Liberal Party (Norway)

Liberal Party (Norway)

The Liberal Party (Norwegian: Venstre, V, meaning "left") is a centrist liberal political party in Norway. The party is the oldest in the country, and has enacted reforms such as parliamentarism, freedom of religion, universal suffrage and free education. Since 2010, the leader of the party is Trine Skei Grande. Having initially been a major party in Norway, it has in recent times become marginalised, and has struggled to get above the election threshold.

The party is regarded as social liberal, and advocate personal freedom under the pre-condition of an active state. Since the 1970s, the party has maintained an environmentalist position, which was an important part of the party profile when it came back to parliament in the 1990s. Overall, it has had a centrist position in the Norwegian political landscape. The party is also a strong supporter of multiculturalism, increased labour immigration to Norway, and relaxed integration measures.

Founded in 1884, then with the main support from farmers and city radicals, it was the first political party that came into existence in Norway. Since the 1880s, the party has seen many internal schisms, which has always concluded with the slow death of the moderate wings, while the radical wing has lived on. The most notable recent schism was in 1972, when the Liberal Party decided to oppose Norwegian membership in the European Union, and the faction supporting membership broke out and formed the Liberal People's Party. The party lost much of its support in the post-war era, but has participated in numerous centrist and centre-right government coalitions. Since the 1960s, the party has only come above the threshold twice, and from 1985 to 1993, the party was not represented in Parliament.