Kjell Borgen
Encyclopedia
Kjell Borgen was a Norwegian
politician for the Labour Party
. He served as Minister of Transport and Communications
from 1986 to 1988, Minister of Local Government
1988 to 1989 and 1990 to 1992. He served as County Governor of Hedmark from 1993 to his death.
as a son of a worker and a housewife. He attended the teacher's college at Elverum
from 1960 to 1962. He worked as a secondary school teacher in Rendalen
from 1962 to 1966, and also minored in Norwegian at the University of Oslo
in 1964. From 1967 to 1972 he worked as headmaster at a combined primary-secondary school, and from 1972 he had a municipal administrative job.
Borgen chaired his regional branch of the Workers' Youth League
from 1957 to 1959. He chaired his local Labour Party chapter from 1964 to 1967, and the county chapter from 1976 to 1980. He was a member of the Labour Party central committee from 1985 to 1993. Locally, Borgen became a member of Rendalen municipal council in 1965. In 1967 he became mayor, serving until 1977. He was a member of Hedmark
county council
from 1967 to 1979, from 1874 to 1975 as deputy county mayor (fylkesvaraordfører).
to the Parliament of Norway from Hedmark, and he was re-elected in 1981
, 1985
and 1989
. He served as President of the Lagting from 10 to 18 December 1979. When Prime Minister
Gro Harlem Brundtland
formed her Second Cabinet in 1986, Borgen became Minister of Transport and Communications
. He remained so until 13 June 1988, when he became Norwegian Minister of Local Government and Labour
.
According to Tore Lindholt
, who released a book about the Norwegian State Railways in 1990, the same year as he served as acting director-general for the second time, Borgen was instrumental in removing Robert Nordén
as director-general of the State Railways. Borgen asked Prime Minister
Gro Harlem Brundtland
to have Nordén removed, and when Brundtland gave the green light, Borgen told this to then-assisting director-general Lindholt over the telephone. Borgen also became slightly controversial due to the Oslo Airport localization debate
. A decision to choose Hurum
as the site of the new Oslo Airport was the reason for Borgen's withdrawal as Minister of Transport.
Borgen lost his position as Minister of Local Government and Labour when Brundtland's Second Cabinet fell in 1989. When Brundtland's Third Cabinet returned in 1990, Borgen returned as well, only under a slightly different name: Minister of Local Government. He made his exit in September 1992, and sat through his last term in Parliament, to 1993. While Borgen was Minister, his seat in Parliament was taken by Ingrid Nylund and Grethe Fossum.
Borgen finished his career with the position as County Governor of Hedmark from 1993. When Borgen died in August 1996, Ola Skjølaas
became Acting County Governor.
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 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....
. He served as Minister of Transport and Communications
Minister of Transport and Communications (Norway)
The Minister of Transport and Communications is a Councillor of State and Chief of the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications. Since 20 October 2009, the position has been held by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa of the Centre Party...
from 1986 to 1988, Minister of Local Government
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development (Norway)
The Minister of Local Government and Regional Development is a Norwegian minister that is head of the Norwegian Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development...
1988 to 1989 and 1990 to 1992. He served as County Governor of Hedmark from 1993 to his death.
Early life and career
He was born in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
as a son of a worker and a housewife. He attended the teacher's college at Elverum
Elverum
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Elverum...
from 1960 to 1962. He worked as a secondary school teacher in Rendalen
Rendalen
Rendalen is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bergset.-Name:...
from 1962 to 1966, and also minored in Norwegian at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
in 1964. From 1967 to 1972 he worked as headmaster at a combined primary-secondary school, and from 1972 he had a municipal administrative job.
Borgen chaired his regional 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...
from 1957 to 1959. He chaired his local Labour Party chapter from 1964 to 1967, and the county chapter from 1976 to 1980. He was a member of the Labour Party central committee from 1985 to 1993. Locally, Borgen became a member of Rendalen municipal council in 1965. In 1967 he became mayor, serving until 1977. He was a member of Hedmark
Hedmark
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. The county administration is in Hamar.Hedmark makes up the northeastern part of Østlandet, the southeastern part of the country. It includes a long part of the borderline with Sweden, Dalarna County and Värmland County. The...
county council
County council (Norway)
A County Council is the highest governing body of the county municipalities in Norway. The county council sets the scope of the county municipal activity. The council is led by a chairman or county mayor...
from 1967 to 1979, from 1874 to 1975 as deputy county mayor (fylkesvaraordfører).
National politics
In 1977, he was electedNorwegian parliamentary election, 1977
-Results:...
to the Parliament of Norway from Hedmark, and he was re-elected in 1981
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1981
-Results:...
, 1985
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1985
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 9 September 1985.-Results:...
and 1989
Norwegian 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....
. He served as President of the Lagting from 10 to 18 December 1979. When 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...
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...
formed her Second Cabinet in 1986, Borgen became Minister of Transport and Communications
Minister of Transport and Communications (Norway)
The Minister of Transport and Communications is a Councillor of State and Chief of the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications. Since 20 October 2009, the position has been held by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa of the Centre Party...
. He remained so until 13 June 1988, when he became Norwegian Minister of Local Government and Labour
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development (Norway)
The Minister of Local Government and Regional Development is a Norwegian minister that is head of the Norwegian Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development...
.
According to Tore Lindholt
Tore Lindholt
Tore Lindholt is a Norwegian economist, civil servant and politician for the Labour Party. He was twice the acting director of the Norwegian State Railways, and Folketrygdfondet from 1990 to 2004....
, who released a book about the Norwegian State Railways in 1990, the same year as he served as acting director-general for the second time, Borgen was instrumental in removing Robert Nordén
Robert Nordén
Robert Fredrik Nordén was a Norwegian economist, civil servant and politician for the Labour Party. He was the director of the Norwegian State Railways from 1978 to 1988....
as director-general of the State Railways. Borgen asked 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...
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...
to have Nordén removed, and when Brundtland gave the green light, Borgen told this to then-assisting director-general Lindholt over the telephone. Borgen also became slightly controversial due to the Oslo Airport localization debate
Oslo Airport localization controversy
The location of the airport serving Oslo, Norway, has been the subject of several political debates since 1918. The fist controversy was initially related to choice between the islands of Gressholmen and Lindøya in the Oslofjord for a water aerodrome. The debate later changed, arriving at the...
. A decision to choose Hurum
Hurum
Hurum is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village Klokkarstua. The municipality of Hurum was established on 1 January 1838 . The small village of Holmsbu was granted town status in 1847, but it did not become a municipality of its own...
as the site of the new Oslo Airport was the reason for Borgen's withdrawal as Minister of Transport.
Borgen lost his position as Minister of Local Government and Labour when Brundtland's Second Cabinet fell in 1989. When Brundtland's Third Cabinet returned in 1990, Borgen returned as well, only under a slightly different name: Minister of Local Government. He made his exit in September 1992, and sat through his last term in Parliament, to 1993. While Borgen was Minister, his seat in Parliament was taken by Ingrid Nylund and Grethe Fossum.
Borgen finished his career with the position as County Governor of Hedmark from 1993. When Borgen died in August 1996, Ola Skjølaas
Ola Skjølaas
Ola Skjølaas was a Norwegian veterinarian, civil servant and politician for the Labour Party.He was born in Søndre Land. A veterinarian by education, he took his doctoral degree in Hannover in 1969. He was district veterinarian in Tana from 1970 to 1977 and then in Hedmark/Oppland...
became Acting County Governor.