Støre denied putting pressure on Helga Pedersen
Photo: Jonas Has Henriksen/TV 2
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) acknowledged he spoke to Helga Pedersen before she withdrew from the race to become Labor’s new party secretary, but would not reveal what the talks were about.
– I think it was right that I spoke to him ahead of the national meeting when there was talk of him running, but I did not share the contents of the conversation. It’s good, we know each other well and can talk well together, Støre told TV 2.
– Why did you call Pedersen?
– Because the media operates on speculation that he will be silent. It’s not something I’ve ever heard in person, and then I thought it made sense that I would hear it in person. We talked about the party ahead, what we would like to contribute.
According to TV 2 sources, the contents of the conversation with Støre should have kept Pedersen out of the game voting.
– Do you feel that you are pressing it?
– No, I didn’t do that at all. We know each other well and speak well together, and I thought the explanation he gave as to what led to his decision was well received.
Støre said that he had full confidence in the position put forward by the election committee, in which the current party secretary recommended Kjersti Stensen to continue in his position.
According to the TV 2 poll, 50.9 percent believe Helga Pedersen should be elected, while only 22 percent believe Stensen is the right person.
– I think the polls say a lot of strange things, said Støre.
“Amateur analyst. Zombie geek. Hardcore troublemaker. Internet expert. Incurable twitter fanatic.”
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mentormedier/NBEATS6T3BJJH7K3BNTFA7RH5Q.jpg)
