Eli Hagen is the wife and secretary of the Norwegian politician 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...

, former leader 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...

. In recent years she has also made a name for herself as a television personality. The Norwegian author Jan Martin Iversen credited her with a significant role in the development and survival of Fremskrittspartiet in his 1998-book about the first 25 years of the party.

Eli Hagen is a well-known face to most Norwegians, infamous for her tall hairstyle.

Mishap while driving

In November 2001 she also caused headlines when, after dropping off her husband at an official dinner at the Royal Palace 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...

, accidentally drove her Volkswagen Passat

Volkswagen Passat

The Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...

 down the steps in front of the palace, with the political press corps as shocked onlookers. The following morning Dagbladet

Dagbladet

Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....

 - one of the largest newspapers in Norway - filled its frontpage with a picture of the tire marked stairs and the headline "Eli took the stairs - with her car".

Autobiography

In 2006 she created more headlines with the release of her autobiography Elskerinne, sekretær og hustru - Gift med Carl (Mistress, Secretary and Wife - Married to Carl), where she delivered frank observations and scornful descriptions of active, retired and even dead politicians. In the same book she mentioned her embarrassing drive down the palace stairs, and admitted she nearly "died of shame".

Career in television

In 2008 she had her debut as regular co-host of the talkshow Studio 5, a Norwegian version of The View. Since this she has become quite an active TV personality, appearing in numerous television shows, often displaying her outspoken nature mixed with irony and self ridicule.

External links

• Dagbladet (on Jan Martin Iversens book)