1994 Progress Party national convention
Encyclopedia
The 1994 national convention of the Progress Party of Norway
was held from 15 April to 17 April at the hotel Bolkesjø Turisthotell in Bolkesjø
, Telemark
. It was originally set up to be a normal convention with 157 delegates in a non-election year, but because of mounting antagonism between a traditionalist and a libertarian faction, it became clear some months before the conventions that personal positions could be at stake. The party leader seat, held by Carl I. Hagen
since 1978, was up for re-election. The deputy leaders Ellen Wibe
and Hans J. Røsjorde
was not up for election until 1995, but there were talks about forming a motion of no confidence against Wibe. The political disagreements roughly corresponded to a cleavage between two factions.
The traditionalist (also called populist) faction was represented by party leader Carl I. Hagen, Jan Simonsen
, Fridtjof Frank Gundersen
, Vidar Kleppe
, Øystein Hedstrøm
, Lodve Solholm
and Eli Hagen
. The libertarians of the party were first and foremost the deputy leader Ellen Wibe and four members of Parliament (by some called the "band of four"), Ellen Christine Christiansen
, Oscar D. Hillgaar, Roy N. Wetterstad and Stephen Bråthen
. Buskerud county leader Geir Thoresen
, Akershus county leader Per Aage Pleym Christensen and Youth of the Progress Party
leader Lars Erik Grønntun were other prominent libertarians. Both during the preceding months and on the opening day, resolutions were passed which ensured full dominance for Carl I. Hagen and the policies of his faction. Wibe resigned as deputy leader, and Carl I. Hagen's men (there were no women left in the leadership) also dominated the new central committee. The personal issues totally overshadowed the regular political debate, and as early as on 17 April the convention was famously dubbed as the "national convention at Dolkesjø"—derived from dolk, the Norwegian word for dagger
.
In April and May, the Progress Party lost several members, including former members of Parliament and four current members of Parliament. In July the Youth of the Progress Party dissolved itself in protest of the events; however, a new, loyal organization immediately surfaced. Some of the withdrawn members joined the Conservative Party of Norway
, others joined an entirely new organization (originally with the narrow intention to support the four parliamentarians), the quasi-political party Free Democrats
.
remarked that both "the libertarians and the populists cheered" after Carl I. Hagen's speeches. Jan Simonsen
stepped down as deputy leader, and Ellen Wibe
succeeded him, being one of the very few women in the Progress Party's leadership.
There were some tensions, however. Finn Thoresen
left the party in November 1992, and later formed New Future Coalition Party
. More importantly, because of disagreements in 1992 and 1993, pertaining to libertarianism
in general and especially the European Union question, several libertarians that had entered the Progress Party in the 1980s ceased their activity in the party. MPs Tor Mikkel Wara
and Petter Bjørheim
announced their intentions to leave politics after the end of their terms, as did Pål Atle Skjervengen
. Jan Erik Fåne
tried to win renomination, but the nomination meeting in Akershus
put traditionalist Fridtjof Frank Gundersen
on top of the ballot. Fåne was offered the second spot, but pulled out. Eight months later it turned out that holding the second spot on the ballot did indeed give a Parliament seat.
The issue of libertarianism became more pressing in the campaign for the Norwegian parliamentary election, 1993
, when Carl I. Hagen said to Verdens Gang that he did not support cutting
the income tax
. This was not in line with official party policy, and Hagen did not confer with the party, stating that "I had to take an independent initiative". Ellen Wibe openly criticized the statement, so did former MP and tax spokesperson Steinar Maribo
. The tax statement was later seen as the most important factor contributing to the growing Hagen—liberalist schism. In the election the Progress Party won ten seats, down from 22 in the 1989 election
.
1 = Left the Progress Party as a result of the convention.
, Youth of the Progress Party
, had experienced disagreements with the Hagen-led Progress Party. The leader of the Youth of the Progress Party, Lars Erik Grønntun, had been on the verge of stepping down, but was persuaded around the end of 1993 to run for re-election. Before the county conventions, Grønntun stated a desire for an extraordinary meeting between the party and its youth wing, where he wanted to "contribute to gathering the party and avoid any signs of a split".
On 3 January, Hagen presented a ten-point plan of action. It was to be sent to each county chapter, and supported or rejected at the county conventions. On 7 January, Ellen Wibe presented a competing plan of action together with Oscar Hillgaar, Ellen Christine Christiansen and Geir Thoresen. Wibe's plan criticized the party's organizational culture, communication and institutions. In an interview, Wibe said that the party was too similar to a "charismatic movement
", and that she wanted more power to the central board . Øystein Hedstrøm announced a possible motion of no confidence
regarding Ellen Wibe's position as deputy party leader, even though she was not really up for election until 1995. Wibe replied that her intention was to gather the party. A few months before the national convention, Wibe's husband Odd Magnar Brubæk was fired from his job as secretary of the Progress Party's parliamentary group.
, and Buskerud
, Finnmark
, Telemark
, Vest-Agder
, Hordaland
, Nordland
, Østfold
, Troms
, Nord-Trøndelag
and Møre og Romsdal
. Hagen belonged to the Oslo chapter, but the leader of the chapter, Peter N. Myhre
, stated beforehand that Hagen's proposal would probably be rejected. It was speculated that rejections could come from the Buskerud and Finnmark's conventions as well. On 7 February, Hagen confirmed his leadership candidacy for the electoral committee.
On 19 February, the party held a national board meeting at Bolkesjø. Here, Hagen proposed to close the debate on "the party profile and choice of values", a motion which gained support from 24 of the 11 board members. Ellen Wibe was among the minority, but conceded for the time being. That way, the question was put down before reaching the national convention.
