having previously served in the position of deputy representative from hordaland during the term 1981–1985 and 1985–1989, røsjorde first became a parliamentarian in 1987, midway through the second term when he permanently replaced the deceased bjørn erling ytterhorn. he was then elected to the parliament of norway in 1989, and he was re-elected on two occasions. røsjorde was a prominent member of parliament, serving as president of the lagting (1989–1993), as chair of the defense committee (1989–2001), and finally becoming vice president of the storting (1997–2001).