Red Electoral Alliance
Encyclopedia
Red Electoral Alliance was an alliance of left-wing groups formed into a Norwegian political party to promote revolutionary far-left ideals into the Norwegian parliament. The party dissolved itself on March 10, 2007, when it participated in the founding of a new party, Red
(Rødt).
Raud Ungdom or Rød Ungdom (Red Youth) was their youth organization.
ideas. It remained a revolutionary party that, promoting an ideology based upon Marxism
.
From 1993 to 1997, Erling Folkvord
represented RV in Stortinget, the Norwegian parliament. In 1997, the party got their highest recorded percentage of votes with 1,7 %. In spite of this, Folkvord lost his seat and no new seats were won.
Torstein Dahle
, an economist at Bergen University College
, was elected leader in 2003 and re-elected in March 2005. Following the 2005 election
it was clear that their work to regain their place in the parliament had failed. They received 1.2% of the national total of votes. It was clear that in order to be represented in parliament, they had to win a large share of votes in Hordaland
or Oslo
. However their best result was 3.4% in Hordaland
.
On 10 March 2007 the party dissolved itself, as it fusioned with the AKP into a new party, Red
, with Dahle as its leader. Due to Norwegian election laws, the name Red Electoral Alliance was kept for the 2007 local elections. The party currently has 57 representatives in town halls nationwide.
1 Until 1979, the leader of AKP was also the leader of RV.
* : In 1989 RV participated in an electoral alliance with other groups called Fylkeslistene for miljø og solidaritet.
Red (Norway)
The Red Party is a Norwegian far-left political party and the leading party to the left of the Socialist Left and the Labour Party in Norway. Since 2007 the party has sought a seat in Parliament; the only counties in which they have a realistic chance of earning a seat are Oslo and Hordaland...
(Rødt).
Raud Ungdom or Rød Ungdom (Red Youth) was their youth organization.
History
While it was formed in 1973 as an election front for the Worker's Communist Party (marxist-leninist) (in Norwegian: Arbeidernes Kommunistparti (m-l), AKP(ml)), the Red Electoral Alliance became an independent party in 1991, and after that, it scrapped many LeninistLeninism
In Marxist philosophy, Leninism is the body of political theory for the democratic organisation of a revolutionary vanguard party, and the achievement of a direct-democracy dictatorship of the proletariat, as political prelude to the establishment of socialism...
ideas. It remained a revolutionary party that, promoting an ideology based upon Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
.
From 1993 to 1997, Erling Folkvord
Erling Folkvord
Erling Folkvord is a Norwegian politician for the Red party, and a former member of the Parliament of Norway. A far-left revolutionary socialist, he was one of the leading members of the Workers' Communist Party and the Red Electoral Alliance before they merged to form Red...
represented RV in Stortinget, the Norwegian parliament. In 1997, the party got their highest recorded percentage of votes with 1,7 %. In spite of this, Folkvord lost his seat and no new seats were won.
Torstein Dahle
Torstein Dahle
Torstein Dahle is a Norwegian politician and economist. He works at the Bergen University College and represents Red in the city council of Bergen. Dahle was born in Oslo....
, an economist at Bergen University College
Bergen University College
Bergen University College is a Norwegian public institution of higher education, established in August 1994 by the merging of six former independent colleges in Bergen, Norway.The College is organised in 3 faculties:*Faculty of Education...
, was elected leader in 2003 and re-elected in March 2005. Following the 2005 election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 2005
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway on 12 September 2005. More than 3.4 million Norwegians were eligible for vote for the Storting, the parliament of Norway. The new Storting has 169 members, an increase of four over the 2001 election....
it was clear that their work to regain their place in the parliament had failed. They received 1.2% of the national total of votes. It was clear that in order to be represented in parliament, they had to win a large share of votes in 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...
or 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...
. However their best result was 3.4% in 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...
.
On 10 March 2007 the party dissolved itself, as it fusioned with the AKP into a new party, Red
Red (Norway)
The Red Party is a Norwegian far-left political party and the leading party to the left of the Socialist Left and the Labour Party in Norway. Since 2007 the party has sought a seat in Parliament; the only counties in which they have a realistic chance of earning a seat are Oslo and Hordaland...
, with Dahle as its leader. Due to Norwegian election laws, the name Red Electoral Alliance was kept for the 2007 local elections. The party currently has 57 representatives in town halls nationwide.
Party leaders
- 1973-1975 — Sigurd AllernSigurd AllernSigurd Allern is a Norwegian media theorist and the first professor of journalism at the University of Oslo. He was also one of the central people in starting the Workers' Communist Party of Norway in the early 1970s, and was the first chairman of the party between 1973 and 1975 and at the same...
1 - 1975-1979 — Pål SteiganPål SteiganPål Steigan is a former leader of the Workers' Communist Party from 1975 to 1984 and a writer, later an editor. He also runs his own firm, working with culture and ICT...
1 - 1979-1981 — Hilde HaugsgjerdHilde HaugsgjerdHilde Haugsgjerd is a Norwegian newspaper editor.She was born in Oslo. She was the party leader of the Red Electoral Alliance from 1979 to 1981, and was married to the party's first leader Sigurd Allern from 1972 to 1977....
- 1981-1983 — Finn Sjue
- 1983-1987 — Jahn Arne Olsen
- 1987-1995 — Aksel Nærstad
- 1995-1997 — Jørn MagdahlJørn MagdahlJørn Magdahl is a Norwegian politician.He was the leader of the Red Electoral Alliance from 1995 to 1997. He was succeeded by the more profiled Aslak Sira Myhre. He resides in Skallestad.-References:...
- 1997-2003 — Aslak Sira MyhreAslak Sira MyhreAslak Sira Myhre is a Norwegian politician and former party leader of Red Electoral Alliance . He currently is director of Litteraturhuset, part of Fritt Ord....
- 2003-2007 — Torstein DahleTorstein DahleTorstein Dahle is a Norwegian politician and economist. He works at the Bergen University College and represents Red in the city council of Bergen. Dahle was born in Oslo....
1 Until 1979, the leader of AKP was also the leader of RV.
Parliamentary election results
| Year | % of votes | MPs |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 0.4% | 0 |
| 1977 | 0.6% | 0 |
| 1981 | 0.7% | 0 |
| 1985 | 0.6% | 0 |
| 1989 | * | 0 |
| 1993 | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1997 | 1.7% | 0 |
| 2001 | 1.2% | 0 |
| 2005 | 1.2% | 0 |