– I had never thought about it until Margret called and asked if I was interested. Iren Lassen is 36 years old and at full speed into local politics, for the very first time. She is in fourth place on the list for Høgre in Time municipality, and there is a good chance that she will take one of the 27 places in the municipal council after the election next autumn. But right now she is sitting at the dinner table of Norwegian representative Margret Hagerup. The sound level is high, because tonight there are ten women around the table and they all have one thing in common – a great political commitment. Some are old trotters, but most are newly saved. Ten women gathered for dinner at Margret Hagerup’s. Some are new members, others have agreed to be on the list. Photo: Kjersti Hetland / news Potato soup for political involvement – I know myself a bit like a preacher, says Hagerup. The representative of the Storting has been the leader of the nomination committee for Higher in his home municipality Time. In the municipal council, only 30 percent of the representatives are women. Hagerup has made it a goal to get more women on the list. Margret Hagerup. Photo: Kjersti Hetland / news And she has not only asked MANY women. She has also asked them several times. – I think that for many ladies you have to ask several times. And then I also think that it must be clear that they must not answer straight away. I remember when I was asked the question, it sounded completely improbable, says the mother of four. But needing time to decide is not the same as saying no. And Hagerup heard from several of the women she asked that even if they were unsure, there were many who were also a little excited and thought it sounded nice. So then she invited us to potato soup at her own home. – I invited a mixture of people who had been there before and people who were completely new. And there I could take all the questions that people wondered about. What is a group meeting? Does one have to know everything? Does one have to agree with everything Høgre says? – Did it work? – It worked! 17 women and 16 men were on the list she submitted to the party. At the previous election, the number was 10 women and 15 men. Margret Hagerup shares some of her experiences from politics during the dinner. Photo: Kjersti Hetland / news Slow journey towards half the sky – That’s a good way to do it. Being in politics makes a lot of things harmless, says Ragnhild Louise Muriaas about Hagerup’s dinner party. Ragnhild Muriaas, professor of political science at UiB. Photo: Valentina Baisotti / news Muriaas is a professor of political science at the University of Bergen, and focuses on issues related to gender, representation, elections and democratization. – Politics must be a place where you can thrive and feel safe in expressing a political point of view. Starting a little socially and being able to practice there is probably a great way to break down barriers to entering politics. At the previous municipal election, the proportion of women in municipal councils in Norway exceeded 40 per cent for the first time. But development has progressed slowly. If things go as smoothly as the previous six elections, we will be close to 2050 before women make up half. But it can also take even longer. – There is no automaticity in achieving gender balance in politics. There must be will and strategies behind it to make it happen. Consciously working with the electoral lists she highlighted as a key to better representation. But the key to getting the women to say yes. What is it? – First of all, he must be asked. It is very important for women. But not just be asked, she must also be given some time to think. So you have to ask again and not take a no for a no. Iren Lassen follows the discussion around the dinner table at Margret Hagerup’s. Photo: Kjersti Hetland / news Part of a community Around the dinner table for Hagerup in Time are several women who have either joined the party or agreed to be on the list after Hagerup made contact. – The question came at a good time. The kids are getting big enough that they can manage a little more on their own. And then I felt that the opportunity was put in my lap, and then I thought that then I won’t be the one who doesn’t take it, says Iren Lassen. That name had not been on Høgre’s list in Time, if she had not been asked. – I didn’t think about it once. But the fact that someone else pushed me a bit into it, that was what made it easy for me to say yes. There was someone who believed in me. Margret Hagerup’s dinner party also played an important role. – You don’t risk it. It allows you to have a look inside and ask the questions you need. You can listen to those with long experience and listen to the reflections of others who want to get started. Last time it was potato soup. Today, pasta salad is on the menu. – The kids didn’t like it. It’s been several years since I last made it, laughs Hagerup. The job with the list is over. Now the work to get into the municipal council starts. And then such dinner parties do not become less important. – You feel that you become part of an environment. And it is important to have a good and safe community, which I can use when I have to go out and say something, says Lassen. Around a bowl of pasta salad, they solve the world problem this evening. Photo: Kjersti Hetland / news
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Got more women into politics with a dinner party – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
