The words were not many when Oslo City Councilor Raymond Johansen (Labor Party) was asked to comment on the issue of no confidence during Tuesday’s corona press conference.
– I have full confidence in City Councilor Lan Marie Berg. Tomorrow there is a meeting of the city council. Then it is very natural for me that the debate belongs there. Beyond that, I have no comment, Johansen said.
There is a majority in favor of the no-confidence motion against the City Council for the Environment and Transport, Lan Marie Berg (MDG), after Rødt announced on Tuesday that they will support it. Johansen says he has respect for this, but on Tuesday would not take a position on what happens if there is a majority for no confidence. Several media outlets have experienced that Johansen will ask cabinet questions.
[ Dette betyr skandalen for Lans politiske framtid ]
Do not believe in cabinet issues
Professor of political science Harald Baldersheim believes that the statement is a “typical prime minister’s answer”. He has previously researched local democracy.
– The Prime Minister always says that until the last second. This means that Johansen is waiting to see what the picture looks like tomorrow, he says to Dagsavisen.
[ Raymond Johansen: Jeg har full tillit til byråd Lan Marie Berg ]
He believes it is unlikely that it will be a cabinet issue, and that there will be indirect pressure on Berg to resign himself.
– The most likely outcome is probably that Berg resigns on his own initiative, he says.
Will not ask Berg to resign
Political scientist and researcher on local democracy, Jo Saglie, believes that Johansen’s statement precludes him from asking Berg to resign.
– There is something that could solve the problems for him. It would also not be a big problem for MDG, since she will probably go to the Storting this autumn, he says.
He believes that this is a situation that the city council could have done well without.
– A situation that requires attention now with the corona pandemic that is still not completely over, may suggest that the parties will try to find a solution without a no-confidence motion, he says.
[ Byrådet må gå ]
Facts about distrust of Lan Marie Berg
- On Thursday 20 May, Oslo will present a revised budget. It states that Oslo’s new reserve water solution, which is being built at Huseby in Oslo, will cost NOK 17.7 billion – 5.2 billion more expensive than previously estimated.
- The opposition quickly comes out with harsh criticism of the billion gap, which they refer to as the largest budget gap in any Norwegian municipality ever. However, they mostly react to the fact that it took too long before Berg informed the city council about this. The city council first learned about the budget gap on 20 May.
- Berg, for his part, replies that it was not possible to know that there would be a cost increase in the market at the time the city council made its decision. She also points out that the city council has received quality-assured information in the case.
- The opposition is summoning Berg to a hearing on June 2, to get an account of the process in the case. On the same day as the hearing, FrP warns of a no-confidence motion against Berg.
- FRP’s no-confidence motion receives support from six parties, and Rødt becomes the tongue in cheek.
- On Tuesday 15 June, it became clear that Rødt supports the proposal, and the party also asks Berg to resign as city councilor.
(Fact: NTB)
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