By then, fifteen county conventions had signalized support for Hagen. After the last convention, it was clear that one-third of the delegates had expressed support of Wibe. Before the national convention, Hagen stated in an interview that one "never can know what will happen during a Progress Party national convention".
remarked that Wibe's proposal was a "thorough criticism of Carl I. Hagen", among others in that it called for "a renewal of the party". It was signed by Oscar D. Hillgaar, Ellen Chr. Christiansen, Stephen Bråthen and Roy Wetterstad together with Wibe. Verdens Gang reported that Wibe would resign if not given a clear confidence as deputy leader. Wibe refuted this in Aftenposten on the next day; the newspaper believed that no party split would occur.
Another question of contention was the Progress Party's policy on Norwegian membership in the European Union
. Reportedly, Carl I. Hagen wanted to postpone a decision on European Union policy from the national convention to a national board meeting in June. Others were not in favor of this. In an interview, Hagen stated that political parties should not agitate officially for one opinion or the other. He stated an indifference towards EU membership, and that if accessing the Union, Norway could always use a veto against EU policies when needed. Central board member Terje Sæbø submitted a competing resolution which opposed Norwegian membership.
The EU vote directly caused Ellen Wibe to step down as deputy party leader, stating that she did "not fully understand the new profile of the party". If not stepping down, she would compromise "values and principles" that were essential in order to "live with [her]self as a human being". The announcement followed a private meeting between Wibe, Hagen, Røsjorde and Grønntun. Allegedly, Tor Mikkel Wara had advised her to resign. Ellen Christine Christiansen stepped down from her position in the central board, leaving Grønntun as the only clear libertarian. Grønntun stated that young party members would not tolerate to be "stepped on and hectored with " forever. More generally, the losing faction signalized a desire to continue promoting a liberal political profile, but in a less dramatic way.
Immediately after Wibe's announcement, Jan Simonsen
entered the chair and spoke strongly in favor of Hagen. Fridtjof Frank Gundersen
applauded the end of "women's bickering" in the party leadership. Hagen's main resolution proposal, titled En fremtid med rot i fortiden, was passed with 94 against 50 votes. He also received support for prioritizing anti-immigration higher in the following period. In his closing speech, Hagen stated that "disloyal" behavior would be considered as "active withdrawal" from the party. From the rostrum, the "band of four" was even asked to withdraw by several delegates, including Bjørn Andreassen, Gustav Hareide and Frøydis Lange. Andreassen exclaimed that "we don't want you", while Lange asked the band of four to form a new party called the Anarchist Party.
The central board held an extraordinary meeting on 17 April, during a pre-scheduled break in the convention. The central board of the Youth of the Progress Party also met, and agreed to support the "band of four". Their decision was not final until an extraordinary national board meeting could be held. It was speculated that members of the youth wing could leave the Progress Party en masse.
was also mentioned, while traditionalist John Alvheim
was regarded by newspapers as a more likely candidate. On Saturday 16 April, it became clear that the vote stood between the Peter N. Myhre and Lodve Solholm
. Myhre was the candidate put forward by the electoral committee, and had support among the libertarians, who did not field their own candidate. On 17 April, Solholm won the vote with 90 against 58; 8 ballots were blank. Carl I. Hagen was re-elected with 113 against 0 votes, and with 44 blank ballots. One libertarian, former MP Terje Nyberget, who described the convention as a "genocide
", was elected to the national board.
summed up the convention turmoil in the following way:
on 17 April, the band of four stated a desire to follow the 1993 party platform and not later resolutions. They were met by a demand from Carl I. Hagen that they continue on the "terms laid down by the national convention or find something else to do". He later added that if the band of four left the parliamentary group, they should "scram". To sum up, he said that the libertarians, which were known to be a minority, had gained too much influence, and was set back by the national convention. Øystein Hedstrøm demanded that the four leave the party. Because of the fierce personal antagonism at the convention, it was dubbed as the "national convention at Dolkesjø"—derived from dolk, the Norwegian word for dagger
.
Wibe encouraged people to stay in the Progress Party, although her active participation was over. Wetterstad stated in an interview that withdrawing his party membership was out of question, whereas Hillgaar was described as the least conciliatory. Hillgaar publicly lamented the "Moscow processes" of the 1994 national convention, and also the views on women and the "extreme xenophobia" which he felt was conveyed by the party program. The Progress Party county leader in Akershus, Per Aage Pleym Christensen, also reconsidered his position, leaving on 4 May.
Oscar Hillgaar left the party on 22 April. The other three libertarian parliamentarians postponed their decision, attending meetings with county leaders on 17 and 22 April. A leading figure in these talks was Henning Holstad from Oslo. Hagen replied that such talks had no grounds in the Progress Party by-laws. The meeting on 22 April went well for the three parliamentarians, but on 30 April the central committee met, and Øystein Hedstrøm put forward a proposal for a "loyalty declaration" to Hagen and the policies agreed to on the national convention. The proposal of a written declaration was not passed, but the central committee decided to demand loyalty. It also removed Lars Erik Grønntun from the executive board .
The three parliamentarians finally left the party on 3 May. It was speculated that the deputy representatives for Bråthen and Wetterstad, Per Aage Pleym Christensen in Akershus and Geir Thoresen in Buskerud, would follow. Wetterstad drew the lines to Hagen's own withdrawal from the Anders Lange Party to form the short-lived Reform Party
. Coincidentally, Hagen celebrated his 50th birthday on 6 May.
Two days before the national convention, the central committee convened and supported a dissolution of the Youth of the Progress Party. Lars Erik Grønntun even announced plans to cooperate more with the Norwegian Young Conservatives
and the Young Liberals of Norway. Young Conservatives leader André Støylen
was not negative.
