Gunnar Berge was an industrial worker between 1957-1966 and early on became engaged in the local branch of the Labour Party in Rogaland. From 1967 until 1993 he was fully occupied with politics. He was a member of the Storting in 1969-1993 and a prominent Labour spokesman, primarily on matters related to financial policy.
He was a member of the Norwegian government in 1986-1989 (Minister of Finance) and in 1992 (Minister of Local Government). He then became director of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. Berge has been a member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee since 1997, its chairman from 2000.
The biographical sketches of the Norwegian Nobel Committee members were written by Sølvi Glendrange and edited by Øyvind Tønnesson. They are based on the following sources:
– Norsk Biografisk Leksikon (Norwegian Biographical Encyclopaedia), Oslo 1923-1983
– Hvem er Hvem? (The Norwegian “Who’s Who”), several editions
– Aschehoug og Gyldendals Store Norske Leksikon (The Norwegian National Encyclopaedia), Kunnskapsforlaget, 2nd and 3rd edition, Oslo 1989/1995-1999
– Kunnskapsforlagets Nettleksikon (the Web Encyclopedia of Kunnskapsforlaget, www.kunnskapsforlaget.no), Oslo 1999