Troms Sp destroys electoral roll after internal dispute: – Extremely messy

After allegations of “illegal delegates” and “pure power play”, a divided county council in Troms Sp has now decided to scrap its adopted electoral list for the county council and to hold a new nomination meeting.

On 26 November, the Troms Center Party held a nomination meeting in which they chose who will run for the ruling party in the autumn county council elections.

The encounter led to divisions and drama in the county team, after which a complaint was made alleging that “illegal proxies” had been used by Tromsø Sp, the largest local team in the county.

General Secretary Knut M. Olsen also became involved in the matter and recommended Troms Sp conduct a new annual county meeting.

Tromsø Sp, accused of violating the statute, believed for its part that they had been exposed “a raw struggle for power”. A county council meeting was held on 10 January in which the party had to decide whether to hear the complaint and reject the adopted electoral list or reject the complaint.

Grades six to five decided several overtime hours to hold another meeting.

Thus, the stage is set for a new battle for positions in Troms Sp.

– Democracy has had its say

– The majority decided to cancel the previous nomination meeting and hold another meeting on February 25, says county leader Svein Leiros.

– I think we had a good debate. We spent a lot of time on the case. It is a difficult question and assessment. But the majority agreed that the statute must be followed. It’s no secret that I’m for it, she says.

– Democracy has had its say, he concludes.

He says it is sad that the county council has remained divided, but that it shows it is a difficult issue.

– Tromsø Sp leader believes they were used in “a crude power struggle”. What’s your comment?

– I do not agree. It’s not a power struggle at all. The majority would follow the evaluation of the general secretary and the statutes of the party. I can’t see it as a power play.

– Extremely messy

Bardu Mayor Toralf Heimdal sits on the county council. He belonged to the minority that wanted to leave the electoral list standing.

– I believe that there were no violations of the statutes. The general secretary considered that there was a “breach of practice in line with the statutes”. It’s something else. I think it is extremely disorderly of the Secretary-General to interfere with his personal considerations. Either there is a violation, or there isn’t.

Heimdal says he wanted to invite Tromsø Sp’s manager to the meeting to address the allegations against them. But that too was rejected by six votes to five, he says.

– I think it is a pity that Tromsø Sp does not receive any contradiction or respond to the allegations made against it. It’s a shame the county council doesn’t listen to those who accuse.

Heimdal believes that the focus now needs to be on the future.

– Now all that remains is to respect the decision of the majority and look forward. But hiding the fact that I don’t completely agree with the decision doesn’t work.