It replaced Bondevik's Second Cabinet following the 2005 parliamentary election where the three parties won a majority in parliament.

In the 2009 parliamentary election, the three parties retained their majority, and the coalition continued.

The cabinet is the first time the Socialist Left Party has sat in government, and the second time, after the post-war interim Gerhardsen's First Cabinet, where the Labour Party sits in a coalition government.

There have been several changes since Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg presented his first team in October 2005: From 1 January 2010 there was a change in the Ministry structure, following the September 2009 election and re-formation of the government.

From 1 January 2012 the Ministry of Justice and Police was renamed as the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Planning[10][13] 7 March 2011 – 31 December 2011(acting) 16 December 2011 – 7 September 2012(acting since 19 September 2011,leave of absence 2 February 2012 – 30 June 2012)