Career
In addition to professional politics he has been working at a steel mill and as a lumberjack, something that has given him a reputation for politically representing the average citizen. He was elected into the Norwegian parliament (Storting) as a representative from Vestfold in 1997, and he was re-elected in the 2005, 2009 and 2013 elections. Andersen was the Mayor of Lardal from 1987 to 1992.
In 1996 he became Minister of Agriculture, remaining in that post for slightly less than a year.
Andersen later became Minister of Trade and Industry on 29 September 2006, when Odd Eriksen resigned. From 2009 to 2013, Andersen served as President of the Storting.
