Per Borten

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Jump to: navigation, search
Per Borten
Enlarge
Per Borten

Per Borten (April 3, 1913 - January 20, 2005) was a Norwegian politician from the Centre Party.

Borten was born in Flå in the municipality of Melhus in Sør-Trøndelag, and was educated Agriculturist from the Agricultural University of Norway in 1939. He started his political career serving as mayor of his home municipally, Flå, from 1945 to 1955. He was elected to the Norwegian parliament in 1949 and stayed there until his retirement in 1977.

Borten was Prime Minister of Norway from 1965 to 1971, heading a four-party center-right coalition. He was also appointed president of the Odelsting, acted as the parliamentary leader for his party and served as its chairman from 1955 to 1967.

After his retirement from politics, Borten continued to speak out on issues such as nuclear disarmament, clandestine surveillance, and the controversy on Norway's relationship to the European Union. He served on the boards of several public banking organizations. He earned a reputation for being an engaging and somewhat contrarian figure in the Norwegian political landscape. Borten died in Trondheim at the age of 91.

Per Borten is credited for leading the modernization of what was then named Bondepartiet (the Agrarian Party) into today's Centre Party. He was an active opponent of Norway joining the European Union.


Preceded by:
Einar Gerhardsen
Prime Minister of Norway
1965–1971
Succeeded by:
Trygve Bratteli
Personal tools