Carl I. Hagen
Encyclopedia
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. Under his leadership he was the undisputed leader and centre of the party, and in many ways personally controlled its ideology and policies.
Hagen has since been regarded by both political scientists and political colleagues alike as one of the greatest politicians in Norwegian history, for his ability to build a hugely successful party up from scratch and significantly change Norwegian politics. He has sometimes popularly been nicknamed "King Carl," the title of his unauthorized biography. He has been described as the first post-modern politician in Norway.
Ragnar Hagen (1908–1969) and accountant Gerd Gamborg (born 1914). He was named after his paternal grandfather, Carl, and his maternal grandfather, Ivar. He has two sibling
s, one younger, and one older sister. Hagen was before the Progress Party a passive member of the Young Conservatives
, and according to him, both his parents voted for the Labour Party
. According to Hagen himself and his secondary school
classmates, Hagen was a relatively shy
boy in his younger years. When he was seventeen years old, in 1961, he went as an apprentice at the Norwegian America Line
ship MS Foldenfjord. In 1964, he was conscripted in the Norwegian Army
, and served as an engineer soldier at Eggemoen near Hønefoss
, and Maukstadmoen in Troms
.
After this, he left Norway for England
. Originally wanting to become an engineer
, he flunked mathematics
in Sunderland
and chose to study marketing
and business studies
in Newcastle
instead, earning a Higher National Diploma in Business Studies in 1968. From being more reserved in his youngest days, he soon became a player in Northern English student politics. In 1967 he fought over the office of vice president of the National Union of Students against Jack Straw
(later Labour Party
MP and Secretary of State for Justice of the UK
).
He achieved Examen artium
in 1963, and Higher National Diploma in Business Studies in 1968. Prior to dedicating his professional life to politics, Hagen was CEO at Tate & Lyle
Norway from 1970 to 1974, Consultant
of Finansanalyse from 1977 to 1979, and economic policy consultant in the oil industry from 1979 to 1981.
as an alternative to social democracy
during the centre-right
Cabinet of Borten (1965–71) when taxes increased more so than under Labour, as well as the power of the state. He sought to reduce the power of the state over individuals, and the political views of Anders Lange were because of this appealing to him.
Hagen started his political career as he was elected Deputy Member of Parliament
from Oslo for Anders Lange's Party
in 1973. He had attended the founding meeting of the party at Saga kino in April, and was asked by Erik Gjems-Onstad
if he wanted to stand for election for the party. He however soon lost faith in Anders Lange, and along with some others in 1974 broke away and formed the short-lived Reform Party
. After the death of Anders Lange
later the same year he replaced Lange as a regular MP. The newly formed Reform Party merged with Anders Lange's Party again already the next year. In 1977 the party changed its name into the Progress Party
, and Hagen was elected leader of the party at the 1978 national convention. As the party did not get any MP's into parliament in 1977, Hagen was away from parliament for four years, until being elected in again in 1981.
Hagen has been regarded as the first postmodern politician in Norway by Gudleiv Forr
, writing for the Norsk biografisk leksikon
. His early success has been attributed to his ability to use the media
through populist
speech. He also managed to moderate the profile of the party from the more vulgar tone of Anders Lange. Though he identifies himself as a libertarian, his political practice has been regarded by political commentators of being populist. His ability to balance different political directions, was regarded by Forr of displaying "his mastering of the role of being party leader." Forr also claimed that Hagen has a talent of double communication, which has left the diverse voter group of the party with different impressions of the policies of the party, sometimes leading to internal schisms. His success has also been attributed to his leadership tactics, which included suspending and removing members of the party who deviated too much from his views.
Hagen was elected into parliament for seven consecutive four-year periods from 1981, until he stepped down and decided not to run for the 2009 election
. In the periods from 1979 to 1982, 1987 to 1991 and 1995 to 1999 he was also a member of the Oslo city council. From 2005 to 2009, Hagen in addition held the office of Vice President of Parliament. Part of the decision not to run for re-election (which he made in 2007) apart from reaching the age of pension, was because Hagen had felt that he had been put on the sideline after he had retired from the office of chairman. Hagen also stated that he wanted more relaxation, and sought to perhaps receive some missions as a consultant. After ending his high-profile political career, he started working for the PR
agency Burson-Marsteller
in 2009, where he became among the company's highest paid lecturers.
