Attractive target group for Epstein Citizens are appalled: "Something is rotten in the Kingdom of Norway"
"Super diplomats", an ex-head of government and the crown princess: why did Norway's elite seek Epstein's proximity - and vice versa? The question is on the minds of many in the country of the Nobel Peace Prize.
12.02.2026, 06:17
12.02.2026, 08:42
dpa
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- In hardly any other European country have so many high-ranking representatives been affected by the latest revelations in the Epstein scandal as in Norway.
- The revelations have shaken Norwegians' self-image.
- Many are asking themselves: why is our small country playing such a big role in this scandal?
Norwegians are rubbing their eyes these days at the elite in their country. Their crown princess? Exchanged love stories with Epstein. Her ex-prime minister? Apparently tried to arrange a meeting with Putin for the sex offender. A former top diplomat? Called the US-American his best friend. At least that's what the new publications in the Jeffrey Epstein case suggest. The revelations have shaken the Norwegians' self-image. Many people are asking themselves: why is our small country playing such a big role in this scandal?
Norwegians were attractive to Epstein
Perhaps pure coincidence, says Halvard Leira from the Norwegian Foreign Policy Institute in the newspaper "Aftenposten". "But from what I've seen, Norwegians are clearly overrepresented." One possible explanation, according to Leira: the large amount of Norwegian money that has been flowing into international organizations for decades. "This has led to many Norwegians holding top international positions." An attractive target group for Epstein to expand his network of influential people.
Another magnet for the powerful: the Nobel Peace Prize. Of all people, one who awarded the prize for years appears prominently in the Epstein files. In the 1990s, Thorbjørn Jagland was Prime Minister, later head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The latter has now lifted his immunity at Norway's request. This is because Jagland is being investigated on suspicion of serious corruption due to his Epstein contacts.
During his time at the Council of Europe, the Norwegian is said to have stayed in Epstein's apartments in Paris and New York and vacationed at his estate in Palm Beach. The emails published in the affair suggest that the businessman in turn put pressure on Jagland to organize a meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
Diplomat to Epstein: "You are my best friend"
"Norway always wanted to have power and influence - and to project its own high standards to the world," says Northern Europe expert Tobias Etzold. "In doing so, they have apparently not shied away from allowing themselves to be corrupted and used for dubious purposes."
Corruption investigations are also underway against the diplomat couple Mona Juul and Terje Rød-Larsen. The Norwegians, dubbed "super diplomats" by the media, are famous for having played a decisive role in the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in the 1990s. Juul was until recently ambassador to Jordan. "The couple became a symbol for Norway as a nation of peace," writes journalist and author Aslak Nore in the newspaper "Verdens Gang".
Two people who have played a key role in creating Norway's international image are now tearing it apart. The couple's children are said to be left ten million dollars in Epstein's will. "You are my best friend and a super rare, thoroughly good person," Rød-Larsen is said to have written to Epstein on New Year's Day 2017. There are many indications that Epstein built up his Norwegian network with the help of Rød-Larsen.
Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit is also said to have had a close relationship with Epstein. This is suggested by emails that the two are said to have written to each other over the years. In them, the sex offender and the wife of Crown Prince Haakon arranged to meet and discussed food, music and Epstein's "womanizing". "Paris is good for adultery, Scandinavian women are the better wives," reads an email attributed to Mette-Marit. The crown princess has apologized. Nevertheless, many Norwegians are wondering: Can she become queen?
A few rotten apples or a rotten system?
All the Norwegians concerned now describe their close contacts with the criminal as a catastrophic error of judgment that they now regret - including the Crown Princess and the head of the World Economic Forum, Børge Brende. Is it a case of "a few rotten apples" or is the whole system rotten? - asks Norwegian radio. An independent investigation, which is currently being launched by the parliamentary control committee, is to scrutinize the work of the Foreign Service in recent years.
"A picture is emerging of an environment that is not healthy - and where the risk of corruption is high," says the chairman of the committee, Per-Willy Amundsen. How has it come to this in a country that consistently ranks high in transparency and democracy rankings? And where people's trust in politics is greater than elsewhere?
Perhaps this is precisely the reason, says Etzold. "As long as things are going well, Norwegians assume that everything will be fine," says the researcher. "Then, perhaps out of convenience, people don't look too closely and don't question things too much." Where there is more trust, there may be less scrutiny. Journalist Nore states in the newspaper "Verdens Gang": "Something is rotten in the Kingdom of Norway."
