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The Norwegian Labour Party (in Norwegian Det norske Arbeiderparti (DNA) or Arbeiderpartiet (AP)) is a social democratic political party in Norway.
It was founded in 1887 and first ran in elections to the Storting (parliament) in 1894. It finally entered parliament in 1903 and steadily increased its vote until 1927, when it became the largest party--a position it has retained ever since, often with an absolute majority of parliamentary seats. In the election in 2001 it reached a low point of 24.3% of the popular vote, but was still the biggest party in the Storting. In the election of 2005 the party regained a lot and got 32.7% of the popular vote. It is the leading partner in the centre-left Red-Green Coalition, which won a majority in the 2005 elections. Labour leader Jens Stoltenberg became prime minister and leads a coalition government, the first one that the Norwegian Labour Party has entered. He was previously prime minister from 2000 to 2001.
From its roots as a radical alternative to the political establishment, the party grew to its current dominance through several eras:
The party experienced a split in 1921 caused by a decision made two years earlier to join the Communist International, and the Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway was formed. In 1923 the party left the Communist International, while a significant minority of its members left the party to form the Communist Party of Norway. In 1927, the social democrats were reunited with Labour.
The first Labour government, led by Christopher Hornsrud, was formed in 1928, lasting only two weeks. During the early 1930s Labour abandoned its revolutionary profile and set for a reformist course. Labour then returned to government in 1935 and remained in power until 1965 (except for the exile period between 1940-1945 and one month in 1963). Other periods in government have been 1971-1972, 1973-1981, 1986-1989, 1990-1997 and 2000-2001. It has been in power most of this time and is largely through their efforts that the modern welfare state in Norway has been created.
The Labour Party is still officially a social democratic party committed to liberal democratic ideals. During the last 20 years, the party has included more market liberalist principles in its policy, allowing for privatization of government-held assets and services and reducing progression in the income tax structure. However, recently it has tightened its ties to the traditional left.
The Labour Party profiles itself as a progressive party that subscribes to cooperation on a national as well as international level.
The party's youth organization is known as the AUF (Arbeidernes Ungdomsfylking).
Party leaders
- Anders Andersen (1887-1888)
- Hans G. Jensen (1888-1889)
- Christian Holtermann Knudsen (1889-1890)
- Carl Jeppesen (1890-1892)
- Ole Georg Gjøsteen (1892-1893)
- Gustav A. Olsen Berg (1893-1894)
- Carl Jeppesen (1894-1897)
- Ludvig Meyer (1897-1900)
- Christian Holtermann Knudsen (1900-1903)
- Christopher Hornsrud (1903-1906)
- Oscar Nissen (1906-1911)
- Christian Holtermann Knudsen (1911-1918)
- Kyrre Grepp (1918-1922)
- Emil Stang jr. (1922-1923)
- Oscar Torp (1923-1945)
- Einar Gerhardsen (1945-1965)
- Trygve Bratteli (1965-1975)
- Reiulf Steen (1975-1981)
- Gro Harlem Brundtland (1981-1992)
- Thorbjørn Jagland (1992-2002)
- Jens Stoltenberg (2002-present)
Labour Prime Ministers
- Christopher Hornsrud (1928: 26 January – 15 February)
- Johan Nygaardsvold (1935–1945)
- Einar Gerhardsen (1945–1951)
- Oscar Torp (1951–1955)
- Einar Gerhardsen (1955–1965)
- Trygve Bratteli (1971–1972, (1973–1976)
- Odvar Nordli (1976–1981)
- Gro Harlem Brundtland (4 February – 14 October 1981, 1986–1989, 1990–1996)
- Thorbjørn Jagland (1996–1997)
- Jens Stoltenberg (2000–2001, 2005 – present)
Election results
| Year | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| 1894 | 0.3 | 0 out of 114 |
| 1897 | 0.6 | 0 out of 114 |
| 1900 | 5.2 | 0 out of 114 |
| 1903 | 12.1 | 4 out of 117 |
| 1906 | 15.9 | 11 out of 123 |
| 1909 | 21.5 | 11 out of 123 |
| 1912 | 26.2 | 23 out of 123 |
| 1915 | 32.0 | 19 out of 123 |
| 1918 | 31.6 | 18 out of 126 |
| 1921 | 21.3 | 29 out of 150 |
| 1924 | 18.4 | 24 out of 150 |
| 1927 | 36.8 | 59 out of 150 |
| 1930 | 31.4 | 47 out of 150 |
| 1933 | 40.1 | 69 out of 150 |
| 1936 | 42.5 | 70 out of 150 |
| 1945 | 41.0 | 76 out of 150 |
| 1949 | 45.7 | 85 out of 150 |
| 1953 | 46.7 | 77 out of 150 |
| 1957 | 48.3 | 78 out of 150 |
| 1961 | 46.8 | 74 out of 150 |
| 1965 | 43.1 | 68 out of 150 |
| 1969 | 46.5 | 74 out of 150 |
| 1973 | 35.3 | 62 out of 155 |
| 1977 | 42.3 | 76 out of 155 |
| 1981 | 37.1 | 65 out of 155 |
| 1985 | 40.8 | 71 out of 157 |
| 1989 | 34.3 | 63 out of 165 |
| 1993 | 36.9 | 67 out of 165 |
| 1997 | 35.0 | 65 out of 165 |
| 2001 | 24.3 | 43 out of 165 |
| 2005 | 32.7 | 61 out of 169 |
External links
- Arbeiderpartiet - Official site
- Labour Party - Information in English
Political parties in Norway | Social democratic parties | Socialist International | Postcommunist parties | Arbeiderpartiet | Arbeiderpartiet | Norra Tööpartei | Parti du Travail (Norvège) | Partai Buruh (Norwegia) | Partito laburista norvegese | Norvegijos darbo partija | Arbeiderspartij van Noorwegen | ノルウェー労働党 | Det norske Arbeiderparti | Det norske Arbeidarpartiet | Norweska Partia Pracy | Arbeiderpartiet | 挪威工党
"Norwegian Labour Party"