In March 2010 it was however speculated about his comeback into Norwegian politics, as "central Progress Party politicians" wanted him to stand for mayor
in Oslo
. Hagen himself did not entirely repudiate the thought, and stated that he missed politics, as well as himself, as he thought that politics had become boring without him. In September 2010, Hagen announced his candidacy for the office of mayor of Oslo for the 2011 local elections
, and quit his engagement with Burson-Marsteller. After receiving bleak polling figures, Hagen chose to effectively drop out of the race three days before the election. In an internal party meeting on 9 November, Hagen unsuccessfully sought to be chosen as the Progress Party's representative in the Norwegian Nobel Committee
, and in turn withdrew from the party's central board as well as from his position as "senior general". Following the meeting, he published a five-page note, criticising Siv Jensen, and citing his resignation with the "treatment and humilitation" he received from the "party leadership".
in 1986 for the Conservative Party prime minister Kåre Willoch
. During the parliamentary election campaign in 1985, the Progress Party had promised not to contribute to a socialist government. When the motion failed to pass - in part due to lack of support from the Progress Party - Kåre Willoch explained it as "the unpredictability of Carl I. Hagen".
as a religion. In 2009 however, he received a "bridge builder" award from the Norwegian-Pakistani committee for the celebration of the Pakistan
i Independence Day
in Norway, for his "strong engagement in integration politics."
s are very much concerned with children. Jesus
said, let the small children come to me. I can't understand that Muhammad
could have said the same. In the case that he could have said the same, it would have been: Let the small children come to me, so that I can exploit them in my struggle to Islamify the world." He also stated that if Israel
lost the fight in the Middle East
, Europe would bow under to Islam
, if Muslim fundamentalists get it as they want. "They have, in the same manner as Hitler
, long ago made it clear that the long-term plan is to Islamify the world. They have come a long way, they have pierced deep into Africa
, and have come a long way into Europe – and then we have to fight back." He was because of this speech criticised by politicians, religious leaders and other public personalities within Norway. Some days later, the ambassadors of Pakistan
, Indonesia
, Egypt
and Morocco
, and chargé d'affair
of Tunisia
made an unusual strong attack on Hagen in a letter in the newspaper Aftenposten
.
he stated that this election had seen the worst case of media
bias against the Progress Party. He claimed that the Norwegian media had been able to control the election campaign more than before, regarding who they interrupt during debates, which issues they choose to ask the different parties about, and who they invite to join debates.
s, and particularly described his political career. According to Cappelen Damm
, Hagen writes "openly about his strategic choices, about central political processes, conflicts and victories - and about how they formed him and the party." He was also described as an "experienced and outspoken politician" who in his book was "hard-hitting, straight to the chase - and with continued willingness and ability to provoke." The book also contains, among other things, Hagen's personal characterisations of several political opponents.
Hagen started the presentation of his book by talking about circumstances in the 2001 Terje Søviknes
sex-scandal. In the book, he also compared what he saw as a similar naïvety in the modern Norwegian immigration policy, and Neville Chamberlain's
failed negotiations with Adolf Hitler
in the prelude to the Second World War. When discussing the aftermath of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
, he wrote that the management by the Norwegian government led freedom of speech
to be "subordinated to the respect for the warlord, man of violence and female abuser Muhammad
, who murdered and accepted rape as a conquest technique." This was criticized by the Islamic Council Norway for "insulting Muslims," a reaction Hagen considered to be "as expected." He also described how he believed the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation to be a tool for socialists.
(handlingsregelen), which he claimed was preventing the development in Norway. He also critizised Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's "bragging" of Norway having the lowest unemployment figures in Europe after the financial crisis, which Hagen saw as obvious, given Norway's oil wealth.
Hagen also discussed possible difficulties in potential government cooperation between the Progress and Conservative Party. He cited conflicts among "strong individuals" in both parties. Politically, he warned the Progress Party particularly against "giving in" regarding the immigration policy, which he said was one of the most important issues for the party, and that the party in such a scenario would fall rapidly in polls, and lose credibility. He also believed that "if nothing is done," Norway risk the emergence of "a Rosengård
," and proposed for volunteers to take care of asylum seekers instead of the state, which he in turn believed would "likely rapidly stop the flow of asylum seekers to Norway."