The national convention agreed on dissolving the Youth of the Progress Party, with 63 against 21 votes. Hagen-loyal members summoned the Progress Party national board, which overruled the decision, allowing the remaining members to continue with Ulf Leirstein
as leader.
was disestablished, but mainly due to the European Union controversy. The party had one representative in Osterøy municipal council at the time. One day after the national convention, delegate Kristian Eidesvik announced his withdrawal from the party, though he would sit through his tenure as member of Hordaland county council
, which lasted until 1995. Eidesvik was a former member of the central board, and also a former deputy member of Parliament. The same day former MP and youth wing leader Pål Atle Skjervengen
withdrew, commenting that the libertarians "are asked by the party leadership to go to hell". Skjervengen had been criticized by Carl I. Hagen from the rostrum at the national convention. Many years down the road Skjervengen joined the Conservative Party. Harald Eide Ellingsen, member of Stavanger
city council, also left.
In Røyken
municipal council, three of five representatives left the party, and a fourth, former MP Steinar Maribo, considered doing the same. As did Odd Magnar Brubæk, and former deputy MP Paal Bjørnestad. Terje Nyberget withdrew from the central committee in early May. The leader in the chapters in Finnmark and Nordkapp, Bjørn Magne Solvik, withdrew on 13 May. He cited a lack of liberalism, especially with regards to gay rights and immigration, as the reason. He was the only Progress Party member of a municipal council in Finnmark. Maribo withdrew some time in May. In late May, party secretary Hans Andreas Limi
had counted 270 withdrawals, but also 76 new members. Municipal and county council member Liv Skrede left after the youth wing's national convention in July, so did Tor Mikkel Wara, Ellen Wibe, Jan Erik Fåne and Petter Bjørheim. Hordaland county council member Lene C. Møgster Løtvedt left and joined the Conservative Party in October.
for the remainder of their term. They did discuss the possibility of forming a "support group" which would help the four parliamentarians with practical issues. Odd Magnar Brubæk contributed advice on an informal basis from time to time. With some time passed since the Bolkesjø convention, it was decided to hold a formal conference to form a support group in mid-June. Organizations in Akershus and Buskerud already existed, under the names of Fridemokratene Akershus and Buskerud Liberale Forum.
At the conference, the name Free Democrats
was adopted, and the band of four were chosen as leaders. Two hundred people joined, and it had four county leaders; Per Aage Pleym Christensen for Akershus, Geir Thoresen for Buskerud, the former city council secretary Roy Venge Tollefsen in Oslo and Thor Simonsen in Østfold. Wibe, on the other hand, left politics, as did Lars Erik Grønntun. The board members of Aust-Agder Youth of the Progress Party joined the Free Democrats in August. Ellen Christine Christiansen stated that "time will tell whether we become a political party". The issue was discussed again at a national convention in September 1994. The Vestfold chapter wanted to field in the Norwegian parliamentary election, 1997
with Oscar Hillgaar on the ballot, but this did not happen.
Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party is a political party in Norway which identifies as conservative liberal and libertarian. The media has described it as conservative and right-wing populist...
was held from 15 April to 17 April at the hotel Bolkesjø Turisthotell in Bolkesjø
Bolkesjø
Bolkesjø is a lake, village and resort in Notodden municipality, Norway.It is located in Gransherad by Norwegian National Road 37. It is famous for the 1994 Progress Party national convention which took place at one of the hotels there.-References:...
, Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
. It was originally set up to be a normal convention with 157 delegates in a non-election year, but because of mounting antagonism between a traditionalist and a libertarian faction, it became clear some months before the conventions that personal positions could be at stake. The party leader seat, held by Carl I. Hagen
Carl I. Hagen
Carl Ivar Hagen is a Norwegian politician and former Vice President of the Norwegian Parliament. He was the chairman of the Progress Party from 1978 until 2006, when Siv Jensen replaced him as chairman of the party...
since 1978, was up for re-election. The deputy leaders Ellen Wibe
Ellen Wibe
Ellen Margrethe Wibe is a Norwegian communications worker, society commentator and former politician.She was active in politics for five years for the Progress Party...
and Hans J. Røsjorde
Hans J. Røsjorde
Hans Johan Røsjorde is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. A former member of parliament specializing in defense matters, Røsjorde has resigned from active politics and currently serves as County Governor of Oslo and Akershus. He has held this position since 2001.-Early life and...
was not up for election until 1995, but there were talks about forming a motion of no confidence against Wibe. The political disagreements roughly corresponded to a cleavage between two factions.
The traditionalist (also called populist) faction was represented by party leader Carl I. Hagen, Jan Simonsen
Jan Simonsen
Jan Simonsen is a Norwegian writer, freelance journalist and politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1989 until 2005. He was elected with the Progress Party, until being excluded in 2001. From 2003 to 2004 he was vice chairman of the newly founded Democrats.Since then he has largely...
, Fridtjof Frank Gundersen
Fridtjof Frank Gundersen
Fridtjof Frank Gundersen was a Norwegian professor of jurisprudence and politician. He worked as a lector at the Faculty of Law of the University of Oslo from 1965 to 1975...
, Vidar Kleppe
Vidar Kleppe
Vidar Sveinung Kleppe is a Norwegian politician. He was a Member of Parliament and deputy chairman of the Progress Party until being suspended and left the party in 2001...
, Øystein Hedstrøm
Øystein Hedstrøm
Øystein Hedstrøm is a Norwegian politician. He was a Member of Parliament from Østfold for the Progress Party from 1989 to 2005, after which he declined renomination.-Early and personal life:...
, Lodve Solholm
Lodve Solholm
Lodve Solholm is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Møre og Romsdal in 1989, serving until 1993; he was out of parliament from 1993 to 1997, but was re-elected in 1997, 2001, and 2005.Solholm was President of the Lagting 2001–2005.He...
and Eli Hagen
Eli Hagen
Eli Hagen is the wife and secretary of the Norwegian politician Carl I. Hagen, former leader of the Progress Party. In recent years she has also made a name for herself as a television personality...
