Odd Einar Dørum

Career

Dørum grew up in Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim, where he studied history at university. He was a member of Venstre's youth organization (Unge Venstre), and from 1970 to 1972 was its leader. He was a city councillor in Trondheim while working as a social worker.

Dørum was a member of parliament from 1977 to 1981 and was re-elected in 1997. He was Minister of Transport and Communications from 17 October 1997 to 15 March 1999, then Minister of Justice until 3 March 2000. He was again Minister of Justice in the second government of Kjell Magne Bondevik from 2001 to 2005. He served four terms as an elected member of the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) (1977–1981, 1997–2001, 2001–2005, and 2005–2009). He did not seek re-election in the 2009 election.

He was the leader of the Liberal Party from 1982 to 1986 and again from 1992 to 1996.

Despite becoming an experienced Minister of Justice, Dørum himself had a run-in with the law in his youth. He participated in a non-violent civil disobedience protest in Mardøla, Norway in 1970. Protesting against the government turning several waterfalls into powerplants, he was carried away by police together with other prominent protestors like philosopher Arne Næss. This marked the first time civil disobedience was used to protect the environment in Norway.

Dørum is known as a very grounded person, and unlike most politicians his age he does not take himself very seriously. For decades he has been a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings books and made headlines when he showed up for the premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King wearing a hobbits robe, much to the amusement of its star Viggo Mortensen. He later donned the same outfit again in an outdoor Lord of the Rings concert in Frognerparken in Oslo in 2005.

Dørum is a Christian of part German-Jewish descent on his mother's side. He lives in Oslo, is married, and has two children.