Svein Ludvigsen

Svein Harald Ludvigsen (born 18 July 1946) is a Norwegian former politician for the Conservative Party and a convicted sex offender. He served as a member of parliament (1989–2001), deputy leader of the Conservative Party (1990–1991), minister of fisheries (2001–2005), and county governor of Troms (2006–2014). In 2019 he was convicted of sexually abusing three young men, and sentenced to five years imprisonment; his conviction and sentence became final in January 2020.^[1]

Svein Ludvigsen
Ludvigsen in 2003
County Governor of Troms
In office 17 January 2006 – 18 July 2014
Prime Minister	Jens Stoltenberg Erna Solberg
Preceded by	Vilgunn Gregusson
Succeeded by	Bård Magne Pedersen
Minister of Fisheries
In office 19 October 2001 – 17 October 2005
Prime Minister	Kjell Magne Bondevik
Preceded by	Otto Gregussen
Succeeded by	Helga Pedersen
Minister of Nordic Cooperation
In office 19 October 2001 – 17 October 2005
Prime Minister	Kjell Magne Bondevik
Preceded by	Jørgen Kosmo
Succeeded by	Heidi Grande Røys
Second Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party
In office 5 May 1990 – 20 April 1991
Leader	Jan P. Syse
Preceded by	Petter Thomassen
Succeeded by	John G. Bernander
Member of the Norwegian Parliament
In office 1 October 1989 – 30 September 2001
Constituency	Troms
Personal details
Born	Svein Harald Ludvigsen (1946-07-18) 18 July 1946 (age 79) Hillesøy, Troms, Norway
Political party	Conservative

Political career

Ludvigsen was born in Hillesøy Municipality, the son of a fishing boat captain.^[2] Before entering politics Ludvigsen worked as a businessman and local banker. On the local level, Ludvigsen was a member of the executive committee of Tromsø Municipality council in the periods from 1971–1975, 1979–1983, and 1987–1989. He has chaired the municipal and county party chapters, and from 1990 to 1991 he was deputy leader of the Conservative Party nationwide.^[2]

He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Troms county in 1989, and was re-elected on two occasions. From 2001 to 2005, when the second Bondevik cabinet held office, Ludvigsen was Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs. In 2001, he was appointed County Governor of Troms, but because of his job as cabinet minister he assumed the office on 17 January 2006.^[2]

Conviction for sexual abuse

On the 4 July 2019, he was convicted of abusing his position to gain sexual favours from three vulnerable male persons^[3][4] and sentenced to five years imprisonment.^[5]