Reiulf Steen

Reiulf Steen (16 August 1933 – 5 June 2014) was a Norwegian politician with the Norwegian Labour Party. He was active in the Labour Party from 1958 to 1990, serving as deputy party chairman from 1965 to 1975 and chairman from 1975 to 1981. Steen served as Norwegian ambassador to Chile between 1992 and 1996.^{[1] [2]}

Reiulf Steen
Norwegian Ambassador to Chile
In office 4 September 1992 – 24 October 1996
Prime Minister	Gro Harlem Brundtland
Preceded by	Frode Nilsen
Succeeded by	Martin Tore Bjørndal
Vice President of the Storting
In office 9 October 1985 – 30 September 1989
President	Jo Benkow
Preceded by	Odvar Nordli
Succeeded by	Kirsti Kolle Grøndahl
Minister of Trade and Shipping
In office 8 October 1979 – 4 February 1981
Prime Minister	Odvar Nordli
Preceded by	Hallvard Bakke
Succeeded by	Kari Gjesteby
Minister of Transport and Communications
In office 17 March 1971 – 18 October 1972
Prime Minister	Trygve Bratteli
Preceded by	Håkon Kyllingmark
Succeeded by	John Austrheim
Leader of the Labour Party
In office 1975–1981
Deputy	Gro Harlem Brundtland
Preceded by	Trygve Bratteli
Succeeded by	Gro Harlem Brundtland
Member of the Norwegian Parliament
In office 1 October 1977 – 30 September 1993
Constituency	Oslo (1977–1985) Akershus (1985–1993)
Personal details
Born	(1933-08-16)16 August 1933 Hurum, Norway
Died	5 June 2014(2014-06-05) (aged 80) Oslo, Norway
Political party	Labour Party
Spouse	Inés Vargas
Children	4

Biography

Steen in 2007

He was born at Hurum in Buskerud, Norway. His parents were Nils Steen (1889–1941) and Astrid Karlsen (1899–1986). The father, who died when Reiulf was 7 years old, had been president of the Norwegian Chemical Industry Workers' Union and deputy mayor of the municipality.^[2]

Steen was elected leader of the regional Labour Party affiliate at age 14. He had worked in a factory and as a journalist for the newspaper Fremtiden in Drammen before entering politics in 1958. He rose quickly through the ranks of his party, chairing the Workers' Youth League from 1961 to 1964.^[1]

He later served as minister of transportation from 1971 to 1972 and minister of commerce and trade from 1979 to 1981. From 1977 to 1993 he was a member of Parliament, representing the constituencies Oslo and Akershus. He was the vice president of the Socialist International from 1978 to 1983 and chaired its committee on Chile from 1975 to 1990. He maintained a long-standing interest in Latin America and was appointed Norwegian ambassador to Chile in 1992, a tenure that lasted until 1996.^[3]

He wrote columns for several of the country's leading newspapers, dealing with both national and international issues. He was also active in ATTAC and chaired the Norwegian branch of the European Movement (1999–2001), Norsk Folkehjelp (1999–2003) and the Norwegian branch of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights (1986–1992). In later years, his memoirs and personal recollections related accounts of his own psychiatric problems and difficulties within the Labour Party.^[4]

Personal life

Reiulf Steen was married twice. In 1960 he married Lis Fridholm (1936–1985). Their marriage was later dissolved. In 1980 he married Inés Vargas, a native of Chile. His wife's background was part of the reason Steen was appointed Norwegian ambassador to Chile in 1992.

He died on 5 June 2014 and was survived by his wife, four children from his first marriage and step-family. Via his step-daughter, he was father-in-law to Labour politician Raymond Johansen, who was Governing Mayor of Oslo.^[1][5][6] Steen was non-religious.^[7]

Bibliography

• Ørnen har landet, 2003
• Jordskjelv, 2000
• Underveis, 1999
• Beretninger, 1998
• Ideene lever, 1992
• Maktkamp, 1989
• Inés – og det elskede landet, 1988
• Der hjertet banker, 1986

See also

• Gro Harlem Brundtland
• Trygve Bratteli