Gro Harlem Brundtland of Norway

Gro Harlem Brundtland, to many observers, seems larger than life, possessing extraordinary political powers to achieve the miraculous. She was once described by a journalist as a “Viking warrior incarnate, smiting others down not with the sword but with the strength of her beliefs” (O’Hanlon, 1994). And when Brundtland was preparing to meet fellow Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the British press portrayed it as a battle between “The Iron Lady versus the Super Woman” (Brundtland, 2002, p. 253). Back in Norway, she was such a dominant force in national politics that many cartoonists merely drew her shoes and ankles, with other tiny politicians scurrying around her feet (BBC News, 1998). At the same time, most Norwegians refer to her simply by her first name, Gro, which is Brundtland’s preference, or affectionately as “landsmoderen,” or “mother of the nation,” a reflection of her enormous popularity, lack of ostentation, egalitarianism, and desire to create better lives for all of Norway’s citizens. These values have driven her in her long and successful career in politics at the national and international levels.