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The Norwegian Labour Party (Det norske Arbeiderparti, Arbeiderpartiet or DNA) is a left-wing political party in Norway. It was founded in 1887, and has been Norway's largest political party since 1927 (a position challenged by a couple of other parties in polls during recent years, however).
The party experienced a split in 1921 caused by a decision made two years earlier to join the Communist International. In 1923 the party left the Communist International and in 1927 Labour was once again united. The first labour government was formed in 1928, lasting only two weeks. During the early 1930s Labour abandoned its revolutionary profile and set for a reformist course. Labour then returned to government in 1935 and remained in power until 1965 (except for the exile period between 1940-1945 and one month in 1963). Other periods in government have been 1971-1972, 1973-1981, 1986-1989 ,1990-1997 and 2000-2001. It has been in power most of this time and is largely to be credited for building the modern welfare state in Norway.
DNA is still officially a social democratic party committed to liberty, democracy and social justice. During the last 20 years however, the party has shifted significantly toward a market liberalist approach, privatizing publicly owned services and businesses, giving taxcuts primarily to the wealthy, reducing the public sectors' relative proportion of the total economy, deregulating markets etc. This shift towards right-winged economics is similar to that of New Labour lead by Tony Blair in Britain. It is a reformist party that believes in partnership and cooperation on a national as well as international level. Since the elections in 2001 the party is the largest opposition party, with 43 seats in the Parliament.
Former party leader and Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland is now stepping down from the position as chairman of the WHO after 5 years. She is one of Norway's most renowned politicians, both at home and abroad.
The party's youth organization is known as the AUF (Arbeidernes ungdomsfylking).
Party leaders
Labour Prime Ministers
Election results
DNA_election_returns_1894_2001.PNG
Year % Seats
1894 0.3 0 out of 114
1897 0.6 0 out of 114
1900 5.2 0 out of 114
1903 12.1 4 out of 117
1906 15.9 11 out of 123
1909 21.5 11 out of 123
1912 26.2 23 out of 123
1915 32.0 19 out of 123
1918 31.6 18 out of 126
1921 21.3 29 out of 150
1924 18.4 24 out of 150
1927 36.8 59 out of 150
1930 31.4 47 out of 150
1933 40.1 69 out of 150
1936 42.5 70 out of 150
1945 41.0 76 out of 150
1949 45.7 85 out of 150
1953 46.7 77 out of 150
1957 48.3 78 out of 150
1961 46.8 74 out of 150
1965 43.1 68 out of 150
1969 46.5 74 out of 150
1973 35.3 62 out of 155
1977 42.3 76 out of 155
1981 37.1 65 out of 155
1985 40.8 71 out of 157
1989 34.3 63 out of 165
1993 36.9 67 out of 165
1997 35.0 65 out of 165
2001 24.3 43 out of 165
External link
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