Demokratene
Encyclopedia
The Democrats in Norway , formerly and commonly known as the Democrats, is a Norwegian
political party
. The party was formed in 2002, chiefly by former Progress Party
members. It is led by Vidar Kleppe
, a former Deputy Leader and Member of Parliament for the Progress Party. The main issues for the party are a more restrictive immigration policy, tougher law and order measures, improved health care and reduction of taxes. The party considers its values to be based on Christianity
and Norwegian heritage.
The party has no representation in the Norwegian Parliament, although MP Jan Simonsen
(who had been elected with the Progress Party) became aligned with the party upon its creation, ending when his parliamentary term expired in 2005. The party claimed 2,000 members in 2009, and 3,000 members in 2011. As of the 2011 local elections
, the party has eight representatives in five municipal councils, and one representation in a county council
(Vest-Agder
).
, primarily by former Progress Party
members, but also former members of the Labour Party
, Conservative Party
, Liberal Party and Socialist Left Party
. In November of the same year, the party successfully gathered 5,200 signatures (5,000 required), and was legally registered as a party. The new party's leader, Vidar Kleppe
, had a vision that the party should have a role as an ombudsman
at grass roots level, similar to what he considered that Anders Lange
once had. As Member of Parliament Jan Simonsen
(who was expelled from the Progress Party in 2001) joined the party upon its creation, the party was until 2005 also effectively represented in the Norwegian Parliament (technically, he had to sit as an independent
).
One of the components of the new party was the minor Social Democrats
, previously known as the Generation Party, which in turn had been formed as a splinter group of the Pensioners' Party. The Democrats originally tried to take advantage of this party's status to run for election. This led to a struggle about the Democrats' right to put up lists in more counties. The conflict was resolved, and subsequently both the Democrats and the Social Democrats were eligible to contest elections in Norway. Later, the Democrats went on to draw leading figures and members from parties such as the Fatherland Party
and the Norwegian People's Party
.
, the Democrats ran in 46 municipalities and boroughs, and won 0.3% of the nationwide vote in the county elections. It won two representatives in the Kristiansand municipal council, and one in the Vest-Agder county council. In 2005, the Democrats became represented in the Bergen
city council due to the defection of a Progress Party councillor.
The party stepped up its activity with the aim of gaining a foothold in the Norwegian Parliament at the 2005 parliamentary election
. Before the election, party leader Vidar Kleppe tried to profile the party by calling for the closure of all Mosque
s in Norway if they didn't distance themselves clearly from terrorism
. Candidates running for the party also had to withstand threats and attacks during the electoral campaign. This included Nordland
county leader Amund Garfors receiving death threats, and party leader Vidar Kleppe being physically assaulted both by a former Workers' Communist Party
deputy leader, and by members of a demonstration by left-wing organisations SOS Rasisme
, the Blitz-movement
and Socialist Youth
. Despite running a high profile campaign, the Democrats failed to make any breakthrough in the election, as it only captured 0.1% of the vote.
The Democrats increased their number of candidates for the 2007 local elections
, and ran in 85 municipalities and boroughs, as well as in all 19 counties. The party won 0.3% of the overall vote in the county elections, and kept its representation in the Vest-Agder county council. It gained eight municipal councillors, among them in the cities Trondheim
and Kristiansand. For the 2009 parliamentary election
the Democrats for the first time ran in all the counties in Norway. The Democrats complained about the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation to the OSCE
, as the party along with other extraparliamentary parties that ran in all 19 counties had been denied television coverage (except the Red Party). Only a few weeks before the 2009 election, the headquarters of the Democrats was broken in to, and a computer containing material planned for use in the election campaign was stolen. In the election, the party remained at 0.1% of the vote.
The Democrats had to renew its public registration due to the poor 2009 election result, and chose to re-register itself as the "Democrats in Norway". The party only ran in 31 municipalities for the 2011 local elections
. It nevertheless again won eight municipal councillors, this time in five councils (two councillors in three councils), and held its representation in the Vest-Agder county council. Besides its two representatives in Kristiansand (in Vest-Agder), all of the party's municipal councillors were elected in Hordaland
. After the election, the party became part of local cooperations that would govern Kristiansand and Stord
.
