Ingrid Olina Hovland has been elected as the new leader of KrFU, the youth wing of Norway's Christian Democratic Party. She won a contested election against Jonas Ek, securing 82 out of 107 votes in a written ballot.
Hovland expressed gratitude for the confidence shown in her. She said she looks forward to leading an organization with record numbers of new members and strong school election results behind them.
This marked the first contested leadership election at a KrFU national meeting in decades. The 20-year-old law student from Stavanger previously served as deputy leader of Rogaland KrFU and as the organization's general secretary.
Hovland gained national attention earlier when she challenged former KrF leader Valgerd Svarstad Haugland on gender equality policies. She argued that equality policies had gone too far in some areas. She also advocated for banning rainbow flags in schools.
The new leader now faces the task of building the organization and developing new policies. She succeeds Hadle Rasmus Bjuland, who stepped down after four years in the position.
As deputy leaders, Hovland will be joined by Erik Rønhovde from Vestfold and Torkel Johannes Bjuland. Both are 22 years old.
This leadership change comes at a time when Norway's Christian Democratic Party faces challenges in maintaining relevance among younger voters. The party's conservative stance on social issues often conflicts with mainstream youth perspectives.