Jonas Gahr Støre: Alumnus and Prime Minister of Norway

Back in 1985, the young Norwegian student Jonas Gahr Støre was diligently studying “the role of heads of state and government in crisis resolution.” Little did he know then that he would one day find himself in one of those very roles himself. The day came on 14 October 2021, when Støre was elected Prime Minister of Norway.

On 13 May 2024, Sciences Po's Paris School of International Affairs is honoured to welcome the Norwegian Prime Minister to discuss his views on current events and his vision for the country.

"An intelligent, methodical and likeable student"

In 1981, at the ripe age of 21, the young Jonas Gahr Støre enrolled at the Institut d’études politiques (IEP) de Paris. Before taking his place in the lecture halls at Sciences Po, Støre had already chosen subjects at his secondary school that would lead him towards a life in politics: social policy, Norwegian domestic policy, foreign policy and social economics. After leaving school, he trained as a reserve officer at the Norwegian Naval Academy and the year leading up to his arrival in Paris was spent on board a national navy ship as a navigation officer. By the time Støre stepped through the doors of 27 rue Saint-Guillaume, he had already gained his own, somewhat atypical, experience.
Already a francophile with a solid grounding in French, the Norwegian student chose to apply for the IEP’s Certificate of Political Studies, a preliminary course for incoming international students. His next step was to enrol in the university’s International Relations track, which was to be his specialism throughout his time at Sciences Po.
Støre’s timetable soon filled up with courses taught by the university’s most distinguished professors. Among these were Hélène Carrère d’Encausse’s course “The USSR and European Socialism: Political and Social History”, a core course in International Relations with Gilles de la Menardière and “French Foreign Policy Since 1994” taught by Alfred Grosser.

Over his four years at Sciences Po, Støre’s professors tended to praise him for his eloquence, quick progress and hardworking nature. Many noted his “subtle analyses” and “always highly constructive comments”, not to mention his “spectacular results”, like those he earned at the end of the Political Institutions methodology course he took in the academic year 1982-1983.

An “intelligent, methodical and likeable student” affirmed his economics professor. Referring to Støre’s grasp of French, his second-year history and geography professor noted, granted, a few errors but acknowledged that in under two years the student had acquired “the rhythm of the language and a sense of elegance”.

International Relations, Law, Economics, European Issues, English, German and more: at Sciences Po, the young student was to gain all the core skills that would serve him over the course of his long and prosperous political career. Giving an overall appraisal of Støre’s achievements at Sciences Po, his final-year international relations professor wrote: “A very good student wishing to perfect his knowledge of international relations while studying abroad in France. Overall highly positive. One of the best.”

“One of the best” he would have to remain if he was to succeed in his next academic endeavour at the London School of Economics, where he enrolled in a Master’s in International Relations. After that came a stint at Harvard in the US.

A wind of change for Norway

Having entered politics at a young age, Støre soon launched an active political career, leading up to his appointment as the Minister of Foreign Affairs within Jens Stoltenberg’s government in 2005. This remained his role until 2012, when he took over the reins of the Ministry of Health. In 2014, Stoltenberg left to take up the post of Secretary General of NATO, allowing Støre to succeed him as Leader of Norway’s Labour Party.
It was at the helm of the Arbeiderpartiet that Støre led his electoral campaign for the parliamentary elections of September 2021, fighting “against inequalities, against centralisation and for a ‘fair’ climate policy”. The Labour Party won the election and formed a minority coalition with the Centre Party. Støre was officially sworn in as Prime Minister on 14 October, marking the end of eight years of Conservative Party rule in Norway. Together with his German, Swedish, Danish and Finnish counterparts, Støre’s arrival in government signals a major comeback for social democracy in Europe. Støre’s current government is made up of ten women and eight men, with an average age of 46.

“I want a more equal society with opportunities for all, and to strive to get everybody into work. That is the number one priority.”

An alumnus with a rich and dedicated political career behind him, Støre has entered office at a time of multiple crises. His decisions over the coming years will be crucial for Norway. But you can bet that back in 1985, when the future Prime Minister of Norway was still a student submitting assignments at Sciences Po, his ideas for leadership were already brewing.

The Sciences Po Editorial Team

Find out more: Read our portraits of famous Sciences Po alumni (FR)