Neither the position of deputy leader, his high star status with the Prime Minister nor his formidable survival skills could save him. It was obvious to everyone other than Ola Borten Moe himself that he could not continue as minister after E24’s revelations of the share trading this morning. Because this is about far more than trust in Borten Moe. Whether it could be saved with time and good care seemed irrelevant. It was mostly about saving the government’s frayed reputation. Nine lives For a government whose main diagnosis is a lack of trust in governance as a result of the record-high voter flight, the image of the ministers as a bunch of “happy amateurs” is deadly. It gets worse when it is questioned whose interests they are actually looking after. It was a hard blow for Jonas Gahr Støre that two of his ministers ended up in competence trouble before the summer. In addition to reviving the old myth that the Labor Party takes extra care of its own, many questioned what kind of training and support ministers actually receive. The prime minister responded by sternly waving the “Manual for political leadership”. But thick books are of little help if the message is not understood. Therefore, Støre showed no mercy for Culture Minister Anette Trettebergstuen’s misstep, even though she appeared as a deeply repentant sinner. Ola Borten Moe’s case appeared more serious than the competency cases of his cabinet colleagues Trettebergstuen and Brenna. It is worth noting that a majority of the parties in the Storting made this statement, just hours after the Borten Moe case was published. For Borten Moe’s case, it goes right to the heart of why we have a competency framework: People should feel confident that politicians make decisions based on the community’s best interests, not their own interests. Hitting Støre’s Achilles’ heel once again Støre’s government simply cannot stand any more jokes such as “it is difficult to tell the difference between the correctional service and the government” or questions such as “are there any adults at home in this government?”. Many have called for someone who controls the political leadership with a harder hand than it now appears. It is worth remembering that all the changes in Støre’s crew have come about after political scandals, not after strategic choices in which the prime minister himself has directed. Odd Roger Enoksen had to resign as Minister of Defense after an old but explosive Metoo case. Hadia Tajik resigned as Minister of Employment and Inclusion after an old but not insignificant commuter housing issue. Last, but not least, Trettebergstuen resigned as Minister of Culture after a new, but no less incomprehensible competency case. There are still unanswered questions in the Storting related to Minister of Education Tonje Brenna’s competence case. Not in a vacuum What kind of political capital you have in the bank is almost always decisive for what happens on the day you make a mistake. Politicians with high credibility and trust always have a little more to go on. In that division, Borten Moe is in a class of his own. As a politician, he has had many lives. He has always been controversial and contentious, and it seems he likes it and seeks it. He has never been afraid to speak his mind, whether it is about climate action and public spending or spoiled students and researchers. “Conflict cloud” will not be part of his political legacy. However, there is the conflict with former SP leader Liv Signe Navarsete. And not least the unsolved mystery of the grisly SMS with an unknown sender. That was as far as it went for the SP deputy leader at the time, and it still sticks with the participants on the famous cabin tour. When Borten Moe has always landed on all four legs, it is about his political qualities. Many appreciate him as a fearless, non-traditional and visionary politician, of whom there are not many in the dozen. One of these is Jonas Gahr Støre. The outspoken Trønder has had a high star with the prime minister. Fragile balance of power in SP Until now, Borten Moe has been part of a fragile but important balance of power within the Center Party. He has stood on one wing (which many would say is the right wing), while Development Minister and second deputy leader Anne Beathe Tvinnereim has stood on the other. Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, with his diplomatic skills, has had a significant job of balancing out factions and internal contradictions. When Borten Moe chooses to also step down as deputy leader, he not only spares himself the party from demanding penalty rounds. He also allows for a generational change in the party leadership. It has been long awaited, although few have spoken out loud about this in the party. It was a far more humble and low-key Borten Moe who today almost gave thanks for his role in politics. Although he will continue in the Storting, he just as well refused re-election in 2025. And with that, he put to rest in practice the eternal speculation about what ambitions he really has. In any case, he will leave a significant void, both in the government and in his own party. The most surprising thing will still be if this is the last we hear from the prominent SP politician.
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Not even Ola Borten Moe had several political lives – Statement
