International Stoltenberg will not return to Norwegian top politics

After ten years as NATO Secretary General, former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg does not want to return to top politics in his home country.

At a press conference with Norway's head of government Jonas Gahr Støre, the 65-year-old ruled out a return to top political office in the Scandinavian country.

As a Social Democrat, he would certainly find ways to support his party as an ordinary member, said Stoltenberg. But: "I won't be someone who comes home and starts having too many opinions about things I haven't actually been involved with for ten years - namely active Norwegian politics." He did not comment on other possible activities.

Stoltenberg was Norwegian Prime Minister from 2000 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2013. In 2011, he also led his country through the difficult period following the attacks in Oslo's government district and on the island of Utøya, in which right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik killed a total of 77 people.

Stoltenberg has been NATO Secretary General since 2014. He will hand over this post to former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on October 1.

SDA