Today, the selection committee presents its recommendation. These are the most important conclusions: Four of the election committee’s members want the long-standing leader of the Nature Conservation Association, Lars Haltbrekken, as the new deputy leader. But three members want Marian Hussein from Oslo as the new deputy chair. A unanimous election committee is in favor of Kirsti Bergstø becoming the new SV leader. There is also unanimity that Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes should be allowed to continue as the second of two deputy leaders. All four sit today in the Storting for SV. Thus, it is up to the national meeting on 17-19. March to decide whether it will be Haltbrekken or Hussein will get the job as new deputy leader. – We have had many good candidates to become deputy chairman. We are left with two very good candidates, both of whom will be able to do an excellent job as deputy leader of SV, says the election committee’s chairman Pål Julius Skogholt. He himself belongs to the minority who want Hussein as the new deputy leader. SV leader Audun Lysbakken announced last November that he would not stand for re-election as party leader at the national meeting. DIVIDED: The electoral committee in SV is divided on the question of whether Lars Haltbrekken or Marian Hussein should become the new deputy leader of the party. Photo: Kristian Skårdalsmo / news – The reason why I am standing as deputy leader candidate is that I want to help further develop SV as the party that takes justice and the environmental fight seriously, at the same time, says Haltbrekken to news. Marian Hussein says she is overwhelmed by the trust from the election committee. – I feel that this is an opportunity for us as a party to show a greater breadth of who we are as a party and an opportunity to show new voters and members that we take their votes seriously, she says to news. The reasoning from the majority who want Haltbrekken in the leadership trio is that he has solid organizational competence and capacity, and that he is an important bridge-builder between nature conservation and climate considerations. The minority who want Hussein say SV needs new voices and new profiles in the leadership, in order to broaden the party and reach new voters. Red and green A number of names have been mentioned in the question of who should become the new deputy leader, as the current deputy leader Kirsti Bergstø will probably move up and become party leader. – With a divided opinion, will we now have a harrowing deputy leader battle? – No, absolutely not. Marian is also a very good candidate, so I think the party should be able to implement this in a good way, says Haltbrekken. Many in SV have singled out the party’s fiscal spokesperson Kari Elisabeth Kaski as their favorite to become the new party leader. But just before the New Year, Kaski announced that she is not eligible for the post. – Kaski’s supporters have been afraid that climate policy will be downgraded under Bergstø’s leadership. Are you prepared to take care of that part of SV’s policy? – After almost 30 years in the environmental movement, I am for many a kind of “Miljø-Lars”. The environmental campaign is something that has been very close to my heart. I will continue my passionate commitment to the environment, whether it is as deputy chairman or not as deputy chairman, says Haltbrekken. – Are you more “green” than “red”? – At least I have worked more with the environment in my life. At the same time, Haltbrekken emphasizes that it was precisely the combination of the fight against poverty and inequality and taking care of nature and cutting emissions from the climate fight that drew him into SV. And he denies that the leader and deputy leader discussion has stirred up a wing battle in SV. Background from Somalia 36-year-old Marian Hussein was born in Somalia and came to Norway when she was ten years old. She grew up in Stovner in Oslo. Hussein was a deputy representative in the Storting in the previous period, but is now a permanent representative and SV’s spokesperson on health issues. In the years 2017 to 2021, she also sat on SV’s central board. – Why should SV choose you and not Lars Haltbrekken? – I think SV has a luxury problem, both in relation to all the names that have been mentioned and between the two of us. I will live very well with Lars in the management after the national meeting. – What separates the two of you politically? – There can be many issues where we disagree about nuances and how fast things should go, says Hussein, and at the same time adds: – I also think there are many issues on which we mostly agree. Disagreements in a political party are often caricatured. – Are you mostly “green” or “red”? – What led me into politics was the red, but I also see that it is connected with the green. We cannot have a solidarity and inequality fight without having a fair environmental and climate fight. – You have a background from Somalia, is it important, in isolation, for SV to get a person with your background into the party leadership? – I have a background from Somalia, but I also have a background from having worked in the welfare state, says Hussein. – I feel that having my experience both from the frontline service and as a refugee has been important for my political involvement in SV. Expanding the party so that people in Groruddalen also feel that they have power and influence in top Norwegian politics has been important to me. HEALTH POLITICIAN: Marian Hussein (36) is a parliamentary representative for SV. Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB Yes to weapons and Nato news has also asked the two candidates about three of the issues about which there has been much discussion internally in SV: Is it right for Norway to send weapons to Ukraine? Haltbrekken: Yes. I believe we must support Ukraine in its defense struggle against the brutal invasion from Russia. Hussein: I have been doubtful about it. But over the past year, when we have seen how the arms aid has helped the Ukrainian people, I have understood that it was the right decision. Will SV, with you in the party leadership, work to withdraw Norway from NATO? Haltbrekken: I stand by what is the majority’s position, that we should not withdraw Norway from NATO. Hussein: I am not going to advocate for Norway to withdraw from NATO, but I am going to be strongly critical of NATO. Should Norway develop more onshore wind power? Haltbrekken: Not in untouched nature. The type of wind power plants we can have in the future are in industrialized areas close to power-intensive industry. Hussein: Here I agree with Lars’ reasoning.
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