Helge Solum Larsen

Helge Solum Larsen (14 January 1969 – 18 December 2015) was a Norwegian businessman and politician for the Liberal Party. He served as deputy leader of the party from 2010 to 2012.

Early life and education Solum Larsen was a goldsmith by education.

Political career From 1994 to 1997 he was leader of the Young Liberals of Norway, the youth wing of the Liberal Party. He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Rogaland during the terms 1997–2001 and 2005–2009.

In local politics he served several terms on the municipal council of Stavanger Municipality, beginning as an alternate in 1987 and a full representative in 1991. He chaired the city's Liberal Party chapter from 2000 to 2005 and the countywide party chapter from 2005 to 2010. he said that only consensual sex had occurred, and was briefly admitted to the psychiatric clinic at Stavanger University Hospital. The decision was appealed, but in January 2013, the Norwegian Prosecuting Authority also declined to prosecute, effectively dismissing the charges due to lack of evidence. He left the Liberal Party, and continued to serve on the Stavanger city council as an independent until October 2015. In the area of development and transport, he was an advocate for railways who was largely responsible for the national government's decision in 2005 to double-track the railway in the Stavanger/Sandnes urban region, and argued for light rail being central in the regional transport plan. He was also involved in the discussions concerning the Ryfast tunnel connection and the new E39; he was influential in routing tunnels to benefit residents of Hundvåg, but his proposal for lengthening an E39 tunnel to reduce the impact on Tasta was rejected.

Personal life and death Solum Larsen had two children. He died from a cerebral haemorrhage on 18 December 2015.