In Norway, a state secretary (Norwegian: statssekretær) is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government.
The modern state secretary institution was established in 1947, following a 78-41 vote in the Norwegian Parliament.
[1] In 1968 the Conservative representative Paul Thyness, himself a former state secretary, had proposed a parliamentary resolution which requested the sitting cabinet to "take the function and status of State Secretary position into closer consideration."
In 1980, a landmark was made as Helen Bøsterud became the first state secretary with prior experience in parliament.
[1] On the other hand, becoming a member of parliament or even minister after serving as a state secretary is common.