11 Facts About Vidar Helgesen

Vidar Helgesen was born on 21 November 1968 and is a Norwegian diplomat and politician for the Conservative Party.

Vidar Helgesen served as Minister of European Affairs and Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Erna Solberg from 2013 to 2015, and Minister of Climate and the Environment from 2015 to 2018.

Vidar Helgesen served as Secretary-General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance from 2005 to 2013.

Vidar Helgesen was a State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2001 to 2005.

Vidar Helgesen became the first minister of European affairs on 16 October 2013, a newly created ministerial post in Solberg's Cabinet following the Conservative victory in the 2013 election.

Vidar Helgesen pledged that they would fight for Norwegian interests within the EU.

In October 2014, Vidar Helgesen expressed support for the EU's goal for new energy efficiency, but noted that it would succeed more if it was free of charge.

In late April 2015, Vidar Helgesen expressed concerns about Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban's comments that the death penalty should be a relevant debate.

Vidar Helgesen stated: "Hungary is a democracy, but it is sometimes difficult to see the democratic mindset of Orban in his statements".

Vidar Helgesen expressed that any EU member state that goes against the union's values should expect counter reactions.

In November 2023, it was announced that Vidar Helgesen would be appointed Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, with the rank of Assistant Director-General at UNESCO.