He also rejected the notion of man-made climate change, which he called the "climate hoax," citing the 3-4 percentage of human produced CO2 to hardly be significant to general climate changes. He also proposed for the Progress, Labour and Conservative Party to agree on increasing the electoral threshold
to five percent, so that three to five of the smaller parties could possibly disappear.
, in 1983 he was married again, to Eli Aas
, herself also a divorcee
and mother of two. She became Hagen's closest political co-worker and advisor through his political career. As of August 2009, Hagen has seven grand-children.
After living in Nøtterøy
for years, Hagen and his wife moved back to Oslo in 2006. They also own a cabin in Sande, Vestfold
.
His favorite musician is Elvis Presley
, and he enjoys playing golf
and tennis
.
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former Vice President of the Norwegian Parliament. He was the chairman of the Progress Party
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...
from 1978 until 2006, when Siv Jensen
Siv Jensen
Siv Jensen is a Norwegian conservative-liberal politician, and the current leader of the Progress Party. She was the Progress Party's candidate for Prime Minister in the 2009 parliamentary election.-Early and personal life:...
replaced him as chairman of the party. Under his leadership he was the undisputed leader and centre of the party, and in many ways personally controlled its ideology and policies.
Hagen has since been regarded by both political scientists and political colleagues alike as one of the greatest politicians in Norwegian history, for his ability to build a hugely successful party up from scratch and significantly change Norwegian politics. He has sometimes popularly been nicknamed "King Carl," the title of his unauthorized biography. He has been described as the first post-modern politician in Norway.
Early life
Hagen was born to CEOChief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
Ragnar Hagen (1908–1969) and accountant Gerd Gamborg (born 1914). He was named after his paternal grandfather, Carl, and his maternal grandfather, Ivar. He has two sibling
Sibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
s, one younger, and one older sister. Hagen was before the Progress Party a passive member of the 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 according to him, both his parents voted for the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
. According to Hagen himself and his secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
classmates, Hagen was a relatively shy
Shyness
In humans, shyness is a social psychology term used to describe the feeling of apprehension, lack of comfort, or awkwardness experienced when a person is in proximity to, approaching, or being approached by other people, especially in new situations or with unfamiliar people...
boy in his younger years. When he was seventeen years old, in 1961, he went as an apprentice at the Norwegian America Line
Norwegian America Line
Norwegian America Line , was a cruise ship line, originally an operator of passenger and cargo ships. Founded in 1910, the company ran a regular transatlantic service between Norway and the United States, and later to East Africa as well....
ship MS Foldenfjord. In 1964, he was conscripted in the Norwegian Army
Norwegian Army
Norway achieved full independence in 1905, and in the first century of its short life has contributed to two major conflicts, the Cold War and the War on Terror. The Norwegian Army currently operates in the north of Norway and in Afghanistan as well as in Eastern Europe. The Army is the oldest of...
, and served as an engineer soldier at Eggemoen near Hønefoss
Hønefoss
Hønefoss is a city in Buskerud county, Norway, and the center of the municipality of Ringerike.In 1852, Hønefoss received town status and was separated from Norderhov. Hønefoss celebrated its 150th year of township in 2002...
, and Maukstadmoen in 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...
.
After this, he left Norway for England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Originally wanting to become an engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, he flunked mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
in Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
and chose to study marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
and business studies
Business studies
Business studies is an academic subject taught at higher level in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, as well as at university level in many countries...
in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
instead, earning a Higher National Diploma in Business Studies in 1968. From being more reserved in his youngest days, he soon became a player in Northern English student politics. In 1967 he fought over the office of vice president of the National Union of Students against Jack Straw
Jack Straw
Jack Straw , British politician.Jack Straw may also refer to:* Jack Straw , English* "Jack Straw" , 1971 song by the Grateful Dead* Jack Straw by W...
(later Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
MP and Secretary of State for Justice of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
).
He achieved Examen artium
Examen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
in 1963, and Higher National Diploma in Business Studies in 1968. Prior to dedicating his professional life to politics, Hagen was CEO at Tate & Lyle
Tate & Lyle
Tate & Lyle plc is a British-based multinational agribusiness. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index as of 20 June 2011...
Norway from 1970 to 1974, Consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
of Finansanalyse from 1977 to 1979, and economic policy consultant in the oil industry from 1979 to 1981.
