“Incredibly rude!” “It’s absolutely wild!” “The height of audacity!” These are some of the comments on Facebook in connection with the election campaign stunt of the Progressive Party (Frp) in Sandnes. When you stay overnight in a hotel, you can hang a “do not disturb” sign on the door if you are going to sleep for a long time. In Sandnes, residents get a similar note on their door, but with political advertising from the FRP. – Here it says “Please do not disturb. Our family also chooses the FRP in Sandnes”. If the families agree with us, then they can just let it hang. Then the other parties can just run on, says the party’s deputy mayor in Sandnes, Pål Morten Borgli. On one side of the door hanger from Frp it says that “Our family also chooses Frp in Sandnes”. Photo: Anett Johansen Espeland / news – This is rude, many would say? – We will be a bit cheeky and do something that not everyone else does. – Crossing the line – Here the FRP in Sandnes is stretching its limits to get attention. The party goes too far when it comes to invading people’s privacy. We have a private sphere over which we want to decide, says political scientist and election researcher at the University of Stavanger, Svein Tuastad. Svein Erik Tuastad is a political scientist at the University of Stavanger. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news Borgli does not agree. – No, this is the opposite. We don’t knock. Doesn’t disturb anyone. We walk past quietly. Then people can leave the note hanging if they want. The reactions were also strong when the Labor Party sent out e-mails with political advertising to parents with children in kindergarten and after-school care in Stavanger. – In principle, it is exactly the same. Here the politicians in Frp and Ap have decided that they will push people’s opinions and statements in a place and at a time they have not asked for, says Tuastad. But Ap also defends its move. Dag Mossige is group leader for Ap in Stavanger municipal council. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news – I understand that it can be perceived as invading, whether you receive a brochure, e-mail or an elected official at the door. But it is a new reality now. It is increasingly difficult to get issues in the media, and the parties actually have a duty to get the message out, says group leader for the Labor Party in Stavanger municipal council, Dag Mossige. Fremskrittspartiet aims to hang advertisements on 36,000 house doors in Sandnes. Here they are at Bogafjell. Photo: Anett Johansen Espeland / news – Seems desperate Both Frp in Sandnes and Labor Party in Stavanger are fighting to retain power after the election. – You sense a certain desperation, which perhaps these stunts are an expression of. It is difficult for local politicians to reach out with their opinions, says Tuastad. But the politicians do not fully agree. – No, we are not desperate at all. This means adapting to a new reality, and using new means to get the message out, says Mossige. In Sandnes, the FRP has governed together with Ap since 2011. – We have won elections with this strategy before, says Borgli. Ketil Bogstrand got the Frp advertisement on his front door. Photo: Anett Johansen Espeland / news Right for the house owners Even though the case has caused a stir in the comments section, the house owners news met at Bogafjell were less critical. Roy Kenneth Holmen did not mind getting political advertising on his door. Photo: Anett Johansen Espeland / news – FRP is not my party, but I don’t care if the advertisement comes to the door here or in the mailbox. But it’s a shame they didn’t call, so we could have had a discussion, says Ketil Bogstrand. And if you have said no to advertising, it won’t help. – This is certainly not seen as advertising, so we have no choice. Whether they hang it on the door or put it in the mailbox is the same to me, says Roy Kenneth Holmen.
ttn-69
FRP advertising on front doors in Sandnes arouses resentment in the election campaign – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
