Kjell Magne Bondevik

Kjell Magne Bondevik (born September 3, 1947) is a Norwegian lutheran minister and politician, and currently the Prime Minister of Norway for the second time. His present cabinet, a coalition between the Christian Democratic Party, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, was appointed October 192001, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg. He also served in this position from October 17 1997 to March 3 2000, in a coalition consisting of the Christian Democratic Party, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.

Bondevik was born in Molde, Norway. He is a theological candidate from Norway's Free Faculty of Theology in 1975. In 1979 he was ordained as pastor in the (Lutheran) Norwegian State Church. He is married to Bjørg Bondevik (born Rasmussen), and has three children.

Representing the Christian Democratic Party, Bondevik has been a member of the Storting (Parliament) since 1973. He was his party's parliamentary leader 1981-1983, 1986-1989, 1993-1997, 1997 and 2000-2001, and party leader 1983 to 1995, succeeded by Valgerd Svarstad Haugland. Mr. Bondevik was also Minister of Foreign Affairs in Jan P. Syse's government 1989-1990, Minister of Church and Education in Kåre Willoch's government 1983-1986, also Prime Minister Willoch's deputy 1985-1986, and state secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister during Lars Korvald’s government 1972-1973.

While serving his first term as Prime Minister, Bondevik attracted international attention in August 1998 when he admitted that he was suffering from depression, becoming the highest ranking world
leader to admit to suffering from a mental problem while in office. He let Anne Enger Lahnstein become acting Prime Minister for three weeks, from August 30, 1998, to September 23, 1998, while he treated the depression. Bondevik then returned to office.

In 2004 he was accused of being a member of the Fellowship Foundation, but he denies it.

Kjell Magne Bondevik's First Cabinet, October 17 1997 to March 3 2000