KrF, Geir Lippestad | Geir Lippestad and former KrF members start a new party

Former Oslo Labor Party councilor Geir Lippestad is launching, along with several former KrF members, a new political party to be called “Sentrum”, writes NRK.

NRK writes that they know that there has already been talk of a new party after KrF’s election on the road in the fall of 2018.

KrF then joined the government of Erna Solberg, despite the contradictory advice of then party leader Knut Arild Hareide. The latter, who wanted the party to cooperate in government with the Labor Party and the Center Party, later resigned as party leader.

Also read: New book: – Knut Arild Hareide was disappointed with the departure of Sylvi Listhaug

– Storting is the goal

According to NRK, there are several KrF members inspired by Hareide’s message at a time when a new party is joining forces.

– But we are not “the red KrF”, we are people with different party origins, and I think we will be a much broader party than KrF, says Geir Lippestad to NRK.

The party will also include Tom Sverre Tomren, who has represented MDG on the Hordaland County Council, and has been a member of KrF. John Harald Bondevik, son of Kjell Magne Bondevik, is also present

The party is said to have had a founding meeting last week. They need 5,000 signatures to be a legally registered party that can stand in the Storting elections in 2021.

– The Storting is the target. The fight against exclusion and socially created barriers is our DNA, says Lippestad to the channel.

Also read: Measurement: Worst job result in 17 years

Independent block

According to the political platform that has been adopted, the party must be independent from the bloc.

Fighting for vulnerable groups and inclusion is critical, along with the goal of Norway accepting fleeing people. At the same time, they are in favor of drilling for oil on the Norwegian shelf over the course of 15 years and want to support the EEA.

NTB tried to get a comment from Lippestad on Tuesday night, but has not received a response so far.

Also read: KrF will hold elections and allow 16-year-olds to vote locally

KrF top: can bring Labor Party, MDG and SV voters

Central board member Erik Lunde at KrF tells NTB that he found out about the new party on Tuesday afternoon.

– I know that people from three different parties have started a new party with the same commitment as KrF. I’d still like them to choose to get involved in the great Christian Democratic party that already exists, says Lunde.

– Are you afraid that the new party could remove voters from KrF to make the fight against the barrier even more difficult?

– It’s hard to speculate. We have a plan to finish solidly above the threshold for next year’s election by focusing on our issues. At the same time, I think this can mobilize the KrF voters. I think a lot of people feel it as a loss if KrF weakens in Norwegian politics, because there are many questions that only KrF raises.