, increased help for the elderly and disabled, and a restrictive immigration and asylum policy. The principles of the Democrats is built on Christian values, and Norwegian culture and tradition. The party is sceptical towards immigration, fearing that Western liberal values such as human rights and the Christian heritage is under threat. It also seeks drastic measures against crime
, and wants to increase penalties. The Democrats consider the Danish People's Party
and the Sweden Democrats
to be its sister parties. Kristian Norheim
, speaking on behalf of the Progress Party, has also considered that the Democrats is the Norwegian sister party to the Danish People's Party.
When questioned about the party's place on the political spectrum
, the Democrats' leader Vidar Kleppe has considered that the Democrats is "in many ways a centrist party." Political scientists have characterised the Democrats as "radical right" and "libertarian
". Jonathan Tisdall
of the newspaper Aftenposten
has described the Democrats as "an extreme populist party."
. The party holds that mass-immigration to western countries will lead to considerable problems that are hard to solve, including considerable costs for social security
payments and great increases in crime
. The party considers Norway's liberal values to be under threat, if a "Muslim
mass immigration" is accepted. The party wants a stricter policy towards criminal immigrants, for instance allowing for the repatriation of immigrants participating in organized and gang-crime.
The party also claim that the current Norwegian refugee-policy is cynical in that it seeks to help the few refugees who can afford the journey to Norway, when there are millions of people suffering worldwide without such possibilities. The Democrats seeks to change the refugee-policy to instead helping people outside the Norwegian border. They claim that in that way the Norwegian state can afford to help much more refugees for the same amount of money that it requires to help merely one person inside Norway. They do however want to let what it calls "true refugees" to come and stay in Norway.
, and otherwise raise minimum sentence frames. It does not support giving penalty discounts for multiple offences, and wants instead to add up penalties for every single offence. The party wants to double sentences for second-time offenders, triple sentences for third-time offenders and so on.
, and wants to withdraw from the European Economic Area
and the Schengen Agreement
. The party wants to replace membership of the EEA with a free trade
agreement.
The party supports a continued membership of NATO and the United Nations
, although it seeks to work for a reform of the latter. It also seeks to work for increased free trade, and wants to dissolve "forced" state-controlled foreign aid. It only wants to give foreign aid to countries that seek to pursue a liberal economic policy
, but maintains support to countries in cases of natural disasters, war and famine. It wants to help secure Israel
's borders, and wants to move the Norwegian embassy to "the country's capital, Jerusalem."
, who has since been a repeated low-key candidate for the party.
In the 2005 parliamentary election, the Democrats was endorsed by former boxer Ole Klemetsen
and former pop singer Gry Jannicke Jarlum, who both stood as low-key candidates. Professional Elvis impersonator Kjell Elvis
has long endorsed Vidar Kleppe, and subsequently the Democrats, and stood as a low-key candidate for it in 2011. Country artist Åsmund Åmli
stood as a low-key candidate for the party in both the 2007 and 2011 local elections.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
. The party was formed in 2002, chiefly by former Progress Party
Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party is a political party in Norway which identifies as conservative liberal and libertarian. The media has described it as conservative and right-wing populist...
members. It is led by Vidar Kleppe
Vidar Kleppe
Vidar Sveinung Kleppe is a Norwegian politician. He was a Member of Parliament and deputy chairman of the Progress Party until being suspended and left the party in 2001...
, a former Deputy Leader and Member of Parliament for the Progress Party. The main issues for the party are a more restrictive immigration policy, tougher law and order measures, improved health care and reduction of taxes. The party considers its values to be based on Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and Norwegian heritage.
The party has no representation in the Norwegian Parliament, although MP Jan Simonsen
Jan Simonsen
Jan Simonsen is a Norwegian writer, freelance journalist and politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1989 until 2005. He was elected with the Progress Party, until being excluded in 2001. From 2003 to 2004 he was vice chairman of the newly founded Democrats.Since then he has largely...
