Kristiansen considers leadership role in Christian Democratic Party after Bollestad’s resignation in Agder

In the current phase, Jørgen Kristiansen, a deputy representative for the Christian Democratic Party (KrF) in Agder, expressed his willingness to take on leadership or deputy leadership roles. He indicated that if approached by the nomination committee for these roles, he would respond directly to them.

Since Olaug Bollestad’s dramatic resignation as party leader on August 22, no one has publicly stepped forward to claim leadership positions. Kristiansen is not alone in expressing interest; Jorunn Gleditsch Lossius, a former member of parliament for KrF, is also vying for the party’s secured seat from Agder. After losing the deputy leader position last year, she now sees a potential path back into a leadership role.

“If I am fortunate enough to secure a seat from Agder, I am ready to take responsibility for the party in some capacity,” she stated, emphasizing her openness to stepping in if needed.

The resignation of Bollestad has left the nomination committee facing a challenging task, as several potential candidates have already declined the opportunity to lead the party. Dag-Inge Ulstein, the acting leader, has ruled himself out of a leadership bid and will not seek re-election to parliament. Former leader Kjell Ingolf Ropstad has also stated he is not ready for the responsibility, nor is veteran Hans Olav Syversen, according to sources. Current deputy leader Ida Lindtveit Røse has yet to decide on her future involvement in leadership.

Reid Ivar B. Dahl, head of KrF’s nomination committee, noted that it is crucial to establish a strong connection between the future parliamentary group and the upcoming party leadership. The nomination committee is in an ongoing dialogue with various candidates and will soon gather responses from regional chapters, which will be essential in shaping the new leadership. The committee aims to finalize its leadership recommendations by early January, before the extraordinary national meeting of KrF.