History
KrF was founded as a reaction to the growing secularism in Norway in the 1930s. Cultural and spiritual values were proposed as an alternative to political parties focusing on material values. The immediate cause of its foundation was the failure of Nils Lavik, a popular figure in the religious community, to be nominated as a candidate for Venstre (the liberal party), for the parliamentary elections in 1933. In reaction to this, Kristelig Folkeparti was set up, with Lavik as their top candidate in the county of Hordaland. He succeeded in being elected to Stortinget, the Norwegian parliament. No other counties were contested. At the next elections, in 1936, the party also ran in Bergen, and succeeded in electing a representative from there as well. In 1945, at the first elections after the Nazi occupation of Norway, the party was organised on a nationwide basis, and won 8 seats.
KrF became part of a short-lived non-socialist coalition government along with Høyre (Conservatives), Venstre and Senterpartiet (Center Party) in 1963. At the elections of 1965, these four parties won a majority of seats in Stortinget and ruled in a coalition government from 1965 to 1971.
KrF opposed Norwegian membership in the European Community ahead of the referendum in 1972. The referendum gave a no-vote, and when the pro-EC Labour government resigned, a coalition government was formed among the anti-EC parties, KrF, Venstre and Senterpartiet. Lars Korvald became KrF's first prime minister for a year, until the elections of 1973 restored the Labour government.
The 1981 elections left the non-socialists with a majority in parliament, but negotiations for a coalition government failed because of disagreement over the abortion issue. However, this issue was later toned down, and from 1983 to 1986, and from 1989 to 1990 KrF was part of coalitions with Høyre and Senterpartiet.
In 1997 KrF received 13.7% of the votes, and got 25 seats in the Storting. Kjell Magne Bondevik served as prime minister in 1997-2000, in coalition with Venstre and Senterpartiet, and then in 2001-2005 with Venstre and Høyre.
In the 2005 election KrF received only 6.8%, and the party became part of the opposition in the Storting.
Read more about this topic: Christian Democratic Party (Norway)
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