(who had been elected with the Progress Party) became aligned with the party upon its creation, ending when his parliamentary term expired in 2005. The party claimed 2,000 members in 2009, and 3,000 members in 2011. As of the 2011 local elections
Norwegian local elections, 2011
Nationwide local elections for seats in municipality and county councils were held throughout Norway on 12 September 2011. Several municipalities also opened the polling booths on 11 September. For most polling stations this meant that two elections, the municipal elections and the county elections...
, the party has eight representatives in five municipal councils, and one representation in a county council
County council (Norway)
A County Council is the highest governing body of the county municipalities in Norway. The county council sets the scope of the county municipal activity. The council is led by a chairman or county mayor...
(Vest-Agder
Vest-Agder
In the 16th century, Dutch merchant vessels began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase salmon and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of timber began, as oak from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for shipbuilding...
).
History
Foundation
The Democrats was founded on 24 August 2002 at Hotel Linne in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, primarily by former Progress Party
Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party is a political party in Norway which identifies as conservative liberal and libertarian. The media has described it as conservative and right-wing populist...
members, but also former members of the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
, Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
, Liberal Party and Socialist Left Party
Socialist Left Party (Norway)
The Socialist Left Party or SV, is a Norwegian left-wing political party. At one point one of the smallest parties in Parliament, it became the fourth-largest political party in Norway for the first time in the 2001 parliamentary election, and has been so ever since...
. In November of the same year, the party successfully gathered 5,200 signatures (5,000 required), and was legally registered as a party. The new party's leader, Vidar Kleppe
Vidar Kleppe
Vidar Sveinung Kleppe is a Norwegian politician. He was a Member of Parliament and deputy chairman of the Progress Party until being suspended and left the party in 2001...
, had a vision that the party should have a role as an ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
at grass roots level, similar to what he considered that Anders Lange
Anders Lange
Anders Sigurd Lange was a Norwegian politician and the eponymous founder of the political party Anders Lange's Party . He was a charismatic right-wing public speaker who objected to high taxes, state-regulations and public bureaucracy.Lange has been described as a man who went his own ways...
once had. As Member of Parliament Jan Simonsen
Jan Simonsen
Jan Simonsen is a Norwegian writer, freelance journalist and politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1989 until 2005. He was elected with the Progress Party, until being excluded in 2001. From 2003 to 2004 he was vice chairman of the newly founded Democrats.Since then he has largely...
(who was expelled from the Progress Party in 2001) joined the party upon its creation, the party was until 2005 also effectively represented in the Norwegian Parliament (technically, he had to sit as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
).
One of the components of the new party was the minor Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Norway)
The Social Democrats is a minor Norwegian political party. It last ran for election in the 2001 parliamentary election where it received a mere 0.01% of the votes.-History:...
, previously known as the Generation Party, which in turn had been formed as a splinter group of the Pensioners' Party. The Democrats originally tried to take advantage of this party's status to run for election. This led to a struggle about the Democrats' right to put up lists in more counties. The conflict was resolved, and subsequently both the Democrats and the Social Democrats were eligible to contest elections in Norway. Later, the Democrats went on to draw leading figures and members from parties such as the Fatherland Party
Fatherland Party (Norway)
The Fatherland Party was a political party in Norway, which was founded by former local Progress Party politician Harald Trefall in 1990. Primarily based in Western Norway, the party supported nationalist positions such as opposition to immigration and the European Union...
and the Norwegian People's Party
Norwegian People's Party
The Norwegian People's Party is a political party in Norway which was founded in 1999. The party is led by Oddbjørn Jonstad, a former local leader of the Progress Party who was expelled from the party following some controversial proposals he made on immigration-issues...
.
Early years
By August 2003, the headquarters of the Democrats in Kristiansand had reportedly been vandalised eight times. In its first elections, the 2003 local electionsNorwegian local elections, 2003
Country-wide local elections for seats in municipality and county councils were held throughout Norway on September 15, 2003. For most places this meant that two elections, the municipal elections and the county elections ran concurrently. In addition, several municipalities held direct mayoral...
, the Democrats ran in 46 municipalities and boroughs, and won 0.3% of the nationwide vote in the county elections. It won two representatives in the Kristiansand municipal council, and one in the Vest-Agder county council. In 2005, the Democrats became represented in the Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
city council due to the defection of a Progress Party councillor.
