Solberg, Erna

Solberg, Erna,

1961–, Norwegian political leader, grad. Univ. of Bergen (1986). She was first elected to the Norwegian parliament in 1989. As minister of local government and regional development (2001–5), she took a hard line on asylum policies, earning her the nickname "Iron Erna"; she has since softened her views on immigration. Solberg became leader of the Conservative party in 2004. In 2013, after the center-right parties won a combined majority in the parliamentary elections, she became prime minister of a center-right minority government. She and her coalition remained in power after the 2017 elections, and by 2019 were a four-party majority government.