. The libertarians of the party were first and foremost the deputy leader Ellen Wibe and four members of Parliament (by some called the "band of four"), Ellen Christine Christiansen
Ellen Christine Christiansen
Ellen Christine Christiansen is a Norwegian politician representing the Conservative Party and formerly the Progress Party....
, Oscar D. Hillgaar, Roy N. Wetterstad and Stephen Bråthen
Stephen Bråthen
Stephen Bråthen is a Norwegian politician formerly representing the Progress Party.He was born in Lørenskog. He took a basic education in economics before enrolling in the Norwegian Armed Forces. He served in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon from 1985 to 1986...
. Buskerud county leader Geir Thoresen
Geir Thoresen
Geir Thoresen is a Norwegian politician formerly representing the Progress Party.He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Buskerud during the term 1993–1997. In total he met during 99 days of parliamentary session.Following the 1994 Progress Party national convention...
, Akershus county leader Per Aage Pleym Christensen and Youth of the Progress Party
Youth of the Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party’s Youth , is the youth wing of the Norwegian political party the Progress Party. It is generally more libertarian than the Progress Party itself, both with regards to economics and politics in general...
leader Lars Erik Grønntun were other prominent libertarians. Both during the preceding months and on the opening day, resolutions were passed which ensured full dominance for Carl I. Hagen and the policies of his faction. Wibe resigned as deputy leader, and Carl I. Hagen's men (there were no women left in the leadership) also dominated the new central committee. The personal issues totally overshadowed the regular political debate, and as early as on 17 April the convention was famously dubbed as the "national convention at Dolkesjø"—derived from dolk, the Norwegian word for dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
.
In April and May, the Progress Party lost several members, including former members of Parliament and four current members of Parliament. In July the Youth of the Progress Party dissolved itself in protest of the events; however, a new, loyal organization immediately surfaced. Some of the withdrawn members joined the Conservative Party of Norway
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
, others joined an entirely new organization (originally with the narrow intention to support the four parliamentarians), the quasi-political party Free Democrats
Free Democrats (Norway)
The Free Democrats is a political organization formed by former members of the Progress Party of Norway in 1994.The 1993 election saw the support of the Progress Party halved...
.
Before 1994
The 1993 national convention was harmonic. The newspaper Verdens GangVerdens Gang
Verdens Gang , generally known under the abbreviation VG, is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper...
remarked that both "the libertarians and the populists cheered" after Carl I. Hagen's speeches. Jan Simonsen
Jan Simonsen
Jan Simonsen is a Norwegian writer, freelance journalist and politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1989 until 2005. He was elected with the Progress Party, until being excluded in 2001. From 2003 to 2004 he was vice chairman of the newly founded Democrats.Since then he has largely...
stepped down as deputy leader, and Ellen Wibe
Ellen Wibe
Ellen Margrethe Wibe is a Norwegian communications worker, society commentator and former politician.She was active in politics for five years for the Progress Party...
succeeded him, being one of the very few women in the Progress Party's leadership.
There were some tensions, however. Finn Thoresen
Finn Thoresen
Finn Thoresen was a Norwegian businessman and politician for the Progress Party.He was a member of the central administration of the Progress Party from 1973 to 1976, and was chairman of its Østfold chapter from 1974 to 1975...
left the party in November 1992, and later formed New Future Coalition Party
New Future Coalition Party
The New Future Coalition Party was a Norwegian political party, which was founded by Member of Parliament Finn Thoresen in 1993. The party was never successful in elections, and merged with the Christian Conservative Party to form the Christian Unity Party in 1998.-History:The party was founded in...
. More importantly, because of disagreements in 1992 and 1993, pertaining to libertarianism
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
in general and especially the European Union question, several libertarians that had entered the Progress Party in the 1980s ceased their activity in the party. MPs Tor Mikkel Wara
Tor Mikkel Wara
Tor Mikkel Wara is a former Norwegian politician.Wara was born in Karasjok, and was a member of the Oslo municipality council between 1987 and 1989. During the same period he was the chairman of the Youth of the Progress Party, and became known as a young rising star within the party...
and Petter Bjørheim
Petter Bjørheim
Petter Bjørheim is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Rogaland in 1989, but was not re-elected in 1993.-References:...
announced their intentions to leave politics after the end of their terms, as did Pål Atle Skjervengen
Pål Atle Skjervengen
Pål Atle Skjervengen is a retired Norwegian politician.He was born in Oslo as a son of a police inspector. He finished secondary education in 1979, and briefly studied law, then business administration at the Norwegian School of Management. From 1982 to 1984 he worked in the party newspaper...
. Jan Erik Fåne
Jan Erik Fåne
Jan Erik Fåne is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Akershus in 1989, but was not re-elected in 1993....
tried to win renomination, but the nomination meeting in Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
put traditionalist Fridtjof Frank Gundersen
Fridtjof Frank Gundersen
Fridtjof Frank Gundersen was a Norwegian professor of jurisprudence and politician. He worked as a lector at the Faculty of Law of the University of Oslo from 1965 to 1975...
on top of the ballot. Fåne was offered the second spot, but pulled out. Eight months later it turned out that holding the second spot on the ballot did indeed give a Parliament seat.
The issue of libertarianism became more pressing in the campaign for the Norwegian parliamentary election, 1993
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1993
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 13 September 1993. The Labour Party won a plurality of seats, and Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland remained in office. The Centre Party was particularly successful, gaining 21 seats....
, when Carl I. Hagen said to Verdens Gang that he did not support cutting
Tax cut
A tax cut is a reduction in taxes. The immediate effects of a tax cut are a decrease in the real income of the government and an increase in the real income of those whose tax rate has been lowered. Due to the perceived benefit in growing real incomes among tax payers politicians have sought to...
the income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
. This was not in line with official party policy, and Hagen did not confer with the party, stating that "I had to take an independent initiative". Ellen Wibe openly criticized the statement, so did former MP and tax spokesperson Steinar Maribo
Steinar Maribo
Steinar Maribo is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Buskerud in 1989, but was not re-elected in 1993....