The party stepped up its activity with the aim of gaining a foothold in the Norwegian Parliament at the 2005 parliamentary election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 2005
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway on 12 September 2005. More than 3.4 million Norwegians were eligible for vote for the Storting, the parliament of Norway. The new Storting has 169 members, an increase of four over the 2001 election....
. Before the election, party leader Vidar Kleppe tried to profile the party by calling for the closure of all Mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s in Norway if they didn't distance themselves clearly from terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
. Candidates running for the party also had to withstand threats and attacks during the electoral campaign. This included Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
county leader Amund Garfors receiving death threats, and party leader Vidar Kleppe being physically assaulted both by a former Workers' Communist Party
Workers' Communist Party (Norway)
The Workers' Communist Party was a Norwegian communist party . AKP was a maoist party and one of two communist parties in Norway; the other was the older Communist Party of Norway which has remained pro-Soviet. The relationship between the two parties was characterized by strong hostility.AKP was...
deputy leader, and by members of a demonstration by left-wing organisations SOS Rasisme
SOS Rasisme
SOS Rasisme is a Norwegian activist organisation, whose stated goal is to reduce racism in society. It was founded in 1985, inspired by the French SOS Racisme...
, the Blitz-movement
Blitz (movement)
Blitz is an anarchist, communist and socialist youth community in Oslo, Norway, founded in 1982. The group has often been criticized for their use of violent methods of political protest.- The house :...
and Socialist Youth
Socialist Youth (Norway)
Socialist Youth is the youth league of the Socialist Left Party of Norway.The current head of the organisation is Olav Magnus Linge. SU considers itself a revolutionary party and wants to gain popular support for socialism in Norway. In this respect it differs from SV, the mother party.SU...
. Despite running a high profile campaign, the Democrats failed to make any breakthrough in the election, as it only captured 0.1% of the vote.
| Year | Type | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | County | 0.3% |
| 2005 Norwegian parliamentary election, 2005 Parliamentary elections were held in Norway on 12 September 2005. More than 3.4 million Norwegians were eligible for vote for the Storting, the parliament of Norway. The new Storting has 169 members, an increase of four over the 2001 election.... |
Parliament | 0.1% |
| 2007 | County | 0.3% |
| 2009 Norwegian parliamentary election, 2009 The 2009 parliamentary election was held in Norway on 14 September 2009. Elections in Norway are held on a Monday in September, usually the second or third Monday, as determined by the king. Early voting was possible between 10 August and 11 September 2009, while some municipalities held open... |
Parliament | 0.1% |
| 2011 | County | 0.3% |
The Democrats increased their number of candidates for the 2007 local elections
Norwegian local elections, 2007
Country-wide local elections for seats in municipality and county councils were held throughout Norway on September 10, 2007, with some areas polling on September 9 as well. For most places this meant that two elections, the municipal elections and the county elections ran concurrently...
, and ran in 85 municipalities and boroughs, as well as in all 19 counties. The party won 0.3% of the overall vote in the county elections, and kept its representation in the Vest-Agder county council. It gained eight municipal councillors, among them in the cities Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
and Kristiansand. For the 2009 parliamentary election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 2009
The 2009 parliamentary election was held in Norway on 14 September 2009. Elections in Norway are held on a Monday in September, usually the second or third Monday, as determined by the king. Early voting was possible between 10 August and 11 September 2009, while some municipalities held open...
the Democrats for the first time ran in all the counties in Norway. The Democrats complained about the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation to the OSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
, as the party along with other extraparliamentary parties that ran in all 19 counties had been denied television coverage (except the Red Party). Only a few weeks before the 2009 election, the headquarters of the Democrats was broken in to, and a computer containing material planned for use in the election campaign was stolen. In the election, the party remained at 0.1% of the vote.
The Democrats had to renew its public registration due to the poor 2009 election result, and chose to re-register itself as the "Democrats in Norway". The party only ran in 31 municipalities for the 2011 local elections
Norwegian local elections, 2011
Nationwide local elections for seats in municipality and county councils were held throughout Norway on 12 September 2011. Several municipalities also opened the polling booths on 11 September. For most polling stations this meant that two elections, the municipal elections and the county elections...
