Annigan Hudfeld was appointed as Norway's ambassador to the United States

Former foreign minister and Labor leader Anniken Huitfeldt has been appointed Norway's ambassador to the US in the cabinet.

Huitfeldt, 54, succeeds current ambassador Anniken Ramberg Krutnes, who is stepping down this summer.

– It is up to the government to appoint ambassadors whom they think are best suited for various tasks. I wish Anniken Huitfeldt the best in her new role,” Conservative leader Erna Solberg said in an email to VG.

The post in Washington DC is considered domestically to be the most prestigious ambassadorial position one can hold at the State Department, and the appointment of a former politician with no diplomatic experience was not controversial.

Huitfeldt had to resign as foreign minister in October last year after her husband traded shares in several listed companies during his tenure as foreign minister. By then, he had been in office for more than two years.

On March 5, Storting decided that he should be criticized in the case. A minority in the Control and Constitution Committee wanted to give “strong criticism”.

He was a member of the Central Committee of the Labor Party from 2002 to 2023 and has held a number of positions in the party and politics. As Storting representative, Huitfeldt has sat on the Akershus bench since 2005.

During the Stoltenberg government, he was Minister of Children and Equality in 2008–2009, Minister of Culture in 2009–2012, and Minister of Labor in 2012–2013.