– So far, the process surrounding the deputy leader election has weakened confidence in the party, says KrF policyr Ragnhild Helena Aadland Høen to Dagbladet.
After five years of fighting against the barrier border, KrF will bring in a new deputy chairman. Several in the party have pointed out that the election can mean a lot for the direction they are standing in. Dagbladet has discussed this in several articles.
The two who have been favorites for the deputy leader job are described as very different on the abortion issue and other important KrF matters. Now the deputy leader election is causing unrest in internal circles.
The party has the most weight in the Bible belt in Southern and Western Norway, but is now in a rare situation.
It is moving towards a KrF where the belt buckle itself, Southern Norway, is not represented in the top management.
From before, Olaug Bollestad from Rogaland and Dag Inge Ulstein from Vestland are in the lead.
Haunted by abortion proposals
– Upset atmosphere
A central KrF politician reacts to the process of finding a deputy leader.
– It has provoked many and created an upset atmosphere in the party. We who are value conservatives feel overrun, says Ragnhild Helena Aadland Høen to Dagbladet.
She is a county board member for KrF in Oslo, a former advisor in the party and refers to herself as a Catholic writer and social debater.
REACTS: KrF politician Ragnhild Helena Aadland Høen. Photo: Hilde Arnesen
sea view
She is a supporter of the most conservative of the two candidates, Jorunn Gleditsch Lossius. The other, Ida Lindtveit Røse, is the one nominated for the job by the party’s election committee.
Puts his foot down: – Restless
– Improper use of force
Contrary to what is common in other parties, the KrF election committee has only pointed to one candidate in its recommendation for the national meeting in April: Ida Lindtveit Røse. Shared attitudes are not something KrF has a tradition for.
– The consultation responses in the second consultation round were as divided down the middle as they could be. Nevertheless, the committee only nominated Røse, says Høen.
She believes this is unfair.
– The whole thing appears to be an improper use of power by a liberal majority in the election committee, which wants to change KrF’s profile and push out as many value-conservatives as possible, says Høen.
Brewing for a storm
Different
The two candidates for the deputy leader job have different profiles on key issues.
When Ida Lindtveit Røse from Viken was a substitute minister in the previous government, she defended the current abortion law. There is broad agreement on this in political Norway. She was also clear that gay marriage is equal to heterosexual marriage.
APPOINTED DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: Ida Lindtveit Røse. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB
sea view
Jorunn Gleditsch Lossius from Agder has been a defender of a more conservative view of abortion and referred to as a candidate who sticks to KrF’s traditional values to a greater extent.
WAS NOT INSTITUTE: Jorunn Gleditsch Lossius. Photo: Hans Arne Vedlog / Dagbladet
sea view
Translated in the central board
Høen also reacts to the fact that no one from Agder was nominated for the central board either. Agder is, however, represented on the central board now, after another member resigned.
Dagbladet has submitted the criticism to Olaug Bollestad, who refers to the party’s election committee. The committee emphasizes that they are democratically elected and have assessed and interviewed many good candidates.
– We have proposed a central board and party leadership that shows the breadth of KrF, politically, geographically, with different strengths and familiarity with the party, as well as different professions and educational backgrounds. We are confident that these are people who will both contribute to renewal, but also continuity and provide steady leadership going forward, says Helga Marie Bjerke, chair of the selection committee.
Need a miracle
Harsh accusations
Høen believes conservative Lossius is the one of the two who can best secure KrF voters.
– Both the voters we have with us, plus those who have assessed us, she says.
She claims that Ida Lindtveit Røse, for her part, is at the head of a KrF camp that works for free abortion.
After NRK reality show: – Shaken
– These KrF members have swallowed all the usual, secular arguments for abortion, and believe that free abortion is the best abortion legislation a nation can have, says Høen.
Ida Lindtveit Røse has been submitted to the criticism. She replies that she is happy and grateful for the trust the election committee has shown her.
– Together with many thousands of Christian Democrats across the country, I want to work for a strong KrF in Norway that gives families greater influence in shaping their own everyday life, says Røse.