Career
Hagen has explained that he lost faith in the Conservative PartyConservative 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...
as an alternative to social democracy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
during the centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
Cabinet of Borten (1965–71) when taxes increased more so than under Labour, as well as the power of the state. He sought to reduce the power of the state over individuals, and the political views of Anders Lange were because of this appealing to him.
Hagen started his political career as he was elected Deputy Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
from Oslo for Anders Lange's Party
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...
in 1973. He had attended the founding meeting of the party at Saga kino in April, and was asked by Erik Gjems-Onstad
Erik Gjems-Onstad
Erik-Ørn Gjems-Onstad, MBE was a Norwegian resistance member, officer, lawyer, politician and anti-immigration activist. When Nazi Germany invaded Norway in 1940, Gjems-Onstad travelled to England to join the Norwegian resistance movement...
if he wanted to stand for election for the party. He however soon lost faith in Anders Lange, and along with some others in 1974 broke away and formed 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...
. After the death of Anders Lange
Anders Lange
Anders Sigurd Lange was a Norwegian politician and the eponymous founder of the political party Anders Lange's Party . He was a charismatic right-wing public speaker who objected to high taxes, state-regulations and public bureaucracy.Lange has been described as a man who went his own ways...
later the same year he replaced Lange as a regular MP. The newly formed Reform Party merged with Anders Lange's Party again already the next year. In 1977 the party changed its name into the Progress Party
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...
, and Hagen was elected leader of the party at the 1978 national convention. As the party did not get any MP's into parliament in 1977, Hagen was away from parliament for four years, until being elected in again in 1981.
Hagen has been regarded as the first postmodern politician in Norway by Gudleiv Forr
Gudleiv Forr
Gudleiv Forr is a Norwegian journalist and political commentator.He hails from Inderøy. He worked in Dagbladet for his entire career; from 1968 to his retirement in 2007. In 2001 he was awarded the Gullpennen prize by the Norwegian Riksmål Association.He has a cand.philol. degree...
, writing for the Norsk biografisk leksikon
Norsk biografisk leksikon
Norsk biografisk leksikon is the largest Norwegian biographical encyclopedia.The first edition was issued between 1921 and 1983, including 19 volumes and 5,100 articles...
. His early success has been attributed to his ability to use the media
Media (communication)
In communications, media are the storage and transmission channels or tools used to store and deliver information or data...
through populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
speech. He also managed to moderate the profile of the party from the more vulgar tone of Anders Lange. Though he identifies himself as a libertarian, his political practice has been regarded by political commentators of being populist. His ability to balance different political directions, was regarded by Forr of displaying "his mastering of the role of being party leader." Forr also claimed that Hagen has a talent of double communication, which has left the diverse voter group of the party with different impressions of the policies of the party, sometimes leading to internal schisms. His success has also been attributed to his leadership tactics, which included suspending and removing members of the party who deviated too much from his views.
Hagen was elected into parliament for seven consecutive four-year periods from 1981, until he stepped down and decided not to run for the 2009 election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 2009
The 2009 parliamentary election was held in Norway on 14 September 2009. Elections in Norway are held on a Monday in September, usually the second or third Monday, as determined by the king. Early voting was possible between 10 August and 11 September 2009, while some municipalities held open...
. In the periods from 1979 to 1982, 1987 to 1991 and 1995 to 1999 he was also a member of the Oslo city council. From 2005 to 2009, Hagen in addition held the office of Vice President of Parliament. Part of the decision not to run for re-election (which he made in 2007) apart from reaching the age of pension, was because Hagen had felt that he had been put on the sideline after he had retired from the office of chairman. Hagen also stated that he wanted more relaxation, and sought to perhaps receive some missions as a consultant. After ending his high-profile political career, he started working for the PR
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
agency Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller is a global public relations and communications firm headquartered in the United States. Burson-Marsteller operates 67 wholly owned offices and 71 affiliate offices in 98 countries across six continents...
in 2009, where he became among the company's highest paid lecturers.
In March 2010 it was however speculated about his comeback into Norwegian politics, as "central Progress Party politicians" wanted him to stand for mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in Oslo
Oslo
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...
. Hagen himself did not entirely repudiate the thought, and stated that he missed politics, as well as himself, as he thought that politics had become boring without him. In September 2010, Hagen announced his candidacy for the office of mayor of Oslo for the 2011 local elections
Norwegian local elections, 2011
Nationwide local elections for seats in municipality and county councils were held throughout Norway on 12 September 2011. Several municipalities also opened the polling booths on 11 September. For most polling stations this meant that two elections, the municipal elections and the county elections...
