Kåre Willoch

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Kåre Willoch

Prime Minister of Norway
In office 1981 – 1986
Preceded by	Gro Harlem Brundtland
Succeeded by	Gro Harlem Brundtland

Born	October 3, 1928
Political party	Conservative Party

Kåre Isaachsen Willoch (help·info) [IPA: kɔrɛ isɑ:k'sɛn vi:l'ok] (born October 3, 1928) is a Norwegian politician from the Conservative Party. He was Prime Minister of Norway from 1981 to 1986.

Willoch graduated as an economist (cand. oecon.) from the University of Oslo. He served in the Norwegian Brigade that formed part of the Allied occupation in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, after World War II, and became a dedicated friend of Germany during that time.

He speaks Norwegian, English, German and French, and has published a number of books.

1 Political life
2 External links
3 References

[edit] Political life

An economist (characterized in 1981 as being "supply side" ^[1]) by education and profession, Willoch made an early mark in national politics on issues related to economic development. He expressed deep skepticism about social democratic reforms throughout most of the post-World War II era and has advocated a larger role for market mechanisms to solve economic problems.

Within the Conservative Party, Willoch was respected for his command of the issues and consistent ideological platform. In spite of friendly rivalry with Erling Norvik, Rolf Presthus, and Jan P. Syse, these and other party members led a political shift in Norway away from the social democratic legacy.

[edit] Parliamentary and ministerial posts

Willoch's first political post was as a member of the Oslo City Council from 1952 to 1959.

Willoch was first elected to the Norwegian parliament at the age of 29 in 1957, representing Oslo. He was to be elected in every parliamentary election until 1989.

He was appointed as minister of trade in the short-lived but notable John Lyng cabinet from August to September 1963, following the Kings Bay Affair that brought to an end the uninterrupted Einar Gerhardsen cabinets since World War II.

He was appointed to the same ministerial post in the government of Per Borten in 1965-1970. He stepped down from this post to become first the Parliamentary leader, and then chairman of the Conservative Party 1970-1974.

In 1973, he unified his party in opposition to the newly introduced restrictions on use of land. This formed a watershed in Norwegian politics, in that the party adopted a stronger ideological alternative to the social democratic establishment that had dominated post-World War II politics. Some historians, notably Francis Sejersted attribute this in large part to the Norwegian Labour Party's exuberant continuation of social democratic efforts.

Willoch served as the leader of the Foreign Affairs committee in the coalition government and from then until he retired from parliament in 1989.

As a member of the Borten government he faced the constitutional question of the marriage of the then Crown Prince Harald to a commoner, Sonja Haraldsen. (They married in 1968 and since 1991 have been king and queen). Willoch is reported to have never considered opposing the union.

Most of Willoch's political career was spent in opposition to various Labour governments. His rhetorical style was characterized by conservative use of language and carefully articulated viewpoints that many considered cold or even sarcastic. His debates with long-time adversary Gro Harlem Brundtland became legendary in Norway and were by several accounts based on personal as well as political differences. Brundtland wrote in her memoirs that she learned from Willoch "how not to treat people, or parties."

[edit] Prime Minister

Willoch was asked to form a Conservative party government when a non-socialist coalition gained a majority in the parliamentary elections of 1981. The cabinet depended on the support of the Christian Democrats and Centre Party, and in 1983 these joined the cabinet to become a coalition government.

By the parliamentary elections of 1985, Willoch's cabinet had lost much of its parliamentary basis and was dependent on the Progress party for support. The cabinet lost a vote of no-confidence over Willoch's proposal to increase surcharges on gasoline, when the Socialist Left Party, Labour Party, and Progress party joined forces. A minority government led by Gro Harlem Brundtland took over through the rest of the parliamentary period.

In spite of difficult parliamentary conditions, the Willoch cabinet embarked on a series of reforms that to many seemed like reversals of long-standing social democratic reforms, and to others changes that reflected new and emerging economic realities.

