The committee believes that both the Solberg and Støre governments have had deficient routines related to the competence regulations.
Former Prime Minister Erna Solberg (H) during the Control and Constitution Committee’s open hearing on the government’s handling of the competence regulations in November. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTBPublished:
Yesterday 12:18
Updated yesterday 14:03
After several months of processing last year’s competency cases, the Storting’s Control and Constitution Committee presented its conclusion on Wednesday.
– The majority believes that Solberg has insufficiently complied with his duty to investigate her husband’s share trading, and a joint committee believes that the Storting should decide that it is highly objectionable that Erna Solberg, during her time as prime minister, was incompetent in several cases handled by her government.
This is what mayor Grunde Almeland said when he presented the control committee’s conclusions on Wednesday.
This is how the control committee has arrived at the various cases:
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Erna Solberg (H)
Receives “strong criticism” from a unanimous committee.
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Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap)
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Tonje Brenna (Ap)
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Ola Borten Moe (Sp)
Avoids criticism decisions. Receives criticism in the comments.
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Anette Trettebergstuen (Ap)
Avoids criticism decisions. Receives criticism in the comments.
The reason that Anette Trettebergstuen and Ola Borten Moe avoid critical decisions is that they themselves have taken criticism by resigning.
The committee believes that both the Solberg and Støre governments have had deficient routines related to the competence regulations and is in favor of rule changes.
Solberg: – Should have asked and dug more
Solberg is traveling abroad with the Storting and is therefore commenting on the proposal by e-mail, the Høyre informs.
– In September last year, I became aware that my husband Sindre had traded shares in breach of the agreement we had with each other. This has led to the fact that, without my being aware of it, I have been incompetent in certain cases I dealt with when I was prime minister, says Solberg.
She points out that she has strongly regretted the matter, and emphasizes that the regret still applies.
– I have taken responsibility for this and made it clear that I should have asked and dug more, so that I could have discovered the trade at an earlier time, says the former prime minister.
– I think she can regain trust
Leader of the Control Committee Peter Frølich (H) tells E24 that he believes it was right to strongly criticize Solberg, even though she is his own party leader.
– I have always said that the committee should be politically colour-blind. We cannot take into account whether we are red or blue.
It is up to the Conservative Party, the cooperation parties and ultimately the voters to decide whether Solberg can become a candidate for prime minister, says Frølich.
– Personally, I think she can regain that trust. There are many indications of that.
In a press release, it appears that the Conservative Party also wanted “strong criticism” against Brenna and Huitfeldt.
Head of the Control Committee Peter Frølich (H). Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
Frp: Features of similarity
So did the Progress Party.
– We believe there is reason to treat the cases of Solberg and Huitfeldt equally, which have many similarities, says deputy chairman Hans Andreas Limi.
– Can you support Solberg as prime ministerial candidate in next year’s election?
– At least we can’t answer that today.
– Still not?
– These are processes we have set in motion in the Progress Party where we discuss strategy and the most important political issues. Also, who will be the prime ministerial candidate on the non-socialist side. So it is too early to say anything about, says Limi.
Ap: Too low awareness over a long period of time
The Labor Party’s faction leader Frode Jacobsen says he hopes the setting can lay a foundation for avoiding similar cases in the future.
He says Ap has considered each individual case separately, but thinks Erna Solberg’s case still stands out.
– Because it concerns a very extensive violation of the rules of impartiality over a period of eight years, during which she was prime minister and the highest person responsible for the government and the country. That makes it particularly serious, says Jacobsen.
The Ap politician believes that the cases generally show that over a long period of time there has been too little awareness of issues of integrity, and how trust affects political decisions.
– That is why a unanimous Storting gathers today to criticize both Erna Solberg’s government and the current government, Jacobsen points out.
SV: Solberg’s case is “clearly” the most serious
SV’s Audun Lysbakken says there has been a “cross-political will in the committee to restore trust in Norwegian politics”.
– Erna Solberg will receive the strongest possible reaction to her integrity cases, and it is unanimous. The Storting cannot emphasize more clearly the unique and deeply serious fact that a prime minister has been incompetent in a number of matters, over a number of years, he says.
Lysbakken believes Solberg’s case is “by far the most serious”, and has a scope and duration that stands out. The party also supports the proposals for criticism against Brenna and Huitfeldt.
– We do this to emphasize their political responsibility for breach of trust, and because they both could and should have avoided the mistakes they are responsible for, says Lysbakken.
Red: Trial by fire
Rødt’s representative Seher Aydar says that the competency cases have been a litmus test for democracy.
– Red has been concerned with clear conclusions and that we ensure better regulations, she says.
She clarifies to E24 that the most important thing will be to tighten up the regulations, so that they cannot be misinterpreted or abused again.
– Is there something concrete you really want?
– It is quite clear that Rødt believes we must ban share trading, both for ministers and their spouses, says Aydar.
– We also believe that the regulations must be stricter in relation to how the ministries handle competence internally.
Read more about which rule changes the committee is in favor of her.
Postponed several times
The setting has been postponed several times, as more cases and more information have come to light.
The latest postponement came after E24 documented that the Prime Minister’s Office (SMK) did not record key emails with Sindre Finnes about Erna Solberg’s competence and his share dealings, as required by law.