– The programs for the lists and candidates are very general, and mean nothing in practice. I find this problematic, says Isak Ari Johannson (25). He is taking a bachelor’s degree in law outside of London in the UK, and wants to exercise his right to vote in his home municipality of Modalen. To make it happen, he must vote in advance at the embassy in London. They must manage to send his vote to his home municipality before 11 September. But first he has to find out who to vote for. Throughout the summer, Johannson has struggled to find the difference between the two lists that stand for election. – There has been no discussion about specific matters. For my part, it stands out as a popularity contest. I would like to see the politicians come forward with concrete priorities, says Johannson. Old-fashioned democracy Modalen is the country’s second smallest municipality in terms of population. Local democracy works as most other municipalities did a few decades ago, according to election researchers news has spoken to. – There is more focus on the person than on party politics, says Yngve Flo, professor of modern Norwegian political history at the University of Bergen. Yngve Flo at the University of Berge. Photo: Adrian Nyhammer Olsen / news – The municipality is not bigger than that it boils down to trust and familiarity with individuals and what they represent. One should be happy there are two different parties. The professor underlines that Modalen can be a good democracy on its own terms, but: – It is a problem if voters do not know what the lists stand for. It is election researcher Johannes Bergh at the Institute for Social Research together with Johannes Bergh at the Institute for Social Research. Photo: William Jobling / news – It is up to those who stand for election to bring out the political differences. If they don’t do it, it’s more of a problem for democracy, says Bergh. He understands the frustration of Johannson, who does not live in the municipality now. – Politics is a popularity contest, and it is not illegitimate to focus on individuals. But the political decisions should also come forward, says the electoral researcher. Struggle to separate from each other It’s a challenge the lists themselves struggle to answer. – It is not the big things that separate the Solrenningslista and the Collectionslista, admits the one top of the list, Linda Neset. The mayoral candidates for the two lists are also friends, neighbors and have birthdays on the same day. From the left, the mayoral candidates Linda Neset in Solrenningslista and Kristin Nåmdal in Samlingslista are standing for election in Modalen. Photo: Oddgeir Øystese / news This week the candidates stood for the Modalen debate under the auspices of news. They struggle to point out the difference between themselves and their lists. – I think it depends a little on how people know us and what we are concerned with as local politicians, says Neset. The two have not replied to news about what they think of the claims to Valomaten and Local Election Guide 2023, which makes Modalen the only municipality without an answer in the two election products. The mayoral candidates understand that it can be demanding for voters who have not lived in the municipality for a long time to understand who they should vote for. They encourage voters to contact them directly if they suspect something. – We are both open to conversations and dialogue if one wants it, says Kristin Nåmdal in Samlingslista. – Everyone “says the same thing” Isak Johannson thinks politicians should write publicly what they think about concrete political matters, and not just encourage direct dialogue. – Then they become a little more responsible for what they stand for. Now it won’t be as democratic, he believes. This summer, he pointed out in the Modalen group on Facebook that the wording of the lists was quite general. Elector Margunn Farestveit has also called for clear messages that separate the two lists from each other. Margunn Farestveit Photo: Private On Solrenningslista’s page, she was told, among other things, that they “are all passionate about slightly different things”, and that what local politicians do is “limit how much you can concretely do for example creating and establishing new jobs”. Furthermore, they will facilitate business development, agriculture and culture. – I now got a bit of an answer, I think, says Farestveit to news. At the weekend, program booklets from both lists were distributed in the mailboxes of residents in Modalen. Farestveit appreciated what she perceives as slightly more complementary information than what the lists have posted on Facebook so far. – Then I have to read them thoroughly before I make up my mind. – Have you seen any differences in the lists so far? – Not that big, it’s not, says Farestveit. Isak Johannson plans to vote in advance in London this week, and hopefully the vote will come through. – I’m still a bit unsure, but I’ll probably vote for Solrenningslista. Many incompetent politicians Despite the fact that few citizens make it difficult to achieve traditional party politics, and one must get to know the list candidates in order to choose a party: The mayoral candidates firmly reject that this is an argument for saying that Modalen municipality is too small. Kristin Nåmdal in Samlingslista Photo: Oddgeir Øystese / news – You must not know the candidates personally, but know those on the list. We have written a lot about each person. But I understand that people ask the question, says Nåmdal. A challenge for the tiny democracy is that it will not take long before some of the politicians become incompetent in political matters. For example, Neset has declared itself incompetent in the question of whether to build wind turbines in Modalsfjellet. It will also be around half of the new municipal council, the two mayoral candidates estimate. Linda Neset in Solrenningslista. Photo: Oddgeir Øystese / news – In that case, goods will take over, Neset points out. Both lists nevertheless propose to have consultative referenda in such major matters. – It will be in principled, overarching matters. We talked about municipal mergers, and also about hydropower development in the 70s, says Nåmdal.
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The two parties in Modalen do not disagree on anything – news Vestland
