Centre Party (Norway)
Updated: 12/10/2025, 9:15:52 PM Wikipedia source
The Centre Party (Norwegian: Senterpartiet, Sp; Northern Sami: Guovddášbellodat), formerly the Farmer's Party (Norwegian: Bondepartiet, Bp), is an agrarian political party in Norway. Ideologically, the Centre Party is positioned in the centre on the political spectrum, it advocates for economic nationalist and protectionist policy to protect Norwegian farmers with toll tariffs, and it supports decentralisation. It was founded in 1920 as the Farmers' Party (Norwegian: Bondepartiet, Bp) and from its founding until 2000, the Centre Party joined only governments not led by the Labour Party, although it had previously supported a Labour government in the 1930s. This turned around in 2005, when the party joined the red–green coalition government led by the Labour Party. Governments headed by prime ministers from the party include the short-lived Kolstad and Hundseid's Cabinet between 1931 and 1933 and the longer-lasting Borten's Cabinet from 1965 until 1971. The Centre Party has maintained a strong stance against Norwegian membership in the European Union, successfully campaigning against Norwegian membership in both the 1972 and 1994 referendums, during which time the party saw record-high election results. Subsequently, the party proposed Norway's withdrawal from the European Economic Area and the Schengen Agreement. In 2017, party deputy leader Ola Borten Moe declared nationalism to be a "positive force".
Infobox
Abbreviation
Sp
Leader
Trygve Slagsvold Vedum
Parliamentary leader
Marit Arnstad
Founded
19 May 1920; 105 years ago (1920-05-19)
Headquarters
Akersgata 35, Oslo
Youth wing
Centre Youth
Membership (2024)
15,783
Ideology
mw- Agrarianism (Nordic)Economic nationalism Euroscepticism
Political position
Centre
Nordic affiliation
Centre Group
Colours
mw- Green
Slogan
Nær folk('Close to people')
Storting
9 / 169
County Councils
106 / 574
Municipal Councils
1,274 / 9,344
Sami Parliament
0 / 39
Tables
· Election results › Storting
1921
1921
Election
1921
Leader
Kristoffer Høgset
Votes
118,657
%
13.1
Seats
17 / 150
+/–
14
Position
4th
Status
Opposition
1924
1924
Election
1924
Leader
131,706
Votes
13.5
%
22 / 150
Seats
5
+/–
4th
Position
Opposition
1927
1927
Election
1927
Leader
Erik Enge
Votes
149,026
%
14.9
Seats
26 / 150
+/–
4
Position
4th
Status
Opposition
1930
1930
Election
1930
Leader
Jens Hundseid
Votes
190,220
%
15.9
Seats
25 / 150
+/–
1
Position
4th
Status
Opposition (1930–1931)
Minority (1931–1933)
Minority (1931–1933)
Election
Minority (1931–1933)
1933
1933
Election
1933
Leader
173,634
Votes
13.9
%
23 / 150
Seats
2
+/–
4th'
Position
Opposition
1936
1936
Election
1936
Leader
168,038
Votes
11.5
%
18 / 150
Seats
5
+/–
4th
Position
External support
1945
1945
Election
1945
Leader
Nils Trædal
Votes
119,362
%
8.0
Seats
10 / 150
+/–
8
Position
5th
Status
Opposition
1949
1949
Election
1949
Leader
Einar Frogner
Votes
85,418
%
7.9
Seats
12 / 150
+/–
2
Position
4th
Status
Opposition
1953
1953
Election
1953
Leader
157,018
Votes
9.0
%
14 / 150
Seats
2
+/–
5th
Position
Opposition
1957
1957
Election
1957
Leader
Per Borten
Votes
154,761
%
9.3
Seats
15 / 150
+/–
1
Position
4th
Status
Opposition
1961
1961
Election
1961
Leader
125,643
Votes
9.3
%
16 / 150
Seats
1
+/–
3rd
Position
Opposition (1961–1963)
Coalition (1963)
Coalition (1963)
Election
Coalition (1963)
Opposition (1963–1965)
Opposition (1963–1965)
Election
Opposition (1963–1965)
1965
1965
Election
1965
Leader
191,702
Votes
9.9
%
18 / 150
Seats
2
+/–
4th
Position
Coalition
1969
1969
Election
1969
Leader
John Austrheim
Votes
194,128
%
10.5
Seats
20 / 150
+/–
2
Position
3rd
Status
Coalition (1969–1971)
Opposition (1971–1972)
Opposition (1971–1972)
Election
Opposition (1971–1972)
Coalition (1972–1973)
Coalition (1972–1973)
Election
Coalition (1972–1973)
1973
1973
Election
1973
Leader
Dagfinn Vårvik
Votes
146,312
%
11.0
Seats
21 / 155
+/–
1
Position
3rd
Status
Opposition
1977
1977
Election
1977
Leader
Gunnar Stålsett
Votes
184,087
%
8.6
Seats
12 / 155
+/–
9
Position
4th
Status
Opposition
1981
1981
Election
1981
Leader
Johan J. Jakobsen
Votes
103,753
%
6.7
Seats
11 / 155
+/–
1
Position
4th
Status
Opposition (1981–1983)
Coalition (1983–1985)
Coalition (1983–1985)
Election
Coalition (1983–1985)
1985
1985
Election
1985
Leader
