Torbjørn Røe Isaksen

Torbjørn Røe Isaksen (born 28 July 1978) is a Norwegian politician, MP for the Conservative Party who has served as Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion since January 2020.[1] He previously served as Minister of Trade and Industry from 2018 to 2020 and Minister of Education and Research from October 2013 to January 2018; except from September to November 2017 when he was on parental leave and his duties was upheld by Henrik Asheim.

Torbjørn Røe Isaksen MP
Røe Isaksen in 2018.
Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 January 2020
Prime Minister	Erna Solberg
Preceded by	Anniken Hauglie
Minister of Trade and Industry
In office 17 January 2018 – 24 January 2020
Prime Minister	Erna Solberg
Preceded by	Monica Mæland
Succeeded by	Iselin Nybø
Minister of Education and Research
In office 26 November 2017 – 17 January 2018
Prime Minister	Erna Solberg
Preceded by	Henrik Asheim (acting)
Succeeded by	Jan Tore Sanner
In office 16 October 2013 – 15 September 2017
Prime Minister	Erna Solberg
Preceded by	Kristin Halvorsen
Succeeded by	Henrik Asheim (acting)
Minister of Fisheries Acting
In office 2 March 2020 – 13 March 2020
Prime Minister	Erna Solberg
Preceded by	Geir-Inge Sivertsen
Succeeded by	Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen
Member of the Norwegian Parliament
In office 1 October 2009 – 30 September 2017
Constituency	Telemark
Leader of the Young Conservatives
In office 20 June 2004 – 22 June 2008
Preceded by	Ine Marie Eriksen
Succeeded by	Henrik Asheim
Personal details
Born	(1978-07-28) 28 July 1978 Ålesund, Møre og Romsdal, Norway
Nationality	Norwegian
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Henriette Ringnes (m. 2011)
Children	3
Alma mater	University of Oslo

Isaksen edited the newspaper Xtra, published by the Young Conservatives (Unge Høyre), the youth wing of the Conservative Party from 2002 to 2004, and he was the leader of the Young Conservatives from 2004 to 2008. Prior to entering politics full-time, Isaksen worked as a freelance journalist and was the political editor in the gazette Minerva. Isaksen holds a master's degree in political science from the University of Oslo. His master's thesis was on Friedrich Hayek.[2] In 2008 he published the book The Right Turn. For a New Conservatism, which was printed in three editions.

Hailing from Porsgrunn, he served as a deputy representative to the Norwegian Parliament from Telemark during the 2005–2009 term.[3] In the 2009 election he was the top candidate for the Telemark Conservatives and was elected to the parliament for the first time.

In 2007 he was named Norway's most talented young politician by VG.[4]

After Geir-Inge Sivertsen resigned as Minister of Fisheries in March 2020, Røe Isaksen was acting minister for 11 days before Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen’s appointment.[5][6] On 27 May 2020, he stated to Minerva that he's not intendig to stand for the 2021 election, and that he would be stepping down from politics all together. His reasoning was to focus more on his family.[7]