Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., September 30, 2024. (Official State Department photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Labour) admits that he violated the rules of impartiality when his son got an internship at the Norwegian embassy in Paris.
“I’m standing here now because I made a mistake. It’s a mistake I deeply apologise for,” Eide said at the press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday morning.

“I should have immediately informed the ministry that my son would be applying, so that the process could have been handled correctly,” said the foreign minister.

Because the Foreign Minister is disqualified in relation to his son, the entire foreign service is also disqualified in the case. The son has now resigned from his position.

“The most painful thing for me as a father is that my son, who was enthusiastic about the job at the embassy in Paris, chose to quit,” said Eide.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre called the mistake serious, but at the same time expressed confidence in Eide.
<“The Minister of Foreign Affairs has made a mistake. When mistakes are made about impartiality, it is serious,” said Støre, adding:

.

“Espen should have known how to handle this case, not least after the thorough review of the impartiality regulations and the training we’ve had in the government.”</p

Norway’s ambassador to France, Vegar Sundsbø Brynildsen, also recognised the error.

Venstre leader Guri Melby was critical:

“We had expected better.

– We had expected better. Barth Eide is one of our most experienced politicians, and should know better than to contribute to weakening trust in politics in this way.