Norway’s Socialist Left Party is facing an internal revolt, with municipal leaders warning the organization is losing ground to rival party Rødt.
The Arendal Warning and Leadership Strain
Inger Brokka de Ruiter, deputy mayor of Arendal, stated that while Norway needs SV as a political force, the party is failing to manage its mandate effectively. She emphasized the need for the party to sharpen its political profile to remain relevant ahead of upcoming election campaigns and to motivate members to stand for re-election.
Following a weak parliamentary election, party leader Kirsti Bergstø and the national leadership faced sharp criticism within an internal review report. Grassroots representatives argue that the leadership lacks essential contact with local realities, such as school closures and municipal budget cuts.
Grassroots Frustration Over National Focus
Annette Solberg, group leader for Eidsvoll SV in the municipal council, went further by calling for the entire party leadership to be replaced in a closed Facebook group for elected officials. Solberg argued that very little coming from national lawmakers in Stortinget is useful for local campaigns against austerity measures.
Solberg criticized the national leadership for prioritizing topics that feel irrelevant to municipal politicians dealing with budget cuts. She maintained that the party must take drastic steps and start with a clean slate.
Defense from the Top Brass
Lars Haltbrekken, deputy leader of SV, acknowledged that the party faces a challenging situation but expressed strong confidence in the party’s ability to recover. He noted that internal disagreements over the leadership structure are natural and reaffirmed his backing of Kirsti Bergstø as leader.
Haltbrekken agreed with de Ruiter’s assessment that conditions are difficult in the municipalities, emphasizing the primary goal of motivating members to campaign to regain power in local councils currently governed by the Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Progress Party (Frp).
Identity and Strategy on the Left
Kristian Skard, political editor at Dagsavisen, observed that SV struggles to project a strong, independent identity, particularly when competing directly with Rødt. He suggested that the party remains closely tied to the legacy of the Stoltenberg II government, functioning primarily as a left-wing counterpart to the Labour Party.
To reverse the trend, Skard advised the leadership to sharpen its focus on core issues such as climate change and social justice. He also urged patience regarding Kirsti Bergstø, noting that political leaders generally require considerable time to succeed and that the party must trust its sitting leadership to guide them forward.
