Helga Pedersen (Norway)

Helga Pedersen (born 13 January 1973 in Sør-Varanger) is the deputy leader for the Norwegian Labour Party.

From April to October 2001, during the first cabinet Stoltenberg, she was appointed political advisor in the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In 2005, during the second cabinet Stoltenberg, she was appointed Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs. Pedersen is the first politician of Sámi descent to have been member of any country's government, and also the first member of any ethnic minority hold a place in the Norwegian government.

On the local level she was a deputy member of Finnmark county council from 1999 to 2003, and county mayor from 2003 to 2005.

In 2007 she was elected as deputy leader of the Labour Party.

References

*stortingetbio|HPED|name=Helga Pedersen