Editing Progress Party (Norway) (section)

== History ==
=== Anders Lange's Party ===
[[File:Anders Lange 1930s.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Anders Lange]], founder of the party]]
The Progress Party was founded at a meeting at the movie theater ''Saga Kino'' in [[Oslo]] on 8 April 1973,<ref name="kinos">{{Cite news|url=http://www.dagbladet.no/magasinet/2003/04/08/365941.html|title=I kinosalens mørke|trans-title=In the darkness of the movie theater|work=[[Dagbladet]]|first=Astrid|last=Meland|date=8 April 2003|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> attended by around 1,345 people.<ref name="kinos"/> An address speech was held by [[Anders Lange]], after whom the party was named the '''Anders Lange's Party for a Strong Reduction in Taxes, Duties and Public Intervention''', commonly known as '''Anders