In November, Audun Lysbakken announced that he would not seek re-election as party leader. And on 20 December the deadline for entering current candidates for the SV leadership expires. A week ago, today’s deputy leader Kirsti Bergstø announced that she will stand as a candidate for leadership at the national meeting in the spring. And Ingrid Fiskaa would like to have the place that eventually becomes vacant as deputy chairperson. – I think it is very nice to be proposed as deputy chairman. I would very much like to be involved in building a socialist people’s party that stands strong throughout the country, she says to news. SUPPORTERS: Ingrid Fiskaa (th) would like to see Kirsti Bergstø (right) become the new SV leader. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB Complicated solitaire 45-year-old Ingrid Fiskaa from Rogaland is a veteran with over 20 years behind her in SV and government experience as state secretary from the Stoltenberg era. She is now vice-president of the Storting. – If I were to mention one battle issue, it would be to strengthen democracy. That we are able to turn around powerlessness and mistrust so that more people are active participants, she says. Fiskaa also tried in 2007 to become deputy leader of SV. That time she narrowly lost to Bård Vegar Solhjell. The election committee has a formidable task ahead of it before the recommendation is to be submitted on 4 February. If the position ends with Bergstø at the top and Fiskaa as deputy leader, SV will take a solid step to the left, say people in the party that news has spoken to. But there is a long way to go: For the time being, it is unclear whether fiscal policy spokesperson Kari Elisabeth Kaski is standing as a candidate for leadership. At the same time, a number of different names have been entered for a deputy leader position, which could therefore become vacant if Bergstø becomes party leader. PROPOSED: SV’s fiscal policy spokesperson Kari Elisabeth Kaski has not yet announced whether she wants to become leader of the party. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB – Honorary designation In an interview with VG recently, Kaski said that she must feel that she has sufficient support in the party, if she is to run as a leadership candidate. – It is enormously important. I don’t even want to think about doing it if I don’t feel like I have enough support. It’s about the fact that I don’t have the strength to go into a major election campaign in my own party, she says to VG. DONE: Audun Lysbakken recently announced that he will not seek re-election as SV leader at this spring’s national meeting. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB At the same time, Ingrid Fiskaa makes it clear that she supports Rogaland SV’s proposal for Bergstø as new party leader. – It is because she both stands for a recognizable SV policy and at the same time has good appeal, especially among working people, and strong ties to the trade union movement, says Fiskaa. – She is very clear that we must take democratic control over electricity prices instead of leaving it to the market, which we are seeing crazy results in now. It is a type of political line that I believe we need to strengthen in SV. – Many will think that SV will take a solid left turn if Bergstø becomes leader and you deputy leader, what do you say to that? – I have no problem with being placed on the left. It’s just a title of honor for me. – Can you also imagine becoming deputy leader if Kaski becomes party leader? – Now we don’t know if Kaski is running as party leader candidate. So I think that will be a hypothetical question. Many names SV’s largest county team, Oslo SV, wants Kaski to lead the party. So will Socialist Youth. The Youth Party has also recorded Storting politician Grete Wold as a possible deputy leader. PROPOSED: Lars Haltbrekken’s name has been entered for a deputy leader position which may become vacant when SV gets a new party leader in the spring. Photo: Kai Rune Kvitstein / news – It is because it is important for us to have a leadership that is unifying for the party, that complements each other and that can work well together, says SU leader Synnøve Kronen Snyen to news. Other names have also been recorded should the party need a new deputy leader, namely the Storting politicians Lars Haltbrekken and Freddy André Øvstegård. – I support the current deputy leaders and the management of SV. I don’t want to challenge it in any way either. But if there are changes in the solitaire, I have said that I would be happy to meet the election committee to talk about it, says Øvstegård. – It is nice to be mentioned. If the party wants, I can stand, says Haltbrekken.
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Fiskaa wants to join the SV leadership – supports Bergstø as leader – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
