Thorbjorn Jagland elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly on 29 September elected Thorbjørn Jagland (Norway) Secretary General of the Organisation for a five-year term. In the first round of the election, Thorbjørn Jagland obtained 165 votes (an absolute majority) and Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz (Poland) 80 votes. There were 245 votes cast. Mr Jagland has been President of the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) since 2005 and Member of Parliament for Buskerud County since 1993. He was born on 5 November 1950 in Drammen, Norway. He is married to Hanne Grotjord. They have two children. Thorbjørn Jagland will be sworn in as Secretary General on 1 October 2009.
THORBJORN JAGLAND, PRESIDENT OF THE NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENT (STORTING)
Thorbjørn Jagland is President of the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) since 2005 and Member of Parliament from Buskerud County since 1993
Mr. Jagland was born on 5 November 1950 in Drammen, Norway. He is married to Hanne Grotjord. They have two children.
CABINET POSITIONS
v Prime Minister, 1996-1997
v Minister of Foreign Affairs, 2000-2001
PARLIAMENTARY POSITIONS
v President of the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) since 2005
v Member of Parliament since 1993
v Member of the Standing Committee on Defence and the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee, since 2005
v Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee, 2001-2005
v Chairman of the EEA Consultative Committee since 2000-2005, member of the Committee 1994-1996 and again from 1997-2000
v Member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee, 1993-1996 and 1997-2000, Chairman of the Committee for two months in 2000,
EUROPEAN AND TRANSATLANTIC PARLIAMENTARY POSITIONS
v Head of the Norwegian delegation for Relations with the European Parliament, 2001-2005
v Member of the Norwegian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, 2001-2005
v Member of the Norwegian delegation to the Nordic Council, 1993-1996 and 1997-2000
v Head of the Norwegian delegation at the Second Summit of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg 1997
v Member of the Norwegian delegation for Relations with the European Parliament, 1993-1996 and 1997-2000
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL POSITIONS
v Chairman of the Board of Directors, Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights since 2006
v Chair of the Socialist International Middle East Committee, 2000-2006
v Member of the Sharm El-Sheikh Fact-Finding Commission ("Mitchell Commission"), 2000-2001
v Vice President of the Socialist International since 1999
v Member of the International Board of Governors, Peres Center for Peace since 1997
v Chair of the Socialist International Finance and Administration Committee, 1987-1992
NATIONAL POLITICAL POSITIONS
v Chairman of the Norwegian Labour Party, 1992-2002
v Party secretary of the Labour Party, 1987-1992
v Secretary of the Labour Party Programme Committee, 1986-1989
v Chairman of the Labour Party International Committee since 1986
v Acting party secretary of the Labour Party, 1986-87
v Secretary of the Labour Party Committee on Disarmament since 1982
v Chairman of the Norwegian Labour Youth League, 1977-1981
v Chairman of the Labour Youth League, Buskerud County, 1973-1976
ELECTED POSITIONS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
v Member of Buskerud County Council, 1975-1983
PUBLICATIONS
In the course of his political career, Mr. Jagland has published a large number of articles and publications on Norwegian and international issues, in particular on European issues. In 1990, Mr. Jagland published the book "Min europeiske drøm" ("My European Dream").
EDUCATION
v Degree in Economics, University of Oslo, 1975
