The Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oslo
Press Division – Editor: Mette Øwre

Norway Daily No. 215/02

Date: 11 November 2002

Slap in the face from Stoltenberg (Dagbladet/Sunday)

The Labour Party’s deputy leadership dispute has put relations between the new Labour leader, Jens Stoltenberg, and Gerd-Liv Valla, president of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), under severe pressure. Dagbladet is given to understand that Ms Valla is furious that the Labour leadership, with Mr Stoltenberg at the helm, did not ensure the success of the selection committee’s unanimous nomination of Anniken Huitfeldt as deputy leader. The collaboration which should have been strengthened at the party conference has suffered a severe blow. Key LO sources say they believe Ms Valla has been used as a pawn in a political game, and are disappointed that Jens Stoltenberg allowed the LO president to be humiliated at the Labour Party’s annual conference.

Labour closed ranks in the end (Dagsavisen)

Jens Stoltenberg asked for unity and cohesion following the power struggles that have riven the Labour Party. The party’s annual conference ended with a series of unanimous votes, but there are fears that the internal wrangling could start up again. "There is a strong desire within the party for these internal disputes to be laid to rest. The annual conference has made this quite clear. Now we want unity and cohesion," said newly elected party chairman, Jens Stoltenberg. Hill-Marta Solberg was re-elected as deputy leader and Martin Kolberg as party secretary.

Bondevik applauds Gerd-Liv Valla (Dagsavisen)

Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik (Chr.Dem) says that it is of benefit to both the Labour Party and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) that Gerd-Liv Valla, the LO president, is not a member of the Labour Party leadership. "Obviously, it is up to Labour and the LO leadership to decide such questions. But I believe it is an advantage for the LO’s relations with other political parties and the Government that the LO president is not a member of Labour’s central committee. This, better than the previous system, signals that the LO must interact with the government of the day and other political parties in order to win as much support as possible for its specific interests. I think it is wise of Gerd-Liv Valla not to want a seat on Labour’s central committee," said Mr Bondevik.

Labour’s local government representatives up in arms (Klassekampen)

At this weekend’s annual conference, the Labour Party’s grass roots demanded that the party leadership take a much harder line against cuts in local government financing and industrial job losses. "The debate here at the annual conference on local government financing is a clear signal to the party leadership that regional voices are not being heard. I think the Labour Party has not been clear enough on local government financing," said Terje Mortensen from South Trøndelag.

Labour heading for new row over EU membership (Dagens Næringsliv)

This weekend’s Labour Party conference shows that the party is preparing for a new debate on EU membership. Supporters want to push the issue high on the agenda in the run-up to the next general election in 2005. Opponents are preparing for a new round of internecine warfare. One of those who welcomes renewed debate on EU membership is Bjarne Håkon Hanssen. The Labour MP opposed Norwegian membership of the EU in 1994. Now he is not sure. "I no longer agree with many of my former arguments against EU membership," he said.

Government to stump up billions more in budget cash (Aftenposten)

The final act in this year’s national budget drama gets underway today. The Labour Party’s economic policy experts began rating their demands in order of importance yesterday evening. The party has already announced a wide-ranging list of demands, totalling around NOK 7.5 billion. This now forms the basis for the final list of demands which the party’s central committee and parliamentary group will be voting on today. "The bulk of our proposals must be accepted if we are to reach agreement," said Jens Stoltenberg at this weekend’s party conference.

More for local government (Nationen/Saturday)

When the Labour Party meets representatives of the ruling coalition parties for budget negotiations on Monday, it will demand NOK 2.2 billion more for the country’s local authorities. "There is a certain risk that welfare services could be reduced, so we must keep a close eye on local government financing in the time ahead," said Reidar Sandal, Labour’s local government spokesman. A number of Christian Democrats would like to see Labour’s demands met.

Still sliding (Dagbladet)

Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik set a personal all-time-low in September, when only 19 per cent of the electorate said they thought he was doing a good job. Since then things have gone from bad to worse for the PM. A new poll, carried out after the announcement of next year’s national budget, shows that a mere 17 per cent of voters think he is doing a good job. Kjell Magne Bondevik blames his poor showing on the current economic squeeze. "Periods which require financial belt-tightening are not exactly conducive to being popular. The difference from the previous poll is so small that there is no reason to make any further comment," he said.

Worth Noting

• Members of Labour’s Oslo branch are furious that Anniken Huitfeldt has been discarded as deputy leader, and were working feverishly yesterday to get both the sitting deputy leader, Hill-Marta Solberg, and party secretary Martin Kolberg replaced. But there are strong indications that their mutiny will not succeed.
  (Aftenposten/Sunday)
• In his opening address to the Labour Party’s annual conference yesterday, Thorbjørn Jagland launched a fierce attack on the rot that he claims is infecting Norwegian political life. Nor did he hide his desire for a budget compromise with the Government.
  (Aftenposten/Saturday)
• Senior Labour officials were squabbling yesterday over who was to blame for the fact that the deputy leadership race ended in such acrimony.
  (Dagsavisen/Sunday)
• Jens Stoltenberg believes that the Labour Party has been a far too warm defender of the status quo in Norwegian society. This will no longer be the case. Now the party will be critical.
  (Verdens Gang)
• Thorbjørn Jagland is relieved to have escaped from the backbiting of Norwegian politics, and says he is about to start a whole new chapter.
  (Dagsavisen/Saturday)
• Armed with new food legislation, the authorities intend to combat the flood of smuggled food and alcohol. Soon the Norwegian Food Control Authority will be able to demand documentation that restaurants and bars have purchased all the food and drink they serve from legal sources. Employees will also have a duty to notify the authorities of dangerous or suspicious goods. The industry itself is glad that the rules are being tightened up.
  (Aftenposten)
• Teachers are furious that the Labour Party has voted to force them to negotiate their salaries with the local authorities, not with the state, in future. Together, the Conservative Party, Progress Party and Labour Party form a parliamentary majority in favour of this change.
  (Verdens Gang)
• Next year the number of exploratory oil and gas wells will have fallen to the same level as in 1968. Without major new finds, revenues from the North Sea bonanza could dry up earlier than the current 50-year estimate.
  (Aftenposten/Saturday)

Today’s comment from Aftenposten

After a party conference which was, to a surprising degree, marred by the political shenanigans that have held sway for far too long in the Labour Party, we saw a finale which could and should pave the way for unity and cohesion. The selection committee’s unanimous recommendations were adopted without alternative candidates being put forward for any of the offices. And the newly elected party chairman, Jens Stoltenberg, appealed for unity in a way that could hardly be misunderstood. Mr Stoltenberg is demanding that everyone in the party abides by the most fundamental rules of organizational life. Debates on political issues and individuals’ positions should be conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect, and majority decisions are to be respected without attempts to overturn them by means of backstabbing and smear campaigns. We are confident that the Labour Party has finally understood how damaging its unhealthy organizational culture has been – not only for the party, but for the good name of politics itself. Labour’s annual conference has given its parliamentary group a strong mandate to negotiate with the Government. Labour will demand significant concessions before it is willing to do a deal on the budget, and negotiations will undoubtedly be tough. For the Labour Party it is important to show the voters that the party still has political influence. The ruling coalition parties must be generous enough in any budget settlement and allow the Labour Party to claim those victories to which the party is entitled after the deal has been signed. That generosity should not cost much. The ruling coalition parties will also benefit from establishing as broad a political alliance as possible in the battle to maintain a strong industrial base in Norway. To that end they have more to gain from the Labour Party than from Carl I. Hagen.