, and quit his engagement with Burson-Marsteller. After receiving bleak polling figures, Hagen chose to effectively drop out of the race three days before the election. In an internal party meeting on 9 November, Hagen unsuccessfully sought to be chosen as the Progress Party's representative in the Norwegian Nobel Committee
Norwegian Nobel Committee
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awards the Nobel Peace Prize each year.Its five members are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament and roughly represent the political makeup of that body.-History:...
, and in turn withdrew from the party's central board as well as from his position as "senior general". Following the meeting, he published a five-page note, criticising Siv Jensen, and citing his resignation with the "treatment and humilitation" he received from the "party leadership".
Populism
The claim that the Progress party is populist dates back to a motion of no confidenceMotion 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...
in 1986 for the Conservative Party prime minister Kåre Willoch
Kåre Willoch
Kåre Isaachsen Willoch is a Norwegian politician from the Conservative Party. He served as Minister of Trade and Shipping in 1963 and 1965–1970, and as Prime Minister of Norway from 1981 to 1986...
. During the parliamentary election campaign in 1985, the Progress Party had promised not to contribute to a socialist government. When the motion failed to pass - in part due to lack of support from the Progress Party - Kåre Willoch explained it as "the unpredictability of Carl I. Hagen".
Immigration and Islam
Several times in Hagen's political career, he has been accused of playing on domestic fears of foreigners and immigrants. Largely because of his, for some, controversial views on immigration, the political opponents of the Progress Party has many times resorted to physical assaults on Hagen. He is especially known for having presented several accusations against Muslims, and IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
as a religion. In 2009 however, he received a "bridge builder" award from the Norwegian-Pakistani committee for the celebration of the Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i Independence Day
Independence Day (Pakistan)
Pakistan's independence day is observed on 14 August, the day before Pakistan was made an independent country based on border lines created by the British during the end of their rule of India. Pakistan became an independent country in 1947. The day is a national holiday in Pakistan...
in Norway, for his "strong engagement in integration politics."
Levende Ord speech
In July 2004, Hagen delivered a speech at a convention of the independent Christian organisation Levende Ord, where he stated that "we ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s are very much concerned with children. Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
said, let the small children come to me. I can't understand that Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
could have said the same. In the case that he could have said the same, it would have been: Let the small children come to me, so that I can exploit them in my struggle to Islamify the world." He also stated that if Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
lost the fight in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Europe would bow under to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, if Muslim fundamentalists get it as they want. "They have, in the same manner as Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, long ago made it clear that the long-term plan is to Islamify the world. They have come a long way, they have pierced deep into Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and have come a long way into Europe – and then we have to fight back." He was because of this speech criticised by politicians, religious leaders and other public personalities within Norway. Some days later, the ambassadors of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, and chargé d'affair
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
of Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
made an unusual strong attack on Hagen in a letter in the newspaper Aftenposten
Aftenposten
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...
.
Media
Hagen has been critical of the media. He gave the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, abbreviated NRK, the nickname "ARK", a pun meant to be understood as the "Labour Party Broadcasting Corporation," stating the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, and other media, to be largely unfavorable of the Progress Party. In the 2009 parliamentary electionNorwegian parliamentary election, 2009
The 2009 parliamentary election was held in Norway on 14 September 2009. Elections in Norway are held on a Monday in September, usually the second or third Monday, as determined by the king. Early voting was possible between 10 August and 11 September 2009, while some municipalities held open...
he stated that this election had seen the worst case of media
Media (communication)
In communications, media are the storage and transmission channels or tools used to store and deliver information or data...
bias against the Progress Party. He claimed that the Norwegian media had been able to control the election campaign more than before, regarding who they interrupt during debates, which issues they choose to ask the different parties about, and who they invite to join debates.
Ærlig talt: Memoarer 1944-2007 (2007)
Ærlig talt was mainly written as Hagen's personal memoirMemoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
s, and particularly described his political career. According to Cappelen Damm
Cappelen Damm
Cappelen Damm is a Norwegian publisher established in 2007. It is the result of the merger of J.W. Cappelens Forlag, founded in 1829, and N.W. Damm & Søn, founded in 1843. Cappelen Damm is owned by the Bonnier Group and Egmont....
