Local politics is demanding. Many and long meetings. Thousands of pages of case papers. And perhaps shouting and criticism from people on the street and in social media. – There is no hiding the fact that it was a bit challenging for us when none of our five on the county council wanted to sit for another term, says Odd Bovim. He has the job of creating a new county list in Vestland MDG. The party’s stated aim is to make its best local election ever, and the party leadership insists that it has never been easier to get people to stand on lists. But in several places the politicians are dropping them out, and in several municipalities the party people are struggling to find new candidates. – We have to stick sticks in the wheel for ourselves. Among those who give up is county deputy mayor Natalia Golis, who announces a transition to the business world. Today, she holds the highest county office of all MDG years in the whole country, and was for a while relevant as party leader. – We have to put sticks in the wheel for ourselves, and create renewal. Or we will get nowhere, she says. 23-year-old Pauline Tomren is also among those who give up. – I tend to prioritize other things, she says. The struggle to get people to stand on the lists is not an unknown problem. Right now, nomination boards and committees in all party colors are working hard. – It is natural that many consider whether or not to vote. And we understand that there are positions that are so heavy that one can pass the baton on, says Torkil Vederhus, who is party secretary in MDG. In 2019, this trio topped the list for Vestland MDG. Now none of them will be county politicians anymore. From right Mark Taylor, county deputy mayors Natalia Golis and Pauline Tomren. Photo: MDG Struggle in the municipalities In Vardø, the party’s only mayor is in the think tank. In August, Ørjan Jensen did not want to answer iFinnmark to what extent he is running or not. He has not replied to news either. Vardø is the largest MDG municipality in the country with 23.2 per cent of the vote at the last election. Ørjan Jensen is the only MDG mayor in the country. He has not answered whether he wants to run again in Vardø, neither to news nor iFinnmark. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news In Sunnfjord, top candidate and former Storting candidate Marius Dalin will step down: – I do not have the same capacity to engage in politics in the next term. We have little or no one to take over other than us who have been a little visible. It is quite challenging. But we expect to make a list. In Kinn, the top candidate Odd Bovim moved to Hardanger. But he is determined to come out on top in Kvam herad: – I could perhaps imagine a lower place than first place. But when the local team is determined to do it this way, so am I. But they have to hunt for a new peak in Kinn. And in Sogndal where Ståle Loftesnes surrenders. In Bærum, Hans Rugset is not re-elected at the top, according to Budstikka: – The most important reason is that I want to spend more time on my law firm, board positions and other business activities, and to be more together with my family. Then it will not go together with four new years in politics, he says. In Horten, Jennifer McConachie herself will hunt for her own successor, writes the regular: – I think eight years is lucky. Now it is time to unleash new forces, she says to the newspaper. The MDG summits cheered wildly when the election results became clear in 2019. They aim to cheer even more in 2023. Struggle in the big cities In the big cities, the struggle is against the omens. Here, the battle is about getting on the lists. In Oslo, party leader Arild Hermstad had to fight hard for second place on the list, writes Avisa Oslo. He narrowly won with 111 to 98 votes over finance councilor Einar Wilhelmsen. In Trondheim there was a dispute over who should succeed Ola Lund Renolen at the top, writes the newspaper Nidaros. Line Ingebrigtsen Fjørstad won over Tore Dyrendahl, who was suspended. In Bergen, the local team leader resigned in protest after he was not allowed to place in either seventh or eighth place on the list, writes Bergens Tidende. – It is easier than ever to find people, and we hear from people that they want another election, says party secretary Torkil Vederhus. He says the goal is to be even bigger than last time. Then they got a record high 6.8 percent. – We are very early in the process, but it looks very promising.
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MDG dreams of the local elections of the time, but lacks politicians – news Vestland
