Johan Sverdrup, Norway (1816-1892)
Born Jarlsberg, Norway, Johan Sverdrup was a Norwegian statesman and Prime Minister (1884-89). He entered the Storting in 1851. He was President of the Odelsting (lower division of the assembly) from 1862 to 1869 and was President of the Storting from 1871 to 1884.
In alliance with Søren Jaabæk, leader of the Peasant Party, Sverdrup in 1869 created a unified liberal and national opposition called the Venstre. In 1884 he became Prime Minister in Norway's first Venstre ministry. Under his ministry, numerous reforms for which he had worked for since 1851 were authorised, notably an extension of the franchise (1884), introduction of trial by jury and universal conscription (1887).