Kåre Willoch
Kåre Willoch | |
---|---|
Olav V | |
Deputy | Kjell Magne Bondevik |
Preceded by | Gro Harlem Brundtland |
Succeeded by | Gro Harlem Brundtland |
Leader of the Conservative Party | |
In office 26 April 1970 – 12 May 1974 | |
First Deputy | Erling Norvik Lars T. Platou |
Second Deputy | Lars T. Platou Per Hysing-Dahl |
Preceded by | Sjur Lindebrække |
Succeeded by | Erling Norvik |
Minister of Trade and Shipping | |
In office 12 October 1965 – 5 June 1970 | |
Prime Minister | Per Borten |
Preceded by | Trygve Lie |
Succeeded by | Otto G. Tidemand |
In office 28 August 1963 – 25 September 1963 | |
Prime Minister | John Lyng |
Preceded by | O. C. Gundersen |
Succeeded by | Erik Himle |
President of the Nordic Council | |
In office 1 January 1973 – 31 December 1973 | |
Preceded by | V. J. Sukselainen |
Succeeded by | Johannes Antonsson |
Member of the Storting | |
In office 1 January 1958 – 30 September 1989 | |
Deputy | Ivar Moe Astri Rynning Jan P. Syse Annelise Høegh Kari Garmann |
Constituency | Oslo |
Deputy Member of the Storting | |
In office 1 January 1954 – 31 December 1957 | |
Constituency | Oslo |
Personal details | |
Born | Kåre Isaachsen Willoch 3 October 1928 Oslo, Norway |
Died | 6 December 2021 Oslo, Norway | (aged 93)
Political party | Conservative |
Spouse |
Anne Marie Jørgensen
(m. 1954) |
Children | 3 |
Parents |
|
Alma mater | University of Oslo |
Signature | |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Norway |
Branch/service | Norwegian Army |
Kåre Isaachsen Willoch (Norwegian pronunciation:
After stepping down as Prime Minister, he later served as Governor of both Oslo as well as Akershus counties from 1990 to 1998 and as Chairman of Norway's state broadcasting company NRK from 1998 to 2000. Following his retirement from politics he became an outspoken advocate of the environment and human rights and was widely respected for his activism including amongst Norway's political left.[3] He also wrote several books.
Early life
Willoch was born on 3 October 1928 in
On 1 May 1954, he married Anne Marie Jørgensen (born 9 March 1930[6]).[2][5]
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 spoke Norwegian, English, German and French fluently.
Political life
An economist (characterized in 1981 as being "supply side"
Within the Conservative Party, Willoch was respected for his command of the issues and consistent ideological platform. In spite of friendly rivalries with Erling Norvik, Rolf Presthus, and Jan P. Syse, these and other party members led a political shift in Norway away from the nation's social democratic legacy.
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
He was appointed 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 chain of Labor governments after World War II, headed by Einar Gerhardsen and Oscar Torp.
He was appointed to the same ministerial post in the government of Per Borten from 1965 to 1970. He stepped down from this post to become first the Parliamentary leader, and then the chairman of the Conservative Party from 1970 to 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
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
Most of Willoch's political career was spent in opposition to various Labour governments. His rhetorical style was characterized by a 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."
Premiership
Willoch was asked to form a Conservative party government when a non-socialist coalition gained a majority in the
When Braathens SAFE Flight 139 was hijacked, the hijacker demanded to speak with Willoch.[8]
By the
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 included:
- 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 policy of "reduction of tensions" in the Nordic region, which marginalized Norway in NATO, the Willoch cabinet approved forward logistical bases for U.S. rapid deployment forces[9] and lent full support to the NATO double track decision of 1979.[10]
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.