171,770
Votes
6.6
%
12 / 157
Seats
1
+/–
4th
Position
Coalition (1983–1986)
Opposition (1986–1989)
Opposition (1986–1989)
Election
Opposition (1986–1989)
1989
1989
Election
1989
Leader
171,269
Votes
6.5
%
11 / 165
Seats
1
+/–
6th
Position
Coalition (1989–1990)
External support (1990–1993)
External support (1990–1993)
Election
External support (1990–1993)
1993
1993
Election
1993
Leader
Anne Enger Lahnstein
Votes
412,187
%
16.7
Seats
32 / 165
+/–
21
Position
2nd
Status
Opposition
1997
1997
Election
1997
Leader
204,824
Votes
7.9
%
11 / 165
Seats
21
+/–
5th
Position
Coalition (1997–2000)
Opposition (2000–2001)
Opposition (2000–2001)
Election
Opposition (2000–2001)
2001
2001
Election
2001
Leader
Odd Roger Enoksen
Votes
140,287
%
5.6
Seats
10 / 165
+/–
1
Position
6th
Status
Opposition
2005
2005
Election
2005
Leader
Åslaug Haga
Votes
171,063
%
6.5
Seats
11 / 169
+/–
1
Position
6th
Status
Coalition
2009
2009
Election
2009
Leader
Liv Signe Navarsete
Votes
165,006
%
6.2
Seats
11 / 169
+/–
Position
5th
Status
Coalition
2013
2013
Election
2013
Leader
155,357
Votes
5.5
%
10 / 169
Seats
1
+/–
5th
Position
Opposition
2017
2017
Election
2017
Leader
Trygve Slagsvold Vedum
Votes
301,348
%
10.3
Seats
19 / 169
+/–
9
Position
4th
Status
Opposition
2021
2021
Election
2021
Leader
402,481
Votes
13.6
%
28 / 169
Seats
9
+/–
3rd
Position
Coalition (2021–2025)
Opposition (2025)
Opposition (2025)
Election
Opposition (2025)
External support (2025)
External support (2025)
Election
External support (2025)
2025
2025
Election
2025
Leader
179,994
Votes
5.6
%
9 / 169
Seats
19
+/–
5th
Position
External support
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Status |
| 1921 | Kristoffer Høgset | 118,657 | 13.1 | 17 / 150 | 14 | 4th | Opposition |
| 1924 | 131,706 | 13.5 | 22 / 150 | 5 | 4th | Opposition | |
| 1927 | Erik Enge | 149,026 | 14.9 | 26 / 150 | 4 | 4th | Opposition |
| 1930 | Jens Hundseid | 190,220 | 15.9 | 25 / 150 | 1 | 4th | Opposition (1930–1931) |
| Minority (1931–1933) | |||||||
| 1933 | 173,634 | 13.9 | 23 / 150 | 2 | 4th' | Opposition | |
| 1936 | 168,038 | 11.5 | 18 / 150 | 5 | 4th | External support | |
| 1945 | Nils Trædal | 119,362 | 8.0 | 10 / 150 | 8 | 5th | Opposition |
| 1949 | Einar Frogner | 85,418 | 7.9 | 12 / 150 | 2 | 4th | Opposition |
| 1953 | 157,018 | 9.0 | 14 / 150 | 2 | 5th | Opposition | |
| 1957 | Per Borten | 154,761 | 9.3 | 15 / 150 | 1 | 4th | Opposition |
| 1961 | 125,643 | 9.3 | 16 / 150 | 1 | 3rd | Opposition (1961–1963) | |
| Coalition (1963) | |||||||
| Opposition (1963–1965) | |||||||
| 1965 | 191,702 | 9.9 | 18 / 150 | 2 | 4th | Coalition | |
| 1969 | John Austrheim | 194,128 | 10.5 | 20 / 150 | 2 | 3rd | Coalition (1969–1971) |
| Opposition (1971–1972) | |||||||
| Coalition (1972–1973) | |||||||
| 1973 | Dagfinn Vårvik | 146,312 | 11.0 | 21 / 155 | 1 | 3rd | Opposition |
| 1977 | Gunnar Stålsett | 184,087 | 8.6 | 12 / 155 | 9 | 4th | Opposition |
| 1981 | Johan J. Jakobsen | 103,753 | 6.7 | 11 / 155 | 1 | 4th | Opposition (1981–1983) |
| Coalition (1983–1985) | |||||||
| 1985 | 171,770 | 6.6 | 12 / 157 | 1 | 4th | Coalition (1983–1986) | |
| Opposition (1986–1989) | |||||||
| 1989 | 171,269 | 6.5 | 11 / 165 | 1 | 6th | Coalition (1989–1990) | |
| External support (1990–1993) | |||||||
| 1993 | Anne Enger Lahnstein | 412,187 | 16.7 | 32 / 165 | 21 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 1997 | 204,824 | 7.9 | 11 / 165 | 21 | 5th | Coalition (1997–2000) | |
| Opposition (2000–2001) | |||||||
| 2001 | Odd Roger Enoksen | 140,287 | 5.6 | 10 / 165 | 1 | 6th | Opposition |
| 2005 | Åslaug Haga | 171,063 | 6.5 | 11 / 169 | 1 | 6th | Coalition |
| 2009 | Liv Signe Navarsete | 165,006 | 6.2 | 11 / 169 | | 5th | Coalition |
| 2013 | 155,357 | 5.5 | 10 / 169 | 1 | 5th | Opposition | |
| 2017 | Trygve Slagsvold Vedum | 301,348 | 10.3 | 19 / 169 | 9 | 4th | Opposition |
| 2021 | 402,481 | 13.6 | 28 / 169 | 9 | 3rd | Coalition (2021–2025) | |
| Opposition (2025) | |||||||
| External support (2025) | |||||||
| 2025 | 179,994 | 5.6 | 9 / 169 | 19 | 5th | External support |
References
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- Ran on joint lists with other parties in some constituencies as it has done from 1949 to 1981. Vote numbers are only fro
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