Rolf Presthus

Rolf Presthus (29 July 1936 – 1 January 1988) was a Norwegian politician and lawyer, who was chairman of the Norwegian Conservative Party from 1986 to 1988.

Rolf Presthus
Leader of the Conservative Party
In office 20 April 1986 – 1 January 1988
First Deputy	Kaci Kullmann Five
Second Deputy	Erlend Rian
Preceded by	Erling Norvik
Succeeded by	Jan P. Syse
Minister of Defence
In office 25 April 1986 – 9 May 1986
Prime Minister	Kåre Willoch
Preceded by	Anders Sjaastad
Succeeded by	Johan Jørgen Holst
Minister of Finance
In office 14 October 1981 – 25 April 1986
Prime Minister	Kåre Willoch
Preceded by	Ulf Sand
Succeeded by	Arne Skauge
Member of the Norwegian Parliament
In office 1 October 1969 – 1 January 1988
Constituency	Akershus
Mayor of Oppegård
In office 1 January 1968 – 1 October 1969
Preceded by	Erling Erichsen
Succeeded by	Tore Haugen
Personal details
Born	(1936-07-29)29 July 1936 Oslo, Norway
Died	1 January 1988(1988-01-01) (aged 51) Oslo, Norway
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Kari Modahl ​ (m. 1963)​

Presthus served as Minister of Finance 1981–1986, and Minister of Defence in 1986. He was a member of parliament from Akershus from 1969 to 1988, and mayor of Oppegård from 1968 to 1969.^[1]

At the Conservative party conference in 1987 he became the first Norwegian politician to use a teleprompter during a speech. He received widespread criticism and accusations, both for cheating and contributing to the Americanization of Norwegian politics.^[2][3]

Presthus died in Oslo at the age of 51 on 1 January 1988, due to a cerebral hemorrhage.^[4]