Is there a ferry savior in KrF?

COMMENTARY: Jesus walked on water. His representatives in politics in Rogaland are drowning because of the ferries.

In a few months, Stavanger may have a deputy mayor without a party. Behind the name of Henrik Halleland, “Independent” can be written where previously “KrF” was written.

Dramatically?

Mnja, yes, there is a bit of drama in this, both for Stavanger, the county and not least for KrF.

The scandal is not about Stavanger, but about the county and the ferries. When the sea spray has subsided, we may be left with a damaged people’s party of a Christian character, an independent man on the verge and a lot of bad atmosphere.

To get there, we have to get on the ferry, but not drive onto the ferry before I have said drive onto the ferry!

…

Drive onto the ferry!

Free ferries?

The majority in the county have dropped free ferries to have money for other things. The problem is that the government has sent money to all the counties with instructions to spend it on free ferries.

Don’t spend your money on snobs! Regards, mother. The Center Party, in this case.

Rogaland county, like a defiant, snobbish youngster, would rather spend the money on other things. They want to be told what to spend the money on, even though the government has told them what to spend the money on. Then the government threatens to withdraw the money. Now they stand there, these two sizes, like gunmen pointing guns at each other and hoping that the other will surrender.

This is where KrF has put itself on the hook.

In the county, KrF is part of the majority together with the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and the Liberal Party. To be there, you have to give and take a little. Something for something. The ferries have been important for KrF, partly because the party has a strong position in places where there is close contact with salt water. Øyane, Ryfylke and places like that where the quay and the prayer house are important dimensions.

Henrik Halleland was the last mayor of Finnøy before the municipality was absorbed by Stavanger. Sorry, merged with Stavanger. Halleland is indeed a KrF member, he is certainly deputy mayor in Stavanger, but he is so Finnøy-bu in body and soul. Halleland is the man of the islands.

KrF has, in all decisions that exist, said that they want free ferries. Nevertheless, they have sold the ferries, and got back…

Yes, what do they have to show?

A pure loss

Maybe this is where the dog is buried? What have they got back? Some half-kved shows that the fast boat offer didn’t go so crazy after all? Well, they won’t get far with that. No K in KRLE, no abortion victories, no symbolic victories. Slightly better conditions for the independent schools, but not enough to appease the ferry people.

What they have got is internal chaos.

It will be a bit of a comedy evening when number one and number two in KrF in Stavanger, on the same day, write letters to readers for and against a free ferry. Anne Kristin Bruns (KrF’s number two in Stavanger) is group leader in the county. She must defend the misery on the same day that Henrik Halleland rages. Ok, people from Finnøy don’t rage, but that he is rehearsed? Absolutely!

Aftenbladet wrote about the first announcement already in February. Ole Olsen, general manager of the door and window factory Meling AS in Kvitsøy, had had enough of the entire KrF, and there may be more to come.

Dare to stand like Daniel

The danger for KrF is that this ferry case will be stuck on them. The Center Party and the Labor Party have done their bit to crucify the KrF in the ferry case.

Such things will be remembered, for example on Finnøy. And if there is one thing KrF cannot stand, it is losing a foothold in a place where they are strong. There aren’t that many places like that.

What percentage of the votes did KrF get in Finnøy in 2023?

26.7 percent!

There is hardly a more heavily bastioned Krf bastion than Finnøy. Henrik Halleland cannot stand as ex-mayor at the Tomato Festival in a KrF jacket and defend the ferry case. That’s the limit.

That a deputy mayor threatens to resign from his own party is quite dramatic. Halleland will remain in office as deputy mayor anyway. He is elected for four years, and deputy mayor cannot be re-elected. It is stated in the Municipal Act. But Halleland is steadfast enough to opt out once he has threatened to do so.

Halleland is unlikely to join the Conservative Party, because they are complicit in the ferry trouble. Other parties are hardly relevant. Halleland is unlikely to join Rødt, but the mayor of Stavanger needs a free agent as much as I need more eczema in hard-to-reach places.

The power ratio in Stavanger is 33–34. The blue majority has a preponderance of one vote.

Halleland can stick to the KrF programme, for which he has been selected. But independent is independent after all. The balance of power in Stavanger is, at least in theory: 33 – 1 – 33.

Punishment awaits

For KrF, this has become a piece of shit. The ferry people have singled them out as recipients of 30 silver coins, and they just can’t get away with it. The party is loud against cut, simultaneous as they defend it with the classic “… we have to give and take in a collaboration”.

The voters naturally ask themselves what they will get in return for their KrF vote, apart from keeping the godless socialists from power. Are there any Samson muscles there, or is KrF just happy to dangle with the majority?

If they lose the ferry case, it will be remembered. KrF may be punished at the next election. When we elect people to the Storting next time, the ferry people will remember what KrF did. In the fight against the blocking limit, which KrF always fights against, this can be decisive.

The free ferries could be a real disappointment for Rogaland KrF. Henrik Halleland has given his own party one last chance. Fix this or I’m out. That message does not just come from the former Finnøy mayor. He carries a message on behalf of many.

Fix it, KrF, or we’ll end it.