An academic investigation has found that Norway’s Health Minister, Ingvild Kjerkol, plagiarized portions of her master’s degree thesis three years ago. This revelation marks the second case of plagiarism within the Norwegian government this year, sparking concerns about ethical conduct within the center-left administration.
The inquiry, conducted by Nord University in Bodoe, northern Norway, concluded that Kjerkol’s 2021 thesis contained “far more serious errors than sloppiness.” The findings led to the decision to revoke Kjerkol’s master’s degree in health management, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
The 48-year-old minister has not yet responded to the allegations publicly. However, she has previously denied any wrongdoing, stating that she and a co-author did not copy parts from another student’s thesis dating back to 2015.
Kjerkol assumed office in October 2021 as part of Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s coalition government, which comprises his own Labor party and the junior Center Party.
Following the release of the investigation’s findings, opposition figures wasted no time in calling on Prime Minister Gahr Støre to address the issue of trust in Kjerkol’s leadership. Jan Tore Sanner, a prominent member of Norway’s main opposition party, Hoeyre, emphasized the importance of the prime minister’s stance on the matter. Sylvi Listhaug, leader of the anti-immigrant Progress Party, also urged Gahr Støre to assess his confidence in Kjerkol’s ability to serve.
This isn’t the first instance of academic plagiarism to rock the Norwegian government this year. In January, Sandra Borch resigned as minister for research and higher education after it was revealed that parts of her master’s thesis were copied without proper attribution.
The recent controversies surrounding Kjerkol add to the challenges facing Prime Minister Gahr Støre’s coalition, which has seen the departure of several ministers in recent months due to various wrongdoings. In September, it was disclosed that the husband of then Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt had been involved in stock trading without her knowledge, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
These developments come at a delicate time for the ruling social democratic Labor party, which suffered a defeat in September’s local elections, losing to the Hoeyre for the first time since 1924. The party, once dominant in local politics, came in second in the elections for local councils across Norway’s municipalities and counties.
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