A Haladás Párt (Norvégia)
The Progress Party (Norway)

Summary/Abstract: The Norwegian Progress Party, since its foundation in 1973, has clearly become an institutionalised player with strong popular support and significant influence on both policy and government formation. Although the party has not yet held government office, the long-standing party leader, Carl I. Hagen, in his address following the extremely successful 2005 general elections, expressed his wish to transform the Progress Party into the 'Labour Party of the 21st Century'. The present paper examines the possible interpretations and relevance of this surprising phrase by analysing the foundation, institutionalisation, profile and strategies of this once 'anti-party party'. It argues that the description is less relevant in terms of policy preferences due to the fact that the party is mostly, though not entirely, characterised by a right-wing profile. However, in terms of its constituency, the party has managed to attract voters from both political camps, and most markedly from the two (then) major parties.

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