Stenseng has the recommendation from a unanimous election committee with her when she runs for re-election in a week’s time to the powerful position of party secretary in Ap. Posten is described as the “day-to-day manager” of Ap, with great power over the party’s internal processes. But it is still not a given that Stenseng will be re-elected. This is because many Ap politicians believe she must be relieved after eight years in the job. As news could tell before the weekend, there is now a strong mobilization to get Tana mayor and former Ap deputy leader Helga Pedersen to challenge Stenseng. – I made myself available as party secretary, but the election committee concluded differently. I take note of that, says Pedersen to news today. – I will consider the question again if a situation arises that requires it, she adds. If the Tana mayor is standing as Stenseng’s opponent, it is sufficient that one of the 300 delegates demands a secret, written election. Thus, it can be taken for granted that there will be such a battle vote between the two at the national meeting – if Pedersen runs. In a possible election between the two, the delegates will not be bound by their county or local team. When the election is also secret, it can open up a new dynamic, according to sources. TRIO: Ap leader Jonas Gahr Støre together with outgoing deputy leader Helga Pedersen (right) and incoming party secretary Kjersti Stenseng (left) during the national meeting in 2015. Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grøtt / NTB – Dissatisfaction and grumbling Externally, there has been great enthusiasm for the selection committee’s proposal, where Knowledge Minister Tonje Brenna and Industry Minister Jan Christian Vestre become the new deputy chairmen. On Facebook, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasizes that the entire electoral committee is behind the proposal. – A unanimous recommendation from the Labor Party’s election committee is a good starting point for our national meeting, writes the party leader. The selection committee’s recommendation for the new central board of Ap Top management: Leader: Jonas Gahr Støre (Oslo) Party secretary: Kjersti Stenseng (Innlandet) Deputy leader: Tonje Brenna (Akershus, new) Deputy leader: Jan Christian Vestre (Oslo, new) Other members: Cecilie Terese Myrseth ( Troms), Marte Mjøs Persen (Vestland), Ingvild Kjerkol (Trøndelag), Terje Aasland (Vestfold and Telemark), Bjørnar Skjæran (Nordland), Ahmed Lindov (Agder, new), Kari Nessa Nordtun (Rogaland, new), Anette Trettebergstuen ( head of the women’s network), Peggy Hessen Følsvik (LO), Mette Nord (Fagforbundet), Jørn Eggum (Fellesforbundet), Tore O. Sandvik (Trøndelag), Per Vidar Kjølmoen (Møre og Romsdal), Masud Gharahkhani (Buskerud, new), Kristina Hansen (Finnmark new), Sindre Martinsen-Evje (Østfold, new), Raymond Johansen (Oslo). But in recent days news has spoken to several sources who open up the possibility that the election committee’s proposal could be scrapped at the national meeting – and that Ap could get a new party secretary: People who want to get rid of Stenseng are now working to map the support for Pedersen in the party. VG reported this on Monday, and sources confirm the same to news. Pedersen’s supporters are considering putting forward a bench motion against her, if she has a reasonable chance of winning, news is told. Stenseng’s supporters are also now mobilizing internally to ensure that she can continue. FARTSTID: Helga Pedersen is currently the mayor of Tana in Finnmark. But in the years 2007 to 2015, she was deputy leader of the Labor Party. Photo: Eilif Aslaksen Despite enthusiasm for Brenna and Vestre, there is also internal frustration and grumbling that Stenseng is being proposed for a new term, news is informed. In the past, internal sources have pointed to weak management at the party office, where Stenseng is leader, as one of the reasons why support for Ap is at a record low. Other sources feel that Stenseng is listening and available, but that she does not have sufficient impact internally. Internally, many are also dissatisfied with the way Stenseng handled the metoo cases. Some of the criticism is described in the recent book “Varslerne” written by social scientist Heidi Helene Sveen. Criticism of Stenseng also appeared in a comprehensive survey in the newspaper Vårt Land in March. I think the proposal will come. Collectively, these should be the reasons why Labor people in Vestfold and Telemark, Rogaland, Østfold, Innlandet, Buskerud and Finnmark – and from various parts of the Labor family – are now pushing to get Helga Pedersen to run. Stenseng has great support in Trøndelag and Akershus and in the LO system, which has great influence over APS’s personnel cabal. At the same time, Pedersen’s supporters must weigh up how much noise they want to make at the national meeting, by opposing a unanimous recommendation from the election committee. Leader of Hamar Ap, Hilde Nyutstumoen, spoke on TV 2 this winter, before the election committee presented its recommendations, to advocate replacing Kjersti Stenseng as party secretary. – So far we are satisfied that we have started a discussion about renewal, she says to news. – It will surprise me very much if Northern Norway does not come up with a proposal for Helga Pedersen, says Nyutstumoen. Political scientist Svein Erik Tuastad at the University of Stavanger has no doubt that Stenseng has fought for his position ahead of the selection committee’s recommendation. – Skjæran took one for the team and resigned, while Stenseng refused and doubted his position, he says to news. On the same day that the selection committee presented its recommendation, Bjørnar Skjæran announced that he would withdraw his candidacy for the deputy chair position. That left the way wide open for Vestre as deputy leader. In the proposal, the northernmost counties have been given three representatives in the central board, namely Skjæran from Nordland, Cecilie Myrseth from Troms and Kristina Hansen from Finnmark.
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Secret election may decide Stenseng’s fate – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