. The tax statement was later seen as the most important factor contributing to the growing Hagen—liberalist schism. In the election the Progress Party won ten seats, down from 22 in the 1989 election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1989
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 11 September 1989.-Results:1 This list was a cooperation between the Norwegian Communist Party, Workers' Communist Party, Red Electoral Alliance and independent socialists....
.
| Name | Constituency | Name | Constituency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular members | |||
| Fridtjof Frank Gundersen Fridtjof Frank Gundersen Fridtjof Frank Gundersen was a Norwegian professor of jurisprudence and politician. He worked as a lector at the Faculty of Law of the University of Oslo from 1965 to 1975... |
Akershus | Stephen Bråthen Stephen Bråthen Stephen Bråthen is a Norwegian politician formerly representing the Progress Party.He was born in Lørenskog. He took a basic education in economics before enrolling in the Norwegian Armed Forces. He served in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon from 1985 to 1986... 1 |
Akershus |
| Roy N. Wetterstad1 | Buskerud | Hans J. Røsjorde Hans J. Røsjorde Hans Johan Røsjorde is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. A former member of parliament specializing in defense matters, Røsjorde has resigned from active politics and currently serves as County Governor of Oslo and Akershus. He has held this position since 2001.-Early life and... |
Hordaland |
| Carl I. Hagen Carl I. Hagen Carl Ivar Hagen is a Norwegian politician and former Vice President of the Norwegian Parliament. He was the chairman of the Progress Party from 1978 until 2006, when Siv Jensen replaced him as chairman of the party... |
Oslo | Ellen Christine Christiansen Ellen Christine Christiansen Ellen Christine Christiansen is a Norwegian politician representing the Conservative Party and formerly the Progress Party.... 1 |
Oslo |
| Jan Simonsen Jan Simonsen Jan Simonsen is a Norwegian writer, freelance journalist and politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1989 until 2005. He was elected with the Progress Party, until being excluded in 2001. From 2003 to 2004 he was vice chairman of the newly founded Democrats.Since then he has largely... |
Rogaland | John Alvheim John Alvheim John Ingolf Alvheim was a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. He was a nurse anesthetist by profession, and served as aid worker in several developing countries during the 1970s... |
Telemark |
| Oscar D. Hillgaar1 | Vestfold | Øystein Hedstrøm Øystein Hedstrøm Øystein Hedstrøm is a Norwegian politician. He was a Member of Parliament from Østfold for the Progress Party from 1989 to 2005, after which he declined renomination.-Early and personal life:... |
Østfold |
| Deputy members | |||
| Bente Bjørnstad | Akershus | Geir Thoresen Geir Thoresen Geir Thoresen is a Norwegian politician formerly representing the Progress Party.He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Buskerud during the term 1993–1997. In total he met during 99 days of parliamentary session.Following the 1994 Progress Party national convention... 1 |
Buskerud |
| Inger-Marie Ytterhorn Inger-Marie Ytterhorn Inger-Marie Ytterhorn is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.She was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Hordaland in 1989, but was not re-elected in 1993... |
Hordaland | Arve Lønnum, Jr. Arve Lønnum, Jr. Arve Lønnum is a Norwegian lawyer and politician for the Progress Party.He was born in Oslo as a son of Arve Lønnum, Sr. and editor Mimi Rustad Wold. His father was a politician and professor in neurology at the University of Oslo.... |
Oslo |
| Øyvind Vaksdal Øyvind Vaksdal Øyvind Vaksdal is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Rogaland in 1997, and has been re-elected on two occasions... |
Rogaland | |Terje Ottar Terje Ottar Terje Ottar is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Telemark during the terms 1989–1993 and 1993–1997. In total he met during 81 days of parliamentary session.... |
Telemark |
| Erik Andersen Erik Andersen (politician) Erik Andersen is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Vestfold during the terms 1989–1993, 1993–1997 and 2001–2005. In total he met during 32 days of parliamentary session.-References:... |
Vestfold | Jon Jæger Gåsvatn Jon Jæger Gåsvatn Jon Jæger Gåsvatn is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Østfold in 2005. He had previously served in the position of deputy representative during the term 1993–1997.... |
Østfold |
1 = Left the Progress Party as a result of the convention.
1994
The year 1994 started with annual conventions in each county, scheduled between 15 January and 6 April. These conventions elected delegates to the national convention. Tension had mounted between party leader Carl I. Hagen and other factions in the party. Parts of the central committee were skeptical to Hagen's position and policies. In addition, the youth wingYouth wing
A youth wing is a subsidiary, autonomous or independently-allied front of a larger organization that is formed in order to rally support and allegiance for that organization's campaigns from members and potential members of a younger age...
, Youth of the Progress Party
Youth of the Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party’s Youth , is the youth wing of the Norwegian political party the Progress Party. It is generally more libertarian than the Progress Party itself, both with regards to economics and politics in general...
, had experienced disagreements with the Hagen-led Progress Party. The leader of the Youth of the Progress Party, Lars Erik Grønntun, had been on the verge of stepping down, but was persuaded around the end of 1993 to run for re-election. Before the county conventions, Grønntun stated a desire for an extraordinary meeting between the party and its youth wing, where he wanted to "contribute to gathering the party and avoid any signs of a split".
On 3 January, Hagen presented a ten-point plan of action. It was to be sent to each county chapter, and supported or rejected at the county conventions. On 7 January, Ellen Wibe presented a competing plan of action together with Oscar Hillgaar, Ellen Christine Christiansen and Geir Thoresen. Wibe's plan criticized the party's organizational culture, communication and institutions. In an interview, Wibe said that the party was too similar to a "charismatic movement
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
", and that she wanted more power to the central board . Øystein Hedstrøm announced a possible motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
regarding Ellen Wibe's position as deputy party leader, even though she was not really up for election until 1995. Wibe replied that her intention was to gather the party. A few months before the national convention, Wibe's husband Odd Magnar Brubæk was fired from his job as secretary of the Progress Party's parliamentary group.
