Norwegian Christian People's Party
|
Christian Democratic Party
Kristelig Folkeparti |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Abbreviation | KrF |
| Leader | Knut Arild Hareide |
| Parliamentary leader | Knut Arild Hareide |
| Founded | 4 September 1933 |
| Headquarters | Øvre Slottsgate 18–20 0154 Oslo |
| Youth wing | Young Christian Democrats |
| Membership | 25,000 (2012) |
| Ideology |
Christian democracy Social conservatism Euroscepticism |
| Political position | Centre |
| European affiliation | European People's Party (observer) |
| International affiliation | Centrist Democrat International |
| Colours | Yellow |
| Storting |
8 / 169
|
| County Councils |
46 / 728
|
| Municipal / City Councils |
621 / 10,781
|
| Sami Parliament |
0 / 39
|
| Website | |
| www.krf.no | |
The Christian Democratic Party (Bokmål: Kristelig Folkeparti, Nynorsk: Kristeleg Folkeparti, KrF), is a Christian democraticpolitical party in Norway founded in 1933. The Norwegian name literally translates to Christian People's Party, shortened KrF. The name may also be translated as "The People's Christian Party".
The party follow their European counterparts in many ways, positioning themselves as a family-friendly party. While founded on the basis of advocating moral-cultural Christian issues, the party has broadened its political profile over time, although Christian values remains its core distinction. It is considered an overall centrist party, combining socially conservative views with more left-leaning economic positions. The party is an observer member of the European People's Party (EPP).
The Christian Democrats' leader from 1983 to 1995, Kjell Magne Bondevik, was one of the most prominent political figures in modern Norway, serving as Prime Minister from 1997 to 2000 and 2001 to 2005. Under the old leadership of Bondevik and Valgerd Svarstad Haugland, the party was to some extent radicalized and moved towards the left. Due largely to their poor showing in the 2009 elections, the party has seen a conflict between its conservative and liberal wings. The current leader is Knut Arild Hareide, who has led the party into a more liberal direction as part of a "renewal" process, and introduced climate change and environmentalism as the party's most important issues.
In social policy the Christian Democratic Party generally have conservative opinions. On life issues, the party opposes euthanasia, and abortion, though it can support abortion in cases of rape or when the mother's life is at risk. The party supports accessibility to contraception as a way of lowering abortion rates. They also want to ban research on human fetuses, and have expressed skepticism for proposals to liberalise the biotechnology laws in Norway. Bondevik's second government made the biotechnology laws of Norway among the strictest in the World, with support from the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party, but in 2004 a case regarding a child with thalassemia brought this law under fire. On gay rights issues, the party supports possibilities for gay couples to live together, but opposes gay marriage and gay adoption rights. The party maintains neutrality on the issue of gay clergy, calling that an issue for the church.
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Wikipedia