Ine Eriksen Søreide Delivers First Speech as New Høyre Leader

Ine Eriksen Søreide gave her first speech as leader of Norway’s Conservative Party, Høyre, on Saturday afternoon at 4:45 p.m. The address marked her official start in the role and outlined her vision for the party’s future direction. Just five hours earlier, she had been welcomed as the new leader with thunderous applause at the party’s national convention. She takes over from Erna Solberg, who served as Høyre’s leader for 22 years and is the longest-serving prime minister in the party’s history. Solberg offered clear advice to her successor: be yourself. “It becomes very difficult to exist otherwise,” Solberg said. “So Ine must lead Høyre on her own terms, in her own way.” Søreide now leads a party facing challenges after its worst result in two decades and Solberg’s first election as party leader. Søreide acknowledged the tough road ahead, noting that today’s political landscape differs greatly from when Solberg took charge. “We’re entering a very different era,” she said earlier Saturday. “There are new societal challenges, and the world around us is far more unstable. That affects domestic politics.” The next major test for her leadership will come at the 2027 municipal and county elections. She emphasized patience and unity, saying, “We must hurry slowly. Good results won’t come overnight. We need to find solutions together.” The new leadership team includes first deputy Henrik Asheim and second deputy Ola Svenneby, former head of the youth wing Unge Høyre. Svenneby believes his generational perspective, shaped by events like the financial crisis, Brexit, and the refugee crisis, adds value to the trio.