| Governor of Svalbard | |
|---|---|
| Sysselmesteren på Svalbard | |
 Logo of the Governor of Svalbard | |
| Appointer | Ministry of Justice |
| Term length | Three years, renewable once[1] |
| Inaugural holder | Johannes Gerckens Bassøe |
| Formation | 17 July 1925; 99 years ago (1925-07-17) |
| Website | www |
 |
|---|
| See also |
| Politics of Norway |
Thegovernor of Svalbard (Norwegian:Sysselmesteren på Svalbard) represents theNorwegiangovernment in exercising itssovereignty over theSvalbard archipelago (Spitsbergen).[2]
The position reports to theNorwegian Ministry of Justice, but it maintains all Norwegian interests in the area, includingenvironmental protection, law enforcement, representation, mediation, and civil matters, such asmarriage anddivorce.[3] An important part of the position is maintaining good working relations with theRussiancommunity inBarentsburg.
To this end, the governor's organization consists of:[4]
The governor's office also has at its disposition severalhelicopters,snowmobiles,speedboats, and other equipment needed to meet its responsibilities. The office's annual budget is determined by theStorting and runs at aboutNOK 60 million, of which the largest part is used for transportation.
The position was previously calledSysselmann in Norwegian until 1 July 2021, when it was changed toSysselmester. This was part of a wider decision by theSolberg government to replace gender-specific governmental titles in Norway with gender-neutral terms.[5][6]
| Name | Term began | Term ended |
|---|---|---|
| Johannes Gerckens Bassøe | 1925 | 1933 |
| Helge Ingstad (acting) | 1933 | 1935 |
| Wolmar Tycho Marlow | 1935 | 1941 |
| Vacant | 1941 | 1945 |
| Håkon Balstad | 1945 | 1956 |
| Odd Birketvedt | 1956 | 1960 |
| Finn Backer Midtbøe | 1960 | 1963 |
| Tollef Landsverk | 1963 | 1967 |
| Stephen Stephensen | 1967 | 1970 |
| Fredrik Beichmann | 1970 | 1974 |
| Leif Eldring | 1974 | 1978 |
| Jan Grøndahl | 1978 | 1982 |
| Carl Alexander Wendt | 1982 | 1985 |
| Leif Eldring | 1985 | 1991 |
| Odd Blomdal | 1991 | 1995 |
| Ann-Kristin Olsen | 1995 | 1998 |
| Morten Ruud | 1998 | 2001 |
| Odd Olsen Ingerø | 2001 | 2005 |
| Sven Ole Fagernæs (acting) | 2005 | 2005 |
| Per Sefland | 2005 | 2009 |
| Odd Olsen Ingerø | 2009 | 2015 |
| Kjerstin Askholt | 2015 | 2021 |
| Lars Fause[7] | 2021 | Incumbent |
.svg)