Raymond Johansen
Raymond Johansen (Born 14 February 1961) is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party who has been Governing Mayor of Oslo since 2015.
Early life and education
Johansen was born in Oslo and is a plumber by education.
Career
Originally a member of the Socialist Left Party, he chaired their youth wing Socialist Youth from 1986 to 1988 and was a member of the central party board from 1986 to 1991. He chaired the local party chapter in Oslo from 1990 to 1991, and was city commissioner (byråd) of the environment and transport in the city government of Oslo from 1991 to 1995.[1] He was not re-elected in 1995, and left the Socialist Left Party.
He then worked in the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation from 1996 to 2000 and was secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council from 2002 to 2005. In 2002 he briefly worked at the Norwegian embassy in Asmara. During the first and second cabinet Stoltenberg he was State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[1]
On 18 March 2007, Johansen met with members of the newly elected Hamas unity government and announced that Norway would resume economic aid. He also expressed hope that other European states would follow their lead.
On 21 April 2009 he was elected as Party Secretary of the Labour Party on its national convention, following the footsteps of his uncle, Thorbjørn Berntsen. The position is traditionally both powerful and influential. He was sometimes mentioned in party circles as a possible candidate to succeed party leader Jens Stoltenberg but did not candidate and Stoltenberg was succeeded by Jonas Gahr Støre.[2] Following the 2015 local elections he became governing mayor of Oslo.
He is married with two children,[1] and resides in Oslo. From 1999 to 2001 he was a member of the board of Vålerenga Fotball.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Statssekretær Raymond Johansen" (in Norwegian). Government.no. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
- ↑ Haugan, Bjørn; Ertesvåg, Frank; Gillesvik, Kjetil (19 April 2012). "- Tschudi-saken har svekket Støres ledersjanser" [- The Tschudi affair has weakened Støre's leadership chances]. VG (in Norwegian). Retrieved 19 April 2012.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Merete Johnson |
Oslo City Commissioner of Transport and the Environment 1992–1995 |
Succeeded by Steinar Saghaug |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Kristin Halvorsen |
Leader of the Socialist Youth 1986–1988 |
Succeeded by Paul Chaffey |
| Preceded by Martin Kolberg |
Party Secretary of the Labour Party 2009–2015; |
Succeeded by Kjersti Stenseng |
| Preceded by Stian Berger Røsland |
Governing mayor of Oslo 2015– |
Succeeded by Incumbent |