According to party polls, the FRP is likely to win the election this autumn in Finnmark’s largest city. Alta can be among the municipalities in Norway where the party is strongest. But in the middle of the election campaign, their long-standing and experienced top candidate Ronny Berg has resigned to become municipal director in Karasjok. The board has chosen not to identify a new mayoral candidate. Thus, Alta’s largest party is without a clear mayoral candidate. Instead, the personal votes of the voters on election day will determine who the party will propose as mayor if the FRP wins the election. Ronny Berg has been among the leading Frp politicians in Finnmark for many years as a top candidate in Alta. But in the middle of the election campaign, he resigned from office to become municipal director in Karasjok. Photo: Sara Beate Eira Up to the voters Local team leader Emil-Andre Taftø Thorstensen will let the people decide. – The reason why the board has not chosen a new top candidate is that it is close to the election, and we want the voters to be able to decide who it will be, says Thorstensen. The board has decided that all list candidates can make themselves available as mayor for the party. Potentially, that could give the people 30 candidates to choose from. Emil-Andre Taftø in Alta Frp wants the voters to be able to point out who is the mayoral candidate for the party. It faces criticism internally. Photo: Sigbjørn Lægdene Stenvaag / news Disclaimer – It is completely unreal and very unfortunate. I would say that it is an abdication of responsibility on the board’s part, that the largest party in the city is now running without a mayoral candidate, says Odd Eilert Persen. He is the third candidate for the party on the electoral list in Alta, and this week he took matters into his own hands. He actually went out publicly to launch himself as a candidate for mayor. Odd Eilert Persen is number three on the election list for the Alta Frp. This week he launched himself as a mayoral candidate as the party itself did not want to launch anyone after Ronny Berg. Photo: Rune Nordgård Andreassen / news – What do you think the board should have done when it became known that Ronny Berg was resigning? – In my world, it is completely natural to ask number two, three and four on the list after Berg, if they wish to stand as a candidate for mayor , says Persen. He therefore thinks the board’s decision is strange, and is surprised that he was not asked to stand after 20 years in the party. Persen adds that he has full confidence in the board and is looking forward. Unfavorable Election researcher Jonas Stein believes the party could lose votes by losing Ronny Berg, and at the same time not appoint a new leader. – We know that having a clear leading candidate is an advantage if it is a popular candidate. FRP now risks getting fewer votes, fewer mandates and less power after the election, says Stein. He believes that the election to the board of not selecting a new local candidate will be unfavorable for the party. It is very unusual for a party with a good chance of winning the mayor’s place to choose a candidate for mayor. – This is a special process. The normal thing would have been a new nomination process, but there is no automaticity in that number two on the list becomes the new mayoral candidate, Stein points out. The election researcher does not think this will mobilize voters either. UNFAVORABLE: Alta Frp risks getting fewer votes at this year’s election, following the board’s decision to let the people decide, according to election researcher Jonas Stein. Photo: Rune N. Andreassen Flexible solution – What is extra exciting this year is that the voters decide. That is what the 2nd candidate for the party Linda Marita Bræck says, who has not yet revealed whether she wants to become mayor of the municipality. – It remains to be seen, but as mayor I wish to have kindergartens a focus in politics and in society, she adds. Bræck thinks the election and the solution to the board just before the election is both fun and exciting. – We have many strong and good candidates in our party, young and old, so I see this as very positive. It is unknown whether Linda Marita Bræck in Alta Frp wants people in Alta to give her the most personal votes. Photo: Private
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Personal votes on election day will decide who the FRP wants as mayor in Alta – news Troms and Finnmark
