Jonas Gahr Støre review: Now the third-longest serving leader in history – and eyeing 2029

It's no secret that Jonas Gahr Støre has shaped Norwegian politics for two decades. But even seasoned political commentators have to do a double-take when looking at the calendar: Støre has just made history. On 19 January this year, he overtook both Jens Stoltenberg and Gro Harlem Brundtland in total time as leader of the Labour Party. Now he's the third-longest serving leader ever – only Oscar Torp (22 years) and Einar Gerhardsen (20 years) have been in the role longer. That's an achievement that deserves a proper Jonas Gahr Støre review.

A very different day job from 2021

When Støre moved into the Prime Minister's residence in October 2021, much of the opposition painted a picture of a "soft" leader who would simply manage prosperity. Then reality hit. The war in Ukraine turned everything upside down, and suddenly the job was just as much about NATO cooperation, security policy and emergency preparedness as it was about schools and healthcare. Støre himself has admitted the role became "more serious and war-focused than I could have imagined". Yet he's still standing. That says something about where he's coming from.

For anyone wondering how to use Jonas Gahr Støre in a political analysis – the answer is actually pretty simple: He's a persistent, calm force who rarely gets swept up in the daily news cycle. That annoys as many people as it impresses.

Three ministers out – and a clear apology

But let's not sugar-coat everything. The spring of 2023 was tough. When Anette Trettebergstuen had to step down as Minister of Culture and Equality due to a conflict-of-interest scandal, she became the third minister to leave Støre's government, following Hadia Tajik and Odd Roger Enoksen. At the press conference before the summer break, the Prime Minister was confronted: Shouldn't you have done more thorough background checks?

"I don't think background checks would have made any difference here. The reasons are quite different. I choose to put it this way: I'm sorry," Støre replied to internal sources.

He added that people make mistakes – "we've made mistakes before and we can make mistakes now". And that sentence neatly sums up the Jonas Gahr Støre guide to political leadership: He takes the consequences, but without kicking anyone who's already down. That's classic Støre.

Fosen, the Sámi, and unresolved conflicts

It hasn't just been internal government turmoil shaping the picture, though. Støre has also had to deal with one of the most heated issues in recent times: the Fosen conflict. When he recently visited Karasjok, the message from the activists was clear. Here are the three key points in the deadlocked situation:

• The youth wing of the Norwegian Sámi Association warned of renewed action unless Støre comes up with concrete measures regarding the wind farm.
• Front figure Elle Nystad stressed they are ready to resume demonstrations – again in Oslo if necessary.
• Støre has previously said he strongly disagrees with those demanding the wind turbines be torn down.

So it's at a stalemate. For a prime minister who built his platform on "a fair Norway", Fosen is a reminder that justice is rarely black and white.

2029: Norway's oldest PM in 100 years?

Despite the challenges, Støre has made one thing clear: He will also stand as the Labour Party's prime ministerial candidate in 2029. He recently confirmed this to political sources. If the party's national conference gives the green light and he wins the election, he'll be 69 years old.

"It's an age. But I believe my energy, health, capacity and pace are up to the job I have," Støre said.

That's a bold statement in a country that has historically had relatively young prime ministers. At the same time: Einar Gerhardsen was 68 when he stepped down for the last time. Age in itself isn't necessarily a barrier – the real question is whether voters in 2029 will want a prime minister who has been in office for nearly a decade, or whether they'll be craving something new.

A review of the Støre years so far

If we're going to do a proper Jonas Gahr Støre review, we need to look at the big picture. He took over from Erna Solberg at a time when Norway needed calm. He has steered the country through a pandemic, an energy crisis and a full-scale war on Europe's flank. At the same time, his government has lost three ministers over conflicts of interest, struggled with Fosen and faced criticism over how it handled its own finances (the cabin-jetty affair still stings for some).

But the opinion polls – which all politicians swear by and simultaneously hate – show something else: Labour has climbed a bit, but still hasn't returned to its old glory days numbers. So how should you use Jonas Gahr Støre going forward? The answer is perhaps exactly how he's always done it: calm, long-term, without too many sudden swings.

Whether you agree with him or not – Støre isn't being swept aside anytime soon. Now it remains to be seen whether his endurance pays off at the next crossroads. 2029 is further away than many think. But in Norwegian politics, four years is nothing – especially for a man who will soon have been leader longer than Gro.