The Christians (Norway)

The Christians Party (Bokmål: Partiet De Kristne, Nynorsk: Partiet Dei Kristne, PDK)[1] is a conservative Christian[2][5] political party in Norway founded in 2011. The party leader is Erik Selle.

The Christians Party

Partiet De Kristne
LeaderErik Selle
Founded24 February 2011
Split fromChristian Democratic Party
Membership2,637 (2014)[1]
IdeologyChristian right[2]
Social conservatism[3]
Economic liberalism[3]
Euroscepticism[4]
Political positionRight-wing
ColoursOrange, white, and blue
Storting
0 / 169
County councils
1 / 728
Municipal Councils
6 / 10,781
Website
www.dekristne.no

History

Founded as The Christians, the party was formed when the Christian Democratic Party abolished its requirement that its representatives profess the Christian faith. The party saw this as a major step in the "de-Christianization" of the party, along with a perceived wider de-Christianization of Norway during the years of the Red–Green government.[6]

The party participated in its first election for the 2011 local elections limited to the municipal council in Bømlo. They won 6.5% of the votes there, earning them two seats.[7] Bømlo was selected to test support for the new party, with defected local Christian Democratic politicians heading their list. Some saw the party's founding meeting on Moster in Bømlo as symbolic, as it was the original starting point of the Christianization of Norway by King Olaf Tryggvason a thousand years ago.[6][8]

For the 2013 parliamentary election the party gained additional support from philosopher Nina Karin Monsen,[9] veteran Christian Democratic politician Anita Apelthun Sæle,[10] and Visjon Norge televangelist Jan Hanvold.[11] It received 0.6% of the national vote (17,731 votes), winning no seats but becoming second largest of the extra-parliamentary parties.[12]

Before the 2015 local elections the Christians drew numerous local politicians from the Christian Democrats as well as the Progress Party, and the party had a large number of new local chapters established.[13] The party managed to secure lists for the elections in 70 municipalities, as well as all the counties of Norway. Among the speakers at the party's national congress in May was the Israeli Greek Orthodox priest Gabriel Naddaf.[14] The party won three municipal representatives in the election, one each in Bømlo, Vennesla and Karmøy.[15]

In the 2019 Norwegian local elections, the party improved on their previous results, with a total of 10 423 votes (0,4% total), giving them six municipal council members and their first even county council member in the Agder county elections.[16][17]

Ideology

The party considers its ideology to be built on Christian and "Judeo-Christian" values.[1] It profiles itself as pro-life, promotes the traditional family and opposition to same-sex marriage, maintains strong support for Israel, and supports economic liberalism.[3][18] The party claims to follow the line of former Christian Democrat leader Kåre Kristiansen.[19] Unlike the Christian Democrats the party supports cooperation with the Progress Party, and has stated that it aims for participation in a coalition government together with the Progress and Conservative Party.[19][20]

Parliamentary elections
Date Votes Seats Position Size
# % ± pp # ±
2013 17,731 0.6% + 0.6
0 / 169
 10th
2017 8,700 0.3% - 0.3
0 / 169
 12th

References
  1. "De Kristne jakter på rike onkler". Dagen. 03.06.2014.
  2. "Partiet De Kristne". Store norske leksikon. 30.04.2014.
  3. "De Kristne og valget". Dagen. 16.09.13.
  4. "Partiet De Kristnes Handlingsprogram". Partiet De Kristne.
  5. "De Kristne størst av minipartiene". VG. 10.09.2013.
  6. "Vil rekristne landet". Haugesunds Avis. 30.03.2011.
  7. Svendsen, Roy Hilmar; Svåsand, Maria Pile (21 April 2012). "Nå vil De Kristne innta Stortinget" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  8. "Kan få nytt kristent parti i dag". Dagen. 24.02.2011.
  9. "Fritt Ord-vinner stemmer De Kristne". Dagen. 03.09.2013.
  10. "KrF-veteran stemmer De Kristne". Dagen. 09.09.2013.
  11. "Oppfordrer til bønn og faste for De Kristne". Dagen. 28.08.2013.
  12. "Valgresultat > Partier > De Kristne". Norsk rikskringkasting AS (in Norwegian). September 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-09-13. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  13. "- Det er fortsatt noen kristne igjen her i landet". Nettavisen. 28.01.15.
  14. "Gir aldri opp partiets sjel". Dagen. 08.05.2015.
  15. "Start-smell for De Kristne". Vårt Land. 15.09.2015.
  16. I Dag.no, 10.09.2019
  17. VG.no Election Results, 10.09.19
  18. "Våre hjertesaker". Partiet De Kristne.
  19. "- Vi skal i regjering på første forsøk". Nettavisen. 05.04.13.
  20. "De Kristne håper på KrF-avhoppere". Stavanger Aftenblad. 29.04.2013.
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