County conventions and national board meeting
In the weekend from 4 to 6 February, county conventions were held in eleven counties, including Hagen's native OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, and Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
, Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
, Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
, Vest-Agder
Vest-Agder
In the 16th century, Dutch merchant vessels began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase salmon and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of timber began, as oak from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for shipbuilding...
, Hordaland
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
, Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
, Østfold
Østfold
is a county in southeastern Norway, bordering Akershus and southwestern Sweden , while Buskerud and Vestfold is on the other side of the bay. The seat of the county administration is Sarpsborg, and Fredrikstad is the largest city.Many manufacturing facilities are situated here. Moss and...
, Troms
Troms
or Romsa is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest. To the south is Norrbotten Län in Sweden and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland. To the west is the Norwegian Sea...
, Nord-Trøndelag
Nord-Trøndelag
is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and...
and Møre og Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
. Hagen belonged to the Oslo chapter, but the leader of the chapter, Peter N. Myhre
Peter N. Myhre
Peter Nicolai Myhre is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.-Early life and career:Myhre is the son of tobacco merchant Gunnar Peter Myhre and Gunhold Nordlid. He married Marie Françoise Millou in 1985. He graduated from upper secondary school in 1973, attended military academy in 1974,...
, stated beforehand that Hagen's proposal would probably be rejected. It was speculated that rejections could come from the Buskerud and Finnmark's conventions as well. On 7 February, Hagen confirmed his leadership candidacy for the electoral committee.
On 19 February, the party held a national board meeting at Bolkesjø. Here, Hagen proposed to close the debate on "the party profile and choice of values", a motion which gained support from 24 of the 11 board members. Ellen Wibe was among the minority, but conceded for the time being. That way, the question was put down before reaching the national convention.
By then, fifteen county conventions had signalized support for Hagen. After the last convention, it was clear that one-third of the delegates had expressed support of Wibe. Before the national convention, Hagen stated in an interview that one "never can know what will happen during a Progress Party national convention".
Further preparations
The next two months was a quiet period, and Øystein Hedstrøm stated that Wibe had taken a more responsible role, and thus there was no need for a motion of no confidence. News commentator Aslak Bonde remarked that the compromise reached by the factions was "unclear" and that antagonism could surface at the national convention. Wibe stated that her faction still intended to submit a resolution, a "constructive" proposal regarding tactical and organizational issues. Two days before the national convention, this resolution text had not been submitted to the county delegates. On the next day, the resolution text was commented in newspapers. AftenpostenAftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
remarked that Wibe's proposal was a "thorough criticism of Carl I. Hagen", among others in that it called for "a renewal of the party". It was signed by Oscar D. Hillgaar, Ellen Chr. Christiansen, Stephen Bråthen and Roy Wetterstad together with Wibe. Verdens Gang reported that Wibe would resign if not given a clear confidence as deputy leader. Wibe refuted this in Aftenposten on the next day; the newspaper believed that no party split would occur.
Another question of contention was the Progress Party's policy on Norwegian membership in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. Reportedly, Carl I. Hagen wanted to postpone a decision on European Union policy from the national convention to a national board meeting in June. Others were not in favor of this. In an interview, Hagen stated that political parties should not agitate officially for one opinion or the other. He stated an indifference towards EU membership, and that if accessing the Union, Norway could always use a veto against EU policies when needed. Central board member Terje Sæbø submitted a competing resolution which opposed Norwegian membership.
Meeting
Carl I. Hagen held the opening speech of the convention. The speech was interrupted by extensive applause nineteen times. In it, he stated:Resolutions and withdrawals
One of the first questions which was voted over, was the EU issue. Hagen formally submitted a proposal that the factual aspects of this issue should not be debated, and this was passed with 113 against 44 votes.The EU vote directly caused Ellen Wibe to step down as deputy party leader, stating that she did "not fully understand the new profile of the party". If not stepping down, she would compromise "values and principles" that were essential in order to "live with [her]self as a human being". The announcement followed a private meeting between Wibe, Hagen, Røsjorde and Grønntun. Allegedly, Tor Mikkel Wara had advised her to resign. Ellen Christine Christiansen stepped down from her position in the central board, leaving Grønntun as the only clear libertarian. Grønntun stated that young party members would not tolerate to be "stepped on and hectored with " forever. More generally, the losing faction signalized a desire to continue promoting a liberal political profile, but in a less dramatic way.
Immediately after Wibe's announcement, Jan Simonsen
Jan Simonsen
Jan Simonsen is a Norwegian writer, freelance journalist and politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1989 until 2005. He was elected with the Progress Party, until being excluded in 2001. From 2003 to 2004 he was vice chairman of the newly founded Democrats.Since then he has largely...
entered the chair and spoke strongly in favor of Hagen. Fridtjof Frank Gundersen
Fridtjof Frank Gundersen
Fridtjof Frank Gundersen was a Norwegian professor of jurisprudence and politician. He worked as a lector at the Faculty of Law of the University of Oslo from 1965 to 1975...
applauded the end of "women's bickering" in the party leadership. Hagen's main resolution proposal, titled En fremtid med rot i fortiden, was passed with 94 against 50 votes. He also received support for prioritizing anti-immigration higher in the following period. In his closing speech, Hagen stated that "disloyal" behavior would be considered as "active withdrawal" from the party. From the rostrum, the "band of four" was even asked to withdraw by several delegates, including Bjørn Andreassen, Gustav Hareide and Frøydis Lange. Andreassen exclaimed that "we don't want you", while Lange asked the band of four to form a new party called the Anarchist Party.
