Norway’s Erna Solberg to step down as Conservative Party leader in 2026

ISTANBUL

Former Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg announced on Friday that she will resign as leader of the Conservative Party after more than two decades at the helm, saying she must “take responsibility” for the party’s poor election result.

Speaking at a press conference following a party leadership meeting, Solberg said she has asked the central board to convene an extraordinary congress in 2026 to elect her successor, the national broadcaster NRK reported.

“When Hoyre (Conservative Party) is to lift itself toward future elections, it will not be under my leadership,” Solberg told reporters.

“I have therefore asked the central board to call a national meeting in 2026, and at that meeting, Hoyre will choose a new leadership.”

The decision comes after Hoyre won 14.6% of the vote in the parliamentary election, down 5.7 points from the previous poll, one of the party’s weakest results in recent history.

“That is something both we and I must take responsibility for,” Solberg said, adding that she will continue to lead the party until the February congress.

Solberg, 63, has led Hoyre since 2004 and served as Norway’s prime minister from 2013 to 2021, the second-longest tenure in the country’s history. She pointed to her government’s eight years in office as a highlight of her career.

“I am, of course, most proud that we managed to build a conservative coalition and implement policies for eight years,” she said.

Several party figures described the day as “sad and emotional.”

Unge Hoyre leader Ola Svenneby said Solberg would be remembered as “one of the most important people in the party’s history.”

Former Transport Minister Knut Arild Hareide also praised her as “one of the foremost conservative politicians of our time.”

Speculation over Solberg’s successor has already begun, with several Hoyre mayors pointing to former foreign minister Ine Eriksen Soreide.

Other names mentioned include Henrik Asheim and Peter Frolich.

Asked about her potential replacement, Solberg quipped: “Shoe size 41 is not that big. Whoever takes over will do it in their own way—something new, fresh, and different. Not a boastful Bergenser who has become quite grown-up.”