– Minister of Local Government and District Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp) and the government have now shown that they listen strongly to Facebook groups. They listen more to them than to what the municipal councils have said, says political editor of Fædrelandsvennen Vidar Udjus. He thinks it is startling that the Facebook activists have had such great influence in the case of the division of Kristiansand. – The decision on a referendum shows that what happens on social media is of enormous importance, the editor believes. Political editor Vidar Udjus in Fædrelandsvennen. Photo: Thomas Sommerset / news – Could not sit still The municipal dispute in Kristiansand creates anger and division – and gathers people around action groups on Facebook. – The number increases every minute, says Sigurd Berg Aasen in the group “We who want Søgne municipality back”. At the time of writing, his action group is the largest among the combatants. It originated before the municipal merger in 2020, and now has around 3,600 followers. This week, the opponents came on the field with a new Facebook group called “Yes to Søgne in Kristiansand”. – We could not sit still. We wanted to come up with an alternative view, says Karl Wilhelm Strandvik. He is the administrator of the site. Breathing the old group in the neck The new Facebook group, which wants to keep the large municipality, has in a short time received great support. Two and a half days after it was formed, it has 3300 followers. – I have checked, and most people live in Søgne, Strandvik assures. If the development continues at the same pace, the two groups will soon have as many members as there were inhabitants in the old Søgne municipality. According to Wikipedia, the former Søgne municipality had 11,582 inhabitants before the merger in 2020. The two activists gather dissenters every hour. For both, the involvement in the case has become a full-time job. Photo: Elisabeth Sandve / news – The victim of Facebook actions The decision on a referendum in Søgne and Songdalen came after a citizens’ initiative that they should become separate municipalities again. Political editor Vidar Udjus in Fædrelandsvennen believes that the predictability of the municipalities is threatened when online press groups gain great power. – I think it will be positive for the municipalities to have a certain predictability, and not be sacrificed for Facebook actions. Do they think they have the most on their side Sigurd Berg Aasen in “We who want Søgne municipality back” thinks their view has the greatest support. – Two out of three opinion polls show that we have the most on our side. It will be reflected on the day we will have a referendum, he says. He believes the merging of Søgne, Songdalen and Kristiansand has been a scandal, but points out that there should be room for different views. Karl Strandvik is convinced that the majority in the former Søgne municipality supports staying in Kristiansand. He wants to meet Minister of Local Government Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp). He (Gjelsvik ed. An.) Must understand what process he has started. And what it entails in terms of insecurity for individuals. It will be a desert trek politically and administratively. I do not think he understands what he has done, says Strandvik.
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Claims social media trumps politicians – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
