Eskil Pedersen (born 6 March 1984 in Skien) is a Norwegian politician and leader of the left-wing Workers' Youth League (AUF), the youth organisation associated with Norway's leading Labour Party.[1][2][3]
On 22 July 2011 Pedersen survived the massacre on the Workers' Youth League summer camp at Utøya on 22 July 2011.[4] Although leaders of AUF are never anonymous, his role in the aftermath as a representative for the organisation has caused a vast increase in media exposure, particularly in the months following the attacks. Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of the attacks, stated that Pedersen was one of his three primary targets.[5]
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Born in Skien in Telemark, Pedersen has studied towards a bachelor's degree in political science, and studied courses in European and American studies at the University of Oslo. He was also elected as the first openly gay leader of the Workers' Youth League.[6]
Eskil Pedersen has been the leader of Workers' Youth League since 17 October 2010, when he succeeded Martin Henriksen who was later appointed senior advisor to the Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen. He has previously served as the county leader of AUF in Telemark (2001–2004) and Oslo (2006-2008). He was deputy leader of AUF from 2006 to 2010. Pedersen has previously served as a board member in Telemark No to the EU, and has served as a political advisor to AUF on election campaigns and environmental matters.
He has been a deputy member of the Oslo city council since 2007.
In May 2011 he pressed criminal charges against Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the parliament,[7] based on the a statement the latter made regarding Social integration. The charges were dismissed by the police,[8] and fellow youth politician Ove Vanebo accused Pedersen of false claim and called it "cowardly and pathetic" that Pedersen did not apologize to Tybring-Gjedde.[9][10]
In the run-up to the 2011 local elections, Pedersen accused the Mayor of Oslo Fabian Stang of being "undemocratic" after the latter attributed Labour Party poll gains in the election run-up to short-term voter sympathy.[11]
In September 2011 he and several local members of AUF were invited by American hip-hop artist Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson to a concert, in a show of solidarity and sympathy with the victims of the massacre.[12]
On 22 July, the day of the 2011 Norway attacks, Eskil Pedersen was present at the annual AUF summer camp on Utøya. As the leader of the organization, he was one of the assailants stated targets along with another Labour Party politician, Gro Harlem Brundtland who was scheduled to be there that day, but left the island before he arrived. Breivik would later state that he had studied Pedersen's physical appearance and facial attributes to be able to recognize him during the attack. [5]
As soon as the perpetrator disembarked on the island and started his rampage, Pedersen along with his political aide, heard the gunfire and sought refuge on the ferry MS Thorbjørn, and along with seven other people decided to make their escape from the island.[13] Pedersen later stated that while being at the Hønefoss police headquarters he feared a coup d'etat had taken place, and could not trust any member of the police. He later explained:
"We thought that it was a coup d'etat and that police were a part of it", and "later when we came across large police officers with body armour we were just waiting for them to turn around and shoot us".[14] In another interview he states: "I thought at the time that the entire country was under attack, that it was a coup where police were involved, i thought that no place was secure."[15]
Since then there has been a near-total media blackout on critical sentiment relating to his handling of the crisis.[13]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Martin Henriksen |
Leader of the Workers' Youth League 2010–present |
Incumbent |