“Jonas Gahr Støre denies pressuring Helga Pedersen to resign as party secretary”

YOUNGSTORGET (VG) After a phone call from Jonas Gahr Støre, Helga Pedersen did not want to run as party secretary after all. But Støre denies that he asked her to resign.

At a press conference on Tuesday morning, Støre said that he called Helga Pedersen at the weekend to “bring clarity” as to whether she is a candidate for the post of party secretary.

But he denies that he put any kind of pressure on Pedersen:

– She herself must take responsibility for her decision. I have not asked her not to do anything, said Støre.

Be a debate

The Labor leader explained at the press conference that he had registered that “there was a debate in the media about a proposal for a new party secretary”.

– I had not spoken to her about this, and she had not called me. I think that as party leader, when it comes to this, it is natural to take such a stand. Then the phone works. So I called on Friday evening, said Støre.

Pedersen said in NRK’s ​​”political quarter” on Tuesday morning that the conversation with Støre was important for her decision not to run as a counter-candidate to the incumbent party secretary Kjersti Stenseng.

She said that the conversation with Støre had contributed to this decision, and that “the basis for a trusting and good collaboration with central circles in the Labor Party is not present”.

– She drew that conclusion. It is her responsibility, Støre said at her press conference.

On 1 May, Pedersen gave the keynote speech in Tana, where she is mayor. The message was clear: the Labor Party is in crisis. She did not receive support from party leader Støre, who spoke up TV 2 that the party is not in crisis.