The Progress Party in Alta is going to the autumn municipal elections without a mayoral candidate. It became clear after the local team’s last member meeting – despite the fact that the aim of the meeting was to point to a candidate. – It is sad what we are experiencing. I just have to say that on behalf of our voters. Odd Eilert S. Persen is clearly disappointed. He has been clear about his desire to stand as a mayoral candidate for his party. Now that the party is without a name for this position, he fears that it will damage the election campaign. – This comes out badly, and there is no doubt about that. Municipal elections are personal elections, and people vote for people. And this is happening at a time when the party in Alta has had good tailwinds. BARELY A MAJORITY: 21 voted not to nominate a candidate, while 16 voted to give the party board signals for a new nomination meeting. One person voted blank. Photo: Andrè Bendixen Key municipality in the north Alta has become one of the most important municipalities for the FRP in the north. In news’s survey from April, the Progress Party was the largest party in Alta. The party is thus in a position to hijack the mayoral chain from the Labor Party in this autumn’s election. In May, the FRP’s mayoral candidate withdrew due to a new job, and since then the party has been without a candidate for this position. And now the party is choosing to go to the election without a mayoral candidate. Where Persen thinks that this outcome is tragic, there are party colleagues who, on the other hand, believe that it can be a strength. TRAGIC: Odd Eilert S. Persen was clearly upset that the party did not choose to nominate a mayoral candidate, and calls the outcome of the members’ meeting tragic. Photo: André Bendixen / news An unusual situation Election researcher Jonas Stein describes this situation as unusual. He works at UiT Norway’s Arctic University. – We know that having a clear candidate can strengthen the party, and they therefore choose not to use it. According to the election researcher, local candidates play an important part in local elections, in addition to local issues. – And then it is often the case that the mayoral candidate becomes the most important. Now the FRP in Alta does not have a candidate they can profile in all their mandates. – So, they must hope that the issues and politics are enough to get a good election. UNUSUAL: – It is an unusual situation that such a large party as the Progress Party is in Alta, that they go to the elections without a clear mayoral candidate. That’s what election researcher Jonas Stein says. Photo: André Bendixen Stein does not rule out that one can still make good choices. But the situation is not ideal, as he sees it. – It is clear that no agreed solution has been found for how to enter the election. So it is not an ideal situation for them, he says. – A lot of emotions The members’ meeting, where the agenda was to select a mayoral candidate, went very well. Local association leader Emil André Taftø Thorstensen opened by informing that a member’s meeting is still not allowed to select a candidate for mayor. Thus, 21 voted not to appoint a candidate, while 16 voted to give the party board signals for a new nomination meeting. One person voted blank. – There was a lot of emotion here today. I will honestly admit that. It is always a hot topic, says Taftø Thorstensen. LOCAL ASSOCIATION LEADER: Emil André Taftø Thorstensen says that the members’ meeting does not have a mandate to select a candidate. Only the nomination committee has the opportunity to do so. Photo: Andrè Bendixen Thinks the party can stand united He believes the party can appear united in the election campaign even if they do not have a mayoral candidate. – Standing together is no problem. Now I hope that we can rally towards a common goal, which is actually to take power from the Labor Party in the municipality. – Now people get the opportunity to choose who they want as mayor. It doesn’t get more liberal than this, and we are a liberal party, says Emil André Taftø Thorstensen. He believes more will follow. – Perhaps it opens the way for four years from now to allow all the parties to do as we do now. Satisfied with the outcome, 17-year-old Tonje-Martine Nerdal has also made herself available to wear the mayor’s necklace for the Progress Party. And she is satisfied with the outcome. She believes that it can be a strength that the party in Alta does not have a name for the mayoral position in the run-up to the autumn elections. – It shows that we can think differently, think outside the box and can let the people decide who they want. And I think that is very important. YOUNG POLITICIAN: The 17-year-old has one year behind him in politics. Photo: Christina Gjertsen / news – We are a liberal party. There should be freedom for everyone, and that also means that the people should have the freedom to choose who they want as mayor, says Nerdal.
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FRP in Alta goes to the election without a mayoral candidate – unusual according to election researcher – news Troms and Finnmark