. It nevertheless again won eight municipal councillors, this time in five councils (two councillors in three councils), and held its representation in the Vest-Agder county council. Besides its two representatives in Kristiansand (in Vest-Agder), all of the party's municipal councillors were elected in Hordaland
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
. After the election, the party became part of local cooperations that would govern Kristiansand and Stord
Stord
Stord is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Stord is sometimes called "Norway in miniature" - as it has such a variety of landscapes: coastline, fjords, forests, agricultural land, and mountain areas....
.
Political profile
The main issues for the party are law and orderLaw and order (politics)
In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties...
, increased help for the elderly and disabled, and a restrictive immigration and asylum policy. The principles of the Democrats is built on Christian values, and Norwegian culture and tradition. The party is sceptical towards immigration, fearing that Western liberal values such as human rights and the Christian heritage is under threat. It also seeks drastic measures against crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, and wants to increase penalties. The Democrats consider the Danish People's Party
Danish People's Party
The Danish People's Party is a political party in Denmark which is frequently described as right-wing populist by political scientists and commentators. The party is led by Pia Kjærsgaard...
and the Sweden Democrats
Sweden Democrats
The Sweden Democrats is a political party in Sweden, founded in 1988. SD describes itself as a nationalist movement although others use the term far-right. Since 2005, its party chairman is Jimmie Åkesson, while Björn Söder is the party secretary and parliamentary group leader. An Anemone...
to be its sister parties. Kristian Norheim
Kristian Norheim
Kristian Norheim is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. He is currently an advisor for the parliamentary group of the party, and an international secretary.Norheim was born in Porsgrunn...
, speaking on behalf of the Progress Party, has also considered that the Democrats is the Norwegian sister party to the Danish People's Party.
When questioned about the party's place on the political spectrum
Political spectrum
A political spectrum is a way of modeling different political positions by placing them upon one or more geometric axes symbolizing independent political dimensions....
, the Democrats' leader Vidar Kleppe has considered that the Democrats is "in many ways a centrist party." Political scientists have characterised the Democrats as "radical right" and "libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
". Jonathan Tisdall
Jonathan Tisdall
Jonathan D. Tisdall is a grandmaster of chess and works as a freelance journalist. An American citizen by origin, he became Irish and later Norwegian. His father is Irish and his mother is Japanese.He was Norwegian Chess Champion in 1987, 1991, and 1995...
of the newspaper Aftenposten
Aftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
has described the Democrats as "an extreme populist party."
Immigration
One of the main issues by the Democrats is immigrationImmigration to Norway
The number of immigrants in Norway is currently approximately 601,000, which corresponds to 12.2 percent of the total population . In addition to these, 213,486 are born in Norway with one immigrant parent, 31,540 are born abroad with one Norwegian parent, and 37,056 are born abroad to Norwegian...
. The party holds that mass-immigration to western countries will lead to considerable problems that are hard to solve, including considerable costs for social security
Social security
Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...
payments and great increases in crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
. The party considers Norway's liberal values to be under threat, if a "Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
mass immigration" is accepted. The party wants a stricter policy towards criminal immigrants, for instance allowing for the repatriation of immigrants participating in organized and gang-crime.
The party also claim that the current Norwegian refugee-policy is cynical in that it seeks to help the few refugees who can afford the journey to Norway, when there are millions of people suffering worldwide without such possibilities. The Democrats seeks to change the refugee-policy to instead helping people outside the Norwegian border. They claim that in that way the Norwegian state can afford to help much more refugees for the same amount of money that it requires to help merely one person inside Norway. They do however want to let what it calls "true refugees" to come and stay in Norway.
Law and order
The Democrats identifies the causes of the recent increase in serious crime in Norway, to be a result of liberal immigration policies, low penalties, and a lack of funding for the police, courts and prison system. The party wants to raise the sentence frame of first-degree murder to life imprisonmentLife imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
, and otherwise raise minimum sentence frames. It does not support giving penalty discounts for multiple offences, and wants instead to add up penalties for every single offence. The party wants to double sentences for second-time offenders, triple sentences for third-time offenders and so on.