Later life
Willoch served as
Considered one of the most pronounced conservative Norwegian politicians in his time, in later years he shifted his position in many areas and became known for his advocacy of human rights and environmental issues. He took issue with the "culture of greed",[12] "tax paradises',[13] the environment,[14] and criticised Israel's policies toward Palestinians, stating that the occupation of and settlement on Palestinian land (outside the 1967 borders) is unlawful. The extent of the political left's newfound respect for Willoch after he left office was summarised by social democrat former government minister Hallvard Bakke, who when criticising Willoch's defense of some of his policies regarding the surveillance of communists in the 1980s noted that Willoch had become the most important voice on the Middle East conflict and many other issues, but that "Willoch isn't always right".[3]
Widely respected[2] for his activism and argumentative style,[15] he accused Israel of "ethnic cleansing"[16][unreliable source?] stated that it is "creating terror" by cultivating extremism "as if in a greenhouse in the Palestinian areas".[17] Supporters of Israel such as Jo Benkow criticised his views as partisan and unapologetically pro-Palestinian.[18] Willoch also stated 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".[19] He also claimed that Israel indirectly contributes to antisemitism stating that "It would be naïve to ignore that Israel's politics towards the Palestinians has become a new source of negative attitudes."[19] In May 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."[20][21]
In an op-ed in the newspaper
Willoch said the appointment of
Regarding
In 1996, Willoch was decorated as a Commander with Star of the Order of St. Olav.[2]
Kåre Willoch died in his home in Oslo, on 6 December 2021, at the age of 93.[27]
Bibliography
- 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 82-02-18596-3
- Willoch, Kåre: Myter og virkelighet, Cappelen, 2002, ISBN 82-02-20460-7
- Willoch, Kåre: Utfordringer, Cappelen, 2004, ISBN 82-02-23572-3
- Willoch, Kåre: "Strid og samarbeid", Cappelen Damm, 2016, ISBN 978-82-02-51041-1
References
- Store norske leksikon(in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g Stanghelle, Harald. "Kåre Willoch". Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ a b Hallvard Bakke: "Willoch på villstrå". Klassekampen, 19 November 2010
- ISBN 978-1-4616-7206-7.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-313-28623-0.
- ^ Stanghelle, Harald (25 February 2020), "Kåre Willoch", Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian Bokmål), retrieved 5 June 2020
- ^ New York Times Archived 12 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine Voters shift to right, bolstering NATO's northern outpost
- ^ "Den 24 år gamle mannen fra Karmøy som fredag kapret et fly" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 23 June 1985.
- ^ Rolf Tamnes og Knut Einar Eriksen=. "Norge og NATO under den kalde krigen" (in Norwegian). Atlanterhavskomiteen. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ [1] Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- stortinget.noretrieved 8 April 2013 (in Norwegian)
- ^ [2] Archived 22 November 2004 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Willoch, Kåre (16 May 2001). "USA skader globaliseringen". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ Vassbotn, Per. "Miljøet opp og ned". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
- ^ [3] [dead link]
- ^ "Willoch og etnisk rensing" (in Norwegian). Med Israel For Fred. 12 October 2001. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ Hultgren, John (24 May 2004). "Willoch: Israel skaper terror". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 24 May 2011.
- ^ Spence, Thomas (28 April 2004). "Willoch på studietur til Arafat". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 23 May 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ a b Willoch, Kåre (29 November 2003). "Israels politikk skader jødenes sikkerhet på lengre sikt". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ Spence, Thomas (16 May 2006). "Jeg taler med hvem jeg vil". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 7 November 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ Spence, Thomas (16 May 2006). "Petersen hardt ut mot SV og Willoch". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ Willoch, Kåre (14 January 2009). "Veien til katastrofen". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 18 March 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ a b Urimelig beskyldning mot Kåre Willoch
- ^ Rahm Emanuel’s Father Problem, TIME
- ^ Emanuel apologizes for father's racist remarks
- ^ Dagbladet, 11 December 2010, p. 3 by Marie Simonsen: "Men problemet, som Kåre Willoch tørt konstaterte i et intervju med NRK, er ikke at noen avdekker brudd på menneskerettigheter, men at vesten begår dem."
- ^ Olsson, Svein Vestrum (6 December 2021). "Kåre Willoch er død". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 6 December 2021.
Further reading
- Wilsford, David, ed. Political leaders of contemporary Western Europe: a biographical dictionary (Greenwood, 1995) pp. 475–81.
In Norwegian
- ISBN 82-03-22027-4.
- Brundtland, Gro H. (1997). Mitt liv, 1939–1986 (in Norwegian). Gyldendal. ISBN 82-05-24869-9.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - ISBN 978-82-489-0793-0.
External links
- Homage to a true conservative. Profile of Kåre Willoch, written in the HumanBeams magazine, by Gisle Tangenes.