The frustration and impatience with falling support under Støre’s leadership has built up in the Labor Party over time. With weak readings down to 17 per cent, the warning lights have now really started to shine. news has spoken to more than 25 central sources in the party, who confirm that talks are ongoing about Støre’s leadership. TV 2 has also published a case today which mentions this. Several people who have taken part in such discussions themselves tell news that they believe he should resign already this winter – before the national assembly in April. – We have no comment on that, writes State Secretary Kristoffer Thoner (Ap) in a text message to news. The topic has been up for discussion in several county councils. There have also been talks about this among Labor ministers in Støre’s own government. But the debate about whether Støre should lead Ap into the election campaign is very sensitive. Therefore, today no one will openly confirm that such a discussion is taking place. Several of the sources news has spoken to do not want the internal discussions to be discussed now. PRIME MINISTER: Jonas Gahr Støre during the press conference with the prime ministers from the Nordic and Baltic countries recently. Photo: NTB Støre’s responsibility The talks have primarily taken place at a higher level in the Labor Party and in the trade union movement – without so many people lower down in the organization being involved. Impatience is great in county teams such as Trøndelag, Akershus, Vestland, Vestfold, Buskerud and Nordland. But also in Støre’s own county team Oslo, there are several who believe that he should resign as prime minister and party leader. One of the sources who knows about the ongoing discussions, says it is impossible not to discuss the management in the situation that Ap is now in. Another expects Støre himself to use the Christmas holidays to assess his position. news has also spoken to other central Ap voices who believe that Støre will remain in office and lead the party into a new election campaign. They believe that Ap does not benefit from changing party leader now, and that it is better to wait until after a possible election defeat. – Must make changes Internally, several of the county leaders have questioned whether the party is really best served by going to elections with Støre as leader, sources inform news. The talks are an expression of the great frustration that exists at the grassroots in Ap and outside the party organisation. And it is not only behind closed doors that dissatisfaction with Støre’s leadership is expressed. Party veteran Merete Storødegård from Stjørdal put it this way during the weekend’s nomination meeting in Nord-Trøndelag: – Most of us see it, but we don’t say it. But we understand that Jonas’ time as party leader is probably coming to an end. He has been in office for ten years. In the same place, another Ap veteran, Storting politician May Britt Lagesen, took the magazine from his mouth. – I agree that we must make changes in the party leadership. We must have renewal. And we must also have renewal in the party leadership, she said. Vestland Ap also had a nomination meeting last weekend. – It is fairly clear to me that we have a challenge with the leadership in our party, writes Atle Kvåle on Facebook. He has a long career in local and county politics behind him. Former minister Anette Trettebergstuen, who sits on APS’s central board, made a critical statement after the weekend’s nomination meetings: – The Labor Party is in deep crisis. The manager should soon see and say that, she writes on Facebook. Fredrik Mellem from Oslo Ap writes in a Facebook comment, reproduced in Aftenposten, that he believes there should be changes in the party leadership at the national meeting in the spring. – If not before. This political and organizational downturn has been allowed to go on for far too long, writes Mellem, who sat on the board of Oslo Ap for 11 years until last year. – On your shoulders That the Labor Party should change party leader and prime minister in an election year is startling and very dramatic. Several sources warn against such a move, because this could create new turmoil in a party that already has deep wounds from previous conflicts. ALL-SINGING: Good atmosphere during the all-singing at the nomination meeting in Oslo Ap. Here, Støre is flanked by county leader Frode Jacobsen and fourth candidate Agnes Viljugrein. Photo: Jonas Been Henriksen / NTB But that the pressure is great on the party leader, it became clear during the nomination meeting in Oslo Ap last week. Before Jonas Gahr Støre was clapped in as Ap’s top candidate from Oslo, he received the following message from the head of the nomination committee, Rina Mariann Hansen: – You have perhaps the greatest responsibility of all of us in this room to win the election. It is on your shoulders, she said in her speech. When Støre raised the dramatic nomination meeting in which Hadia Tajik lost the battle for second place, he described a “demanding starting point” for the party. But Ap is an “optimistic movement” that has managed to turn situations around before, he maintained. – We have done a lot, we have a lot to do and we have a lot to lose. But we must win the election based on what we are going to do, and not look back on what we have done, he said. PARTY LEADERSHIP DEBATE: Jonas Gahr Støre in Arendal earlier this autumn. Photo: William Jobling / n647304 Weak readings Several of the sources news has spoken to point to the experiences from the USA: Changing the presidential candidate gave new momentum to the election campaign, but it happened too late. 100 days was not enough, it is said. When news asked LO leaders Peggy Hessen Følsvik, Mette Nord and Jørn Eggum during the cartel conference at the Sundvolden hotel if they would keep Støre safe until the election, they replied that a change of leadership “is not an issue now”. Then Eggum followed up: – The National Assembly both elects and possibly does not re-elect leaders. Within the trade union movement, several circles have long been critical of Støre’s leadership. The fact that the Conservative Party has fallen around 10 percentage points in the polls since the peak a year and a half ago, without the Labor Party having strengthened, but on the contrary falling in support, has caused many to consider drastic measures to avoid a complete disaster election. The Labor Party formally elects its party leadership at the national meeting on 3–6. April. Published 02.12.2024, at 17.40
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Støre under pressure – Ap-toppers want a change of leadership – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