The central board held an extraordinary meeting on 17 April, during a pre-scheduled break in the convention. The central board of the Youth of the Progress Party also met, and agreed to support the "band of four". Their decision was not final until an extraordinary national board meeting could be held. It was speculated that members of the youth wing could leave the Progress Party en masse.
New deputy leader
After Wibe's resignation, Jan Simonsen was mentioned as an, albeit unlikely, candidate to succeed Wibe. Vidar KleppeVidar Kleppe
Vidar Sveinung Kleppe is a Norwegian politician. He was a Member of Parliament and deputy chairman of the Progress Party until being suspended and left the party in 2001...
was also mentioned, while traditionalist John Alvheim
John Alvheim
John Ingolf Alvheim was a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. He was a nurse anesthetist by profession, and served as aid worker in several developing countries during the 1970s...
was regarded by newspapers as a more likely candidate. On Saturday 16 April, it became clear that the vote stood between the Peter N. Myhre and Lodve Solholm
Lodve Solholm
Lodve Solholm is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Møre og Romsdal in 1989, serving until 1993; he was out of parliament from 1993 to 1997, but was re-elected in 1997, 2001, and 2005.Solholm was President of the Lagting 2001–2005.He...
. Myhre was the candidate put forward by the electoral committee, and had support among the libertarians, who did not field their own candidate. On 17 April, Solholm won the vote with 90 against 58; 8 ballots were blank. Carl I. Hagen was re-elected with 113 against 0 votes, and with 44 blank ballots. One libertarian, former MP Terje Nyberget, who described the convention as a "genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
", was elected to the national board.
Aftermath
Political scientist Frank AarebrotFrank Aarebrot
Frank Henrik Aarebrot is a Norwegian political scientist from Bergen. He is professor of comparative politics at the University of Bergen and professor II of democracy development at the Örebro University. He regularly lectures at Institut des Sciences Politiques and at the Humboldt University...
summed up the convention turmoil in the following way:
Band of four defect
Already on the second day of the convention it was speculated that the "band of four", four libertarian-leaning members of Parliament, considered leaving the party. The four were Oscar D. Hillgaar, Roy Wetterstad, Ellen Christine Christiansen and Stephen Bråthen. The alternative to leaving the party was to mark themselves as dissenting party members. On the third day, news surfaced that the four had talked together. In the news program DagsrevyenDagsrevyen
Dagsrevyen is the daily evening news programme for the Norwegian television channel NRK1, the main channel of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation , broadcast at 7 pm. In 2007, the programme started airing simultaneously on NRK's dedicated news channel NRK2, but this arrangement ended that same...
on 17 April, the band of four stated a desire to follow the 1993 party platform and not later resolutions. They were met by a demand from Carl I. Hagen that they continue on the "terms laid down by the national convention or find something else to do". He later added that if the band of four left the parliamentary group, they should "scram". To sum up, he said that the libertarians, which were known to be a minority, had gained too much influence, and was set back by the national convention. Øystein Hedstrøm demanded that the four leave the party. Because of the fierce personal antagonism at the convention, it was dubbed as the "national convention at Dolkesjø"—derived from dolk, the Norwegian word for dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
.
Wibe encouraged people to stay in the Progress Party, although her active participation was over. Wetterstad stated in an interview that withdrawing his party membership was out of question, whereas Hillgaar was described as the least conciliatory. Hillgaar publicly lamented the "Moscow processes" of the 1994 national convention, and also the views on women and the "extreme xenophobia" which he felt was conveyed by the party program. The Progress Party county leader in Akershus, Per Aage Pleym Christensen, also reconsidered his position, leaving on 4 May.
Oscar Hillgaar left the party on 22 April. The other three libertarian parliamentarians postponed their decision, attending meetings with county leaders on 17 and 22 April. A leading figure in these talks was Henning Holstad from Oslo. Hagen replied that such talks had no grounds in the Progress Party by-laws. The meeting on 22 April went well for the three parliamentarians, but on 30 April the central committee met, and Øystein Hedstrøm put forward a proposal for a "loyalty declaration" to Hagen and the policies agreed to on the national convention. The proposal of a written declaration was not passed, but the central committee decided to demand loyalty. It also removed Lars Erik Grønntun from the executive board .
The three parliamentarians finally left the party on 3 May. It was speculated that the deputy representatives for Bråthen and Wetterstad, Per Aage Pleym Christensen in Akershus and Geir Thoresen in Buskerud, would follow. Wetterstad drew the lines to Hagen's own withdrawal from the Anders Lange Party to form the short-lived Reform Party
Reform Party (Norway, 1974)
The Reform Party was a short-lived political party in Norway. The party was founded in 1974 by "moderate" defectors from the Anders Lange's Party. Led by Carl I...
. Coincidentally, Hagen celebrated his 50th birthday on 6 May.
Youth wing defects
With four of ten having resigned from the parliamentary group, the Youth of the Progress Party was the next institution to experience turmoil. In May Verdens Gang announced that a forthcoming extraordinary national convention, spearheaded by Lars Erik Grønntun, would cut its ties with the Progress Party. The county leader in Oslo, Kim M. Høistad, formally proposed such a move. A straight-forward dissolution of the Youth of the Progress Party would, however, most likely be followed by an immediate resurrection of the youth wing by Hagen-loyal members. Høistad's proposal was quickly co-signed by the Akershus branch, through its leader Trine Beate Samuelsen, and the Buskerud branch through its leader Per Magne Pedersen. The county chapters in Telemark, Aust-Agder, Vest-Agder, Oppland and Rogaland also voiced support. Hordaland had considered it. National deputy Ole Tom Nomeland was reluctant to comment, but at the national convention he called Ellen Wibe "one of the finest people in Norwegian politics". He was threatened with exclusion in June, ahead of the convention.Two days before the national convention, the central committee convened and supported a dissolution of the Youth of the Progress Party. Lars Erik Grønntun even announced plans to cooperate more with the Norwegian Young Conservatives
Norwegian Young Conservatives
Norwegian Young Conservatives is a Norwegian youth party. Its ideology is liberal conservatism, and the party is in many ways more liberal than its mother party, Conservative Party of Norway. Henrik Asheim succeeded Torbjørn Røe Isaksen as leader in 2008.- Leaders :...
and the Young Liberals of Norway. Young Conservatives leader André Støylen
André Støylen
André Støylen is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party.Born in Ørsta, he served in the position of deputy representative to the Norwegian Parliament from Møre og Romsdal during the term 1989–1993...
was not negative.