Foreign policy
The Democrats is opposed to Norwegian membership of the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, and wants to withdraw from the European Economic Area
European Economic Area
The European Economic Area was established on 1 January 1994 following an agreement between the member states of the European Free Trade Association and the European Community, later the European Union . Specifically, it allows Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to participate in the EU's Internal...
and the Schengen Agreement
Schengen Agreement
The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement 5 years later...
. The party wants to replace membership of the EEA with a free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
agreement.
The party supports a continued membership of NATO and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, although it seeks to work for a reform of the latter. It also seeks to work for increased free trade, and wants to dissolve "forced" state-controlled foreign aid. It only wants to give foreign aid to countries that seek to pursue a liberal economic policy
Economic liberalism
Economic liberalism is the ideological belief in giving all people economic freedom, and as such granting people with more basis to control their own lives and make their own mistakes. It is an economic philosophy that supports and promotes individual liberty and choice in economic matters and...
, but maintains support to countries in cases of natural disasters, war and famine. It wants to help secure Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's borders, and wants to move the Norwegian embassy to "the country's capital, Jerusalem."
Public representation
As of the 2011 local elections, the party's representation in public office include;- One representative in the Vest-AgderVest-AgderIn the 16th century, Dutch merchant vessels began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase salmon and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of timber began, as oak from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for shipbuilding...
county council. - Two representatives in the KristiansandKristiansand-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
city council. - Two representatives in the AskøyAskøyAskøy is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Since the opening of the Askøy Bridge leading to the mainland in Bergen in 1992, the population has increased rapidly. Its population growth is as of 2008 among the highest in Norway...
municipal council. - Two representatives in the OddaOddais a municipality and town in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Odda was separated from Ullensvang on 1 July 1913 and on 1 January 1964 Røldal was merged with Odda. The town of Odda is the centre of the landscape of Hardanger, located at the end of the Hardangerfjord.In 1927, Erling Johnson,...
municipal council. - One representative in the StordStordStord is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Stord is sometimes called "Norway in miniature" - as it has such a variety of landscapes: coastline, fjords, forests, agricultural land, and mountain areas....
municipal council. - One representative in the FedjeFedjeFedje is an island municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Fedje was separated from Austrheim on 1 January 1947.The main island of Fedje is surrounded by about 125 smaller islands and rocks mostly north of the main island, and the name Fedje applies both to the main island, and to all the...
municipal council.
Endorsements
The Democrats has been endorsed by several notable figures in Norway. One of the co-founders of the party was former coach of the football club IK Start, Karsten JohannessenKarsten Johannessen
Karsten Johannessen is a Norwegian former coach for the football club IK Start.He is historically the most significant coach for the club, having held the position as coach in eighteen seasons, in nine different terms; starting in 1954 and ending in 1996...
, who has since been a repeated low-key candidate for the party.
In the 2005 parliamentary election, the Democrats was endorsed by former boxer Ole Klemetsen
Ole Klemetsen
Ole "Lukkøye" Klemetsen is a retired Norwegian boxer in the Light Heavyweight division. He was nicknamed "Mister Sandman" and the "Golden Viking".-Amateur:...
and former pop singer Gry Jannicke Jarlum, who both stood as low-key candidates. Professional Elvis impersonator Kjell Elvis
Kjell Elvis
Kjell Henning Bjørnestad , is a Norwegian professional Elvis impersonator: He is an Elvis look alike and has had plastic surgery to look more like Elvis. He is also a sound alike and has released a couple of albums with Elvis songs.Kjell Elvis was born in Farsund, was raised in Vanse, and...
has long endorsed Vidar Kleppe, and subsequently the Democrats, and stood as a low-key candidate for it in 2011. Country artist Åsmund Åmli
Åsmund Åmli Band
Åsmund Åmli Band is a Norwegian country/rock band from Valle in Setesdalen, formed in 1996. They have sold more than 20,000 albums worldwide and are one of Norway's most successful country bands.-Current members:*Åsmund Åmli – lead vocals, bass...
stood as a low-key candidate for the party in both the 2007 and 2011 local elections.