Conservative leader Nikolai Astrup visits Västerelen to celebrate election victory – NRK Nordland

The election four years ago was not viewed well by the right wing. After all the cables were settled, the party had 34 mayors – the lowest number since 1971.

But now it looks bright or blue.

The Conservative Party already has 74 mayors, shows NRK’s ​​overview, which is not final – many municipalities are still undecided and the map below will be updated regularly.

The Conservatives are still slightly behind Labor. But it is as normal as ever after the war.

Hoyer’s Mayer record is 119 and 22 years old. But there were almost 100 more municipalities than there are today.

Blue Wave in Nordland

In Nordland, Haier’s progress is particularly noteworthy. In the previous period, the Conservative Party had mayors in Bø, Gildeskål and Lurøy – and that was it.

Now the party gets 12. The record was 15 in 1979 local elections after the war.

The Conservative Party will win all of them Four of the five mayors Vesterålen.

So it’s no coincidence that Storting representative Nikolaj Ostrup (H) this week traveled from Oslo west to Sørdland – Västerelen’s largest municipality – to celebrate an election victory in the north.

Here, mayoral candidate Gareth Ellingsen made a landslide with 42.7 percent of the vote.

– I certainly believe that the blue wind in the country is helping us domestically. On the other hand, we made a good choice, the list includes 33 people between the ages of 18 and 92, who went out and talked to people in different areas, listened and are ready to help drive Chordland forward, he says. Incoming Mayor of Chordland.

– Astrup concludes that it is very positive that we have many blue municipalities, and now we must use the opportunity given to us to create good local communities.

However, the election victory ended somewhat in the shadow of Sindre Fins’ share trading.

– This is a special time. We made a very good choice, but the post-election days have been characterized by completely different things.

– Astrup says it’s nice to visit precisely now and see Grethe, who made the best choice, and learn more about what they’re going to use their power for.

Greater collaboration with the private sector

In Chordland, the former municipal minister visited, among other things, the agricultural school in Cleva, where he was able to feed a cow. An exercise he was clearly not used to.

– How do people notice that Vesterålen and Norway have more right-wing mayors?

– I believe and believe that we are a party that contributes to creating more opportunities for people, growth, value creation and inclusion of the right to jobs where people live. We will work with the private business community to improve service to citizens.

Big ambitions

And there is no dearth of ambition.

– The Conservative Party will make way for a better life across the country.

Astrup believes that the Conservative Party won the election because voters recognized themselves in the Conservative Party’s responses. He also believes that the election is a verdict on the government’s efforts in recent years.

– Many see that it has become more difficult for business to create jobs, facilitate operations and better local communities, at least not along the coast.

Most people in blue municipalities

Even if the Conservatives don’t get more mayors. In any case, most people will live in a conservative municipality.

Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen will turn blue. It will probably also be Trondheim.

The same goes for populous municipalities such as Fredrikstad, Drammen, Kristiansand, Lillestrøm, Sandnes, Sarpsborg, Skien, Sandefjord, Larvik, Nordre Follo, Bodø, Bærum and Asker.

In these 17 municipalities alone, a total of about 2.3 million people live – roughly half of Norway’s population.

– As a right-winger, you are very happy about that, says Fredrikstad’s incoming mayor Arne Sekkelsten.

– Are you surprised that the Conservative Party took power in many municipalities?

– I am not very surprised, because they follow national trends. But even a national wind has different results in individual municipalities, he says.

NRK’s ​​political commentator Don Sophie Acklen believes there is a burning smell from the conservative comeback after the disastrous local elections in 2019.

– Before the 2019 local elections, Erna Solberg’s target is to have half of the electorate live in a right-wing municipality. They completely failed, but are coming back hard now, she says.

While still unclear, a much clearer picture is emerging, according to Acklen.

– Not only does the Conservative Party get significantly more mayors, but it also wins big in populous municipalities. Among the 50 largest municipalities in the country, there is a strong right-wing dominance. This means that the majority of Norwegians will be governed by the Conservative Party, he continues.

Additionally, Acklen says FRP is reaping good results in the number of mayors after some lean years.

The changing color of the municipalities is remarkable

– How will most people notice that municipality-Norway is turning blue?

– Changing the color of the municipality will certainly be noticed, but the debate may be less than one might think. In local politics, ideological differences are not great, and it is mostly about cooperative relationships and the ability to find solutions. Also, the Conservative Party has moved significantly towards the center in this election campaign.

– What does this say about the election in two years?

– Many mayors are heavily pro-Conservative and pro-capitalist. Local politics is the bedrock of a party, and a party’s ability to implement a party’s policy, anchor policy, be a place to listen to voters, and build profiles is high. Popular mayors gain a lot of trust and make good choices. Therefore, it will be a strength for the Conservative Party ahead of the 2025 general election.

– Astrup talks a lot about individuals. Will there be a wave of privatization in municipalities now?

– Right-wing municipalities are more favorable to private actors and competition. They certainly do that to a certain extent, but the experience is that it’s a little toned down on the right. Now the Conservative Party often talks about “diversity” and letting go of “all the forces of good”. Which parties the Conservative Party cooperates with and local conditions will affect the extent of individual solutions.

For the Center Party, the arrows point in the exact opposite direction. The party had 132 mayors after the last election.

They had 19 in Nordland. Now they will only get a few. At the national level, 66 people have received it so far.

Labor had 147 nationally. So far there are 80 people.

– In terms of numbers, Ap and Sp retain many mayors, but also many smaller municipalities. For the Ap, losing power in the big cities and traditional Ap strongholds like Sarpsborg, Lillestrøm and Namsos would be painful, says Aglen.