian Lutheran minister and politician . He served as Prime Minister of Norway from 1997 to 2000, and from 2001 to 2005, making him Norway's longest serving non-Labour Party Prime Minister since World War II...
. Under his administration, the Norwegian Center for Studies of Holocaust and Religious Minorities
Norwegian Center for Studies of Holocaust and Religious Minorities
The Center for Studies of Holocaust and Religious Minorities in Norway opened its doors to the public on August 24, 2006 at the former residence of Vidkun Quisling known as Villa Grande, on the peninsula of Bygdøy in Oslo.The center's endowment was donated by the Norwegian government at the behest...
was approved.
Among his other parliamentary appointments were:
Storting Committees
- Since 2001: member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee
- 2000-2001: member of the Standing Committee on Business and Industry
- 1993-1997: chair of the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs
- 1990-1993: member of the Standing Committee on Church and Education
- 1989-1990: member of the Standing Committee on Local Government and the Environment
Other
- Since 2001: member of the Norwegian delegation for Relations with the European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentThe European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
- Since 2000: member of the Norwegian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Deputy Head of the delegation since 2001
- 1993-1997: alternate member of the Storting delegation to the Nordic Council
- 2001-2005: chair of the Christian Democratic Party parliamentary group
Since 2005, he was also vice president of the Lagting.
The cause of his death was cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.