Carl I. Hagen - Career

Career

Hagen has explained that he lost faith in the Conservative Party as an alternative to social democracy during the centre-right Cabinet of Borten (1965–71) when taxes increased more so than under Labour, as well as the power of the state. He sought to reduce the power of the state over individuals, and the political views of Anders Lange were because of this appealing to him.

Hagen started his political career as he was elected Deputy Member of Parliament from Oslo for Anders Lange's Party in 1973. He had attended the founding meeting of the party at Saga kino in April, and was asked by Erik Gjems-Onstad if he wanted to stand for election for the party. He however soon lost faith in Anders Lange, and along with some others in 1974 broke away and formed the short-lived Reform Party. After the death of Anders Lange later the same year he replaced Lange as a regular MP. The newly formed Reform Party merged with Anders Lange's Party again already the next year. In 1977 the party changed its name into the Progress Party, and Hagen was elected leader of the party at the 1978 national convention. As the party did not get any MP's into parliament in 1977, Hagen was away from parliament for four years, until being elected in again in 1981.

Hagen has been regarded as the first postmodern politician in Norway by Gudleiv Forr, writing for the Norsk biografisk leksikon. His early success has been attributed to his ability to use the media through populist speech. He also managed to moderate the profile of the party from the more vulgar tone of Anders Lange. Though he identifies himself as a libertarian, his political practice has been regarded by political commentators of being populist. His ability to balance different political directions, was regarded by Forr of displaying "his mastering of the role of being party leader." Forr also claimed that Hagen has a talent of double communication, which has left the diverse voter group of the party with different impressions of the policies of the party, sometimes leading to internal schisms. His success has also been attributed to his leadership tactics, which included suspending and removing members of the party who deviated too much from his views.

Hagen was elected into parliament for seven consecutive four-year periods from 1981, until he stepped down and decided not to run for the 2009 election. In the periods from 1979 to 1982, 1987 to 1991 and 1995 to 1999 he was also a member of the Oslo city council. From 2005 to 2009, Hagen in addition held the office of Vice President of Parliament. Part of the decision not to run for re-election (which he made in 2007) apart from reaching the age of pension, was because Hagen had felt that he had been put on the sideline after he had retired from the office of chairman. Hagen also stated that he wanted more relaxation, and sought to perhaps receive some missions as a consultant. After ending his high-profile political career, he started working for the PR agency Burson-Marsteller in 2009, where he became among the company's highest paid lecturers.

In March 2010 it was however speculated about his comeback into Norwegian politics, as "central Progress Party politicians" wanted him to stand for mayor in Oslo. Hagen himself did not entirely repudiate the thought, and stated that he missed politics, as well as himself, as he thought that politics had become boring without him. In September 2010, Hagen announced his candidacy for the office of mayor of Oslo for the 2011 local elections, and quit his engagement with Burson-Marsteller. After receiving bleak polling figures, Hagen chose to effectively drop out of the race three days before the election. In an internal party meeting on 9 November, Hagen unsuccessfully sought to be chosen as the Progress Party's representative in the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and in turn withdrew from the party's central board as well as from his position as "senior general". Following the meeting, he published a five-page note, criticising Siv Jensen, and citing his resignation with the "treatment and humilitation" he received from the "party leadership".