– My father was a politician in the Storting for many years and I grew up with the idea that you should take care of people. That is why I felt very strongly about announcing my transfer to Nidaros and helping to support the thinking and work that Giske is spearheading. Inger Ågesdotter Hovengen (66) lives in Vang in Valdres and is a member of the local team for Giske in Trondheim. She has been a politician locally and nationally, and has, among other things, been state secretary for former defense minister Jørgen Kosmo. She has also been an adviser to the then Minister of Industry and Commerce Grete Knudsen. Hovengen believes that many people are not adequately informed by today’s politics, and believes that Giske can do an important job for Ap. – I see that Nidaros represents the true social democratic spirit that I feel is very absent in the Labor Party otherwise. Enormous growth Many people have been surprised that people who do not live in Trondheim have signed up for the local team. Hovengen is also clear that she has no particular interest in politics in the city, but that the values of the local team were what made her sign up. – Nidaros works for the grassroots and speaks in plain text. Trondheim Ap will then become large, but as they become large, they will have a different influence. It was important to me. She is not alone either. Asgeir Jordahl believes Giske is the salvation for the Labor Party. Photo: Privat Nidaro’s Social Democratic Forum has in a record short time become the Labor Party’s largest local team with over 1,000 members. At the same time, the party struggled nationally in the opinion polls. Asgeir Jordahl (58) lives in Kristiansund and has been a local politician in the same municipality. He points to Giske as a savior for the party. – The way the Labor Party is now messing up, I see Giske as a way back for Ap or that the party splits. Jordal joined AUF in 1980, but believes that the party has now forgotten the grassroots. But he has faith in Giske. – He is probably in the party that has the most social democratic spinal reflex. Would not have been a member without Giske Lars Kringhaug. Photo: Private There are several people who point to Giske’s way of meeting the grassroots. – He has contact with the grassroots in the party and speaks the language of ordinary people, says Lars Kringhaug (56), who lives in Malvik and is now a member of the local team in Giske. Kringhaug is not satisfied with Støre as leader of the party, and says that he would not have been a member of Ap had it not been for Giske. The conflicts surrounding Giske have been many around and after the whistleblowing cases that came against him. Kringshaug believes that it was not good. – But also not so bad that he will be punished for the rest of his life. He has apologized and apologized to those concerned. Expensive prices Rolf Kristian Solvoll (69) lives at Bleik in Andøy. He has 12 years behind him in the municipal council and eight years in the chairmanship of the municipality. Now he has also joined Nidaro’s Social Democratic Forum, and the reason is the electricity prices, which have become very expensive in large parts of the country. – People in the south pay an unimaginably high price to ensure the necessary response in the stream. Giske points to the problem and listens to the people. Rolf Kristian Solvoll. Photo: Private Problem or enrichment? Political commentator at news, Tone Sofie Aglen, says Giske has a good flair for issues that hit the grassroots in the party, and is good at putting words to people’s everyday problems. She also believes that Giske is known for being a very good debater and organization builder. – He has openly used these qualities in building Nidaros Social Democratic Forum. At the same time, the local team also acts as a sort of haven for frustrated Ap members. It also comes from the fact that Giske sometimes plays a role as an internal opposition, where he pokes at Ap and the government’s weak points and internal tensions. Aglen says that there is a big rift in Ap whether Giske’s local team stands out as a problem or a stimulus for the party. – Some think he is helping to undermine the authority of the management and is creating discord. Others believe that he functions as a kind of valve that captures blind spots and dissatisfaction in the party, and in that way is a strength. There are also divided opinions in the party as to whether he should be listened to, overlooked or criticized by the leadership. Political commentator at news, Tone Sofie Aglen. Photo: news Want everyone to move in the same direction – It is important that we as a party and our values engage the wider team. Trond makes a good effort here, something that a number of other dedicated local team leaders across the country also do every single day. Our local laws are incredibly important to the Labor Party. That’s according to party secretary in Ap, Kjersti Stenseng. She believes it is important to gather all the local councils and members of the party around a common platform and which she believes will develop the country in an even safer and fairer direction. But the criticism that Ap central has forgotten the grassroots and is not social democratic enough is not something Stenseng recognizes. – I do not agree with that. There are few things I cheer for more than committed members of the Labor Party. The important thing now is that the entire large team works together for our values, our project and gathers around our strategy. Party secretary in Ap, Kjersti Stenseng. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news Want to talk about politics, not a person – It’s completely overwhelming. It exceeds everything we had thought and believed when we started with 16 members less than a year ago. It is very inspiring, says Giske. – These members point to the fact that you have a different style and a different way of promoting politics than the AP leadership. How different do you think they are? – I will not describe anyone else. But when we held the miserable election in 2001, Jens (Stoltenberg)’s strategy for winning the election was that we should build a party with different environments from different parts of the country and generations. That was right. The fact that people are different is only positive in a party. Giske is now clear that he will spend his time listening to his members for what matters they will work on in the future. And then he adds. – We will continue to talk about politics and issues, not about people. Why do the “eagles” in Norwegian politics fly so low at the moment?
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Nidaros Social Democratic Forum largest Labor party in Norway – Trond Giske gets an era – news Trøndelag