Often cited changes include:

Dissolution of the governmental monopoly on radio and television broadcasting, including allowing the introduction of commercially-funded content.
Ending government intervention in credit markets, which in turn led to freer access to credit by both consumers and businesses.
Reducing restrictions on ownership and sale of real estate
Reducing restrictions on retail trade, especially with respect to opening hours
Several efforts at strengthening the non-petroleum related Norwegian economy

The Willoch government's foreign policy was largely consistent with those of prior Labour party cabinets in terms of Norwegian commitments under the NATO treaty, but deviated sharply on the issue of non-proliferation. Where the Labour Party promoted a reduction of tensions in the Nordic region, the Willoch cabinet approved forward logistical bases for American rapid deployment forces[1] and lent full support for the NATO dual track decision of 1979 [2].

Willoch came under criticism for not acting sooner to stop the activities of politician and career diplomat Arne Treholt, who was arrested in 1984 and convicted of treason and espionage in favor of the Soviet Union and Iraq.

Willoch earned a reputation as a sharp-witted, sometimes acerbic politician. During his years in parliament and in various governments, he was respected by his political allies and opponents alike, but never gained the popularity of other prime ministers in his time in office.

[edit] After retirement from national politics

Willoch served as county governor (fylkesmann) of Oslo and Akershus from 1989 to 1998. From 1998 to 2000 he was chairman of NRK, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. He was also director of the Nansen Institute. Since 1986, he has been deputy chairman of the International Democrat Union (IDU), and he has been President of the Deutsch-Norwegische Gesellschaft (German-Norwegian Society).

Considered one of the most pronounced conservative Norwegian politicians in his time, he has in later years shifted his position in many areas. He has taken issue with the "culture of greed"[3], "tax paradises' [4], the environment [5] and has been particularly harsh in his condemnation of Israel's policies toward Palestinians. He has accused the country of "ethnic cleansing,"[6] and he says it is "creating terror" by cultivating extremism "as if in a greenhouse in the Palestinian areas" [7]. This has prompted his long-time friend and party colleague Jo Benkow to comment that "On this topic, Willoch must be the most partisan public person in this country." [8]. He has also claimed that, though "there are strong reasons to warn against the new antisemitism", it will not strengthen Israel's cause to accuse critics of Israeli politics of antisemitism[9]. He also claims that Israel indirectly contributes to New antisemitism stating that "It would be naive to ignore that Israel's politics towards the Palestinians has become a new source of negative attitudes." [10]In May of 2006, Willoch invited Atef Adwan, an official in Hamas to a private luncheon at Det Norske Selskab, commenting that "A dialogue with Hamas is very useful."[11] an action that prompted criticism by fellow Conservative party member and former foreign minister Jan Petersen [12].

[edit] External links

Homage to a true conservative. Profile of Kåre Willoch, written in the HumanBeams magazine, by Gisle Tangenes.
Willoch on terrorism

[edit] References

^ New York Times Voters shift to right, bolstering NATO's northern outpost

Edgeir Benum (ed.): Overflod og fremtidsfrykt, 1970 - ; Aschehougs Norgeshistorie, volume 12. ISBN 8203220274
Willoch, Kåre: Minner og meninger, Chr. Schibsteds Forlag, Oslo 1988, ISBN 82-516-1231-4
Willoch, Kåre: Statsminister, Chr. Schibsteds Forlag, Oslo 1990, ISBN 82-516-1350-7
Willoch, Kåre: Tanker i tiden Cappelen , 1999 , ISBN 82-021-8596-3
Willoch, Kåre: Myter og virkelighet, Cappelen , 2002 , ISBN 82-022-0460-7
Willoch, Kåre: Utfordringer, Cappelen , 2004 , ISBN 82-022-3572-3
Brundtland, Gro Harlem: Mitt Liv, 1939-1986, Gyldendal, 1997 ISBN 8205248699

Preceded by Gro Harlem Brundtland	Prime Minister of Norway 1981–1986	Succeeded by Gro Harlem Brundtland
Preceded by Trygve Lie	Norwgian Minister of Trade and Shipping 1965–1970	Succeeded by Otto Grieg Tidemand
Preceded by Oscar Chr. Gundersen	Norwgian Minister of Trade and Shipping 1963	Succeeded by Erik Himle
Preceded by Sjur Lindebrække	Chairman of the Conservative Party 1970–1974	Succeeded by Erling Norvik