, Hagen writes "openly about his strategic choices, about central political processes, conflicts and victories - and about how they formed him and the party." He was also described as an "experienced and outspoken politician" who in his book was "hard-hitting, straight to the chase - and with continued willingness and ability to provoke." The book also contains, among other things, Hagen's personal characterisations of several political opponents.
Hagen started the presentation of his book by talking about circumstances in the 2001 Terje Søviknes
Terje Søviknes
Terje Søviknes is a Norwegian politician, and the first politician of the Progress Party to become mayor of a Norwegian municipality, namely Os, Hordaland...
sex-scandal. In the book, he also compared what he saw as a similar naïvety in the modern Norwegian immigration policy, and Neville Chamberlain's
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
failed negotiations with Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
in the prelude to the Second World War. When discussing the aftermath of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
, he wrote that the management by the Norwegian government led freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
to be "subordinated to the respect for the warlord, man of violence and female abuser Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, who murdered and accepted rape as a conquest technique." This was criticized by the Islamic Council Norway for "insulting Muslims," a reaction Hagen considered to be "as expected." He also described how he believed the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation to be a tool for socialists.
Klar tale (2010)
Klar tale is a debate book, where Hagen wrote his personal opinions. In the book, Hagen claimed that the policies used by the socialist parties were destroying the welfare state, by using poor solutions. He devoted much space to critizise The budgetary ruleThe budgetary rule
The budgetary rule is a rule concerning the usage of capital gains from The Government Pension Fund - Global of Norway. The rule was introduced in 2001 by the First cabinet Stoltenberg to ensure that the sovereign wealth fund, with a vast majority of its dealings related to activities in the...
(handlingsregelen), which he claimed was preventing the development in Norway. He also critizised Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's "bragging" of Norway having the lowest unemployment figures in Europe after the financial crisis, which Hagen saw as obvious, given Norway's oil wealth.
Hagen also discussed possible difficulties in potential government cooperation between the Progress and Conservative Party. He cited conflicts among "strong individuals" in both parties. Politically, he warned the Progress Party particularly against "giving in" regarding the immigration policy, which he said was one of the most important issues for the party, and that the party in such a scenario would fall rapidly in polls, and lose credibility. He also believed that "if nothing is done," Norway risk the emergence of "a Rosengård
Rosengård
Rosengård, literally "Rose court", is a city district in Malmö, Sweden. As of 1 January 2007, the population was 21,955, of which 60 percent were born outside of Sweden. In 2008 a total 86% of the population in the city district was of foreign background...
," and proposed for volunteers to take care of asylum seekers instead of the state, which he in turn believed would "likely rapidly stop the flow of asylum seekers to Norway."
He also rejected the notion of man-made climate change, which he called the "climate hoax," citing the 3-4 percentage of human produced CO2 to hardly be significant to general climate changes. He also proposed for the Progress, Labour and Conservative Party to agree on increasing the electoral threshold
Threshold
-Film and television:* Threshold * Threshold , an adaptation of the 1958 science fiction film It! The Terror from Beyond Space* Threshold , an American science fiction drama series...
to five percent, so that three to five of the smaller parties could possibly disappear.
Personal life
Hagen married Nina Aamodt (born 17 January 1945) in 1970. They had two children and were divorced in 1975, according to Hagen as a consequence of his political work. After some years of cohabitationCohabitation
Cohabitation usually refers to an arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is most frequently applied to couples who are not married...
, in 1983 he was married again, to Eli Aas
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...
, herself also a divorcee
Divorcee
Divorcee, refers to a person whose marriage has ended in divorce, a legal dissolution of marriage before death by either spouse. The feminine form is "divorcée", and the masculine "divorcé". At one time the term had negative cultural and religious associations...
and mother of two. She became Hagen's closest political co-worker and advisor through his political career. As of August 2009, Hagen has seven grand-children.
After living in Nøtterøy
Nøtterøy
Nøtterøy is a municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Borgheim.The parish of Nøtterø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
for years, Hagen and his wife moved back to Oslo in 2006. They also own a cabin in Sande, Vestfold
Sande, Vestfold
Sande is a municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of "Sande i Vestfold". The municipality of Sande was established on 1 January 1838 ....
.
His favorite musician is Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, and he enjoys playing golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
.