The national convention agreed on dissolving the Youth of the Progress Party, with 63 against 21 votes. Hagen-loyal members summoned the Progress Party national board, which overruled the decision, allowing the remaining members to continue with Ulf Leirstein
Ulf Leirstein
Ulf Isak Leirstein is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Østfold in 2005. He had previously served in the position of deputy representative during the term 2001–2005.Leirstein held various positions in Moss municipality council from...
as leader.
Other defections
Already before the national convention, the entire local party chapter in OsterøyOsterøy
Osterøy is an island municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordhordland. The administrative centre is located in Lonevåg in the central part of the island, while the settlement with the largest population is Valestrandfossen with 1,012...
was disestablished, but mainly due to the European Union controversy. The party had one representative in Osterøy municipal council at the time. One day after the national convention, delegate Kristian Eidesvik announced his withdrawal from the party, though he would sit through his tenure as member of Hordaland county council
County council (Norway)
A County Council is the highest governing body of the county municipalities in Norway. The county council sets the scope of the county municipal activity. The council is led by a chairman or county mayor...
, which lasted until 1995. Eidesvik was a former member of the central board, and also a former deputy member of Parliament. The same day former MP and youth wing leader Pål Atle Skjervengen
Pål Atle Skjervengen
Pål Atle Skjervengen is a retired Norwegian politician.He was born in Oslo as a son of a police inspector. He finished secondary education in 1979, and briefly studied law, then business administration at the Norwegian School of Management. From 1982 to 1984 he worked in the party newspaper...
withdrew, commenting that the libertarians "are asked by the party leadership to go to hell". Skjervengen had been criticized by Carl I. Hagen from the rostrum at the national convention. Many years down the road Skjervengen joined the Conservative Party. Harald Eide Ellingsen, member of Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
city council, also left.
In Røyken
Røyken
Røyken is a village and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Midtbygda. The parish of Røken was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
municipal council, three of five representatives left the party, and a fourth, former MP Steinar Maribo, considered doing the same. As did Odd Magnar Brubæk, and former deputy MP Paal Bjørnestad. Terje Nyberget withdrew from the central committee in early May. The leader in the chapters in Finnmark and Nordkapp, Bjørn Magne Solvik, withdrew on 13 May. He cited a lack of liberalism, especially with regards to gay rights and immigration, as the reason. He was the only Progress Party member of a municipal council in Finnmark. Maribo withdrew some time in May. In late May, party secretary Hans Andreas Limi
Hans Andreas Limi
Hans Andreas Limi is a Norwegian businessperson and politician for the Progress Party.Limi was a member of the executive committee of Skien city council from 1983 to 1987. In the Norwegian local elections, 1987 he was elected to Oslo city council, but he took leave from his position in 1989...
had counted 270 withdrawals, but also 76 new members. Municipal and county council member Liv Skrede left after the youth wing's national convention in July, so did Tor Mikkel Wara, Ellen Wibe, Jan Erik Fåne and Petter Bjørheim. Hordaland county council member Lene C. Møgster Løtvedt left and joined the Conservative Party in October.
New party
Already during the national convention, the Youth of the Progress Party agreed to form an informal "thinking group" for disenfranchised members. Pål Atle Skjervengen was early in declaring an interest in forming a new, libertarian party. Those who resigned from the parliamentary group initially declared a lack of motivation to form a new party, and they also rejected the possibility of joining another party. They would instead vote according to the 1993 party program. Either way, in a parliamentary context they were known as independentsIndependent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
for the remainder of their term. They did discuss the possibility of forming a "support group" which would help the four parliamentarians with practical issues. Odd Magnar Brubæk contributed advice on an informal basis from time to time. With some time passed since the Bolkesjø convention, it was decided to hold a formal conference to form a support group in mid-June. Organizations in Akershus and Buskerud already existed, under the names of Fridemokratene Akershus and Buskerud Liberale Forum.
At the conference, the name Free Democrats
Free Democrats (Norway)
The Free Democrats is a political organization formed by former members of the Progress Party of Norway in 1994.The 1993 election saw the support of the Progress Party halved...
was adopted, and the band of four were chosen as leaders. Two hundred people joined, and it had four county leaders; Per Aage Pleym Christensen for Akershus, Geir Thoresen for Buskerud, the former city council secretary Roy Venge Tollefsen in Oslo and Thor Simonsen in Østfold. Wibe, on the other hand, left politics, as did Lars Erik Grønntun. The board members of Aust-Agder Youth of the Progress Party joined the Free Democrats in August. Ellen Christine Christiansen stated that "time will tell whether we become a political party". The issue was discussed again at a national convention in September 1994. The Vestfold chapter wanted to field in the Norwegian parliamentary election, 1997
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1997
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 15 September 1997. Before the election, Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland of the Labour Party, issued the 36.9 ultimatum declaring that the government would step down unless it gained 36.9% of the vote, the percentage gained...
with Oscar Hillgaar on the ballot, but this did not happen.
See also
- Progress Party (Norway)#Turmoil and new schism — a period of turmoil resulted in the Democrats splitting from the Progress Party.
- 1972 Liberal Party national convention — another famous convention, where the Liberal Party split into two.