THE STORING (Dagbladet): – Sex is important! I really hope that Norwegians have a good sex life.
Olaug Bollestad smiles.
– But many people live stressful lives today. People have to lower their shoulders a little, enjoy themselves, and have just as many children as they want, she says to Dagbladet.
– Get in the way, then?
– Yes, sir (Christian expression of force, journal note). As long as you want it yourself, then.
The total fertility rate in Norway was measured at 1.41 children per woman in 2022. This is the lowest that has ever been measured.
No duvet lifting, but…
Olaug Bollestad is worried – and therefore this call for a little more samba in the straw.
– I’m not going to do duvet lifting, but come on, guys!
– You are KrF members, so perhaps this invitation only applies to married couples?
– No, my love…
Bollestad strikes out with his arms.
– …I am not asking for a marriage certificate. I support anyone who wants to have children. It is not the job of politicians to tell people that they should get married before they have sex. But it is our task to facilitate good and stable frameworks around the children. It is important for KrF that we do that.
A POLICY FOR MORE CHILDREN: That is the message from Bollestad. Photo: Jørgen Gilbrant / Dagbladet
sea view
Sexualized society
Bollestad goes on to say that she thinks the birth rate is more about politics than that Norwegians have become lazy slackers in the bedroom.
– We live in a rather sexualized society, so I think people get a lot of input for funny things they can come up with in bed, she chuckles.
– That it was?
– I’m not afraid to talk about sex!
– But the birth rate is probably mostly about the high price level, and the fact that everyday life is so busy for families with small children. Many think they have too little money, or too little time, to have more children. And we politicians must help better with that.
Took off the underwear: Got a shock
Grip for the family
She herself has four children, and is starting to come up with measures that she and KrF want to have to help people reproduce.
– More flexible kindergarten admission, better financial support for students who have children, better schools, increasing child benefit. Today’s government is not even able to index the child benefit in its proposal for the national budget.
Bollestad emphasizes that she does not want to have more children for socio-economic reasons.
– Children have a value in themselves. And we need the young to come up with ideas and innovation, to drive Norway forward. In KrF, we are also concerned with diversity in society.
Jumped over the fence
The KrF leader adds that she also wants to increase the financial support schemes for women who have children for fully earned leave pay.
She fears that Ola and Kari nordmann are chasing the perfect in vain.
– In the past, people jumped over the neighbour’s fence. That’s how children turned out. Now it’s Tinder and achievement culture. Everything has to be so perfect. Take it from someone who has been married for 40 years: There are not only sunny days, and you have to dare to stand in that.
– But lovely land (another Christian expression of power, journ.anm.) – I don’t think people should stay in bad relationships, that is. Some people should actually just break up.
One night stand
And then a somewhat surprising tone from a KrF leader:
– I think we should also make arrangements so that those who become pregnant in, let’s say, rather fleeting relationships, should have arrangements that make it not too demanding.
– After they have gone on a one-night stand, to quote Bent Høie?
– Yes, maybe that’s what you call it. We will meet the women who want to have children, regardless of the life situation they are in. Society must facilitate all types of families.
