SV leader sees dwindling support among local members as rival gains favor
A recent poll of Norway's local SV politicians shows a minority still backing leader Kirsti Bergstø, while many look to former deputy Kari Elisabeth Kaski as a potential successor, even though she is not running.
A poll conducted by Norgesbarometeret for VG among Norway's local SV elected officials found that only a minority continue to support party leader Kirsti Bergstø, signaling a strong warning to her leadership. The same respondents indicated that Kari Elisabeth Kaski, a former SV deputy who left politics after disagreements with Bergstø, is the preferred choice for a future leader, despite her clear statement that she will not run.
Bergstø responded by framing the result as a challenge and an opportunity to unite the party around its policy goals, emphasizing issues such as affordable housing, employment, and climate action. SV deputy leader Lars Haltbrekken highlighted the party's ongoing struggle to improve its polling numbers. The survey also examined the Conservative Party, showing that local Conservative politicians largely back Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide as the party's prime-minister candidate and see Peter Christian Frølich as the most likely successor to the party leadership, with other figures receiving less support.
Why it matters
The poll reveals internal dissent within Norway's left-wing parties, which could affect their cohesion and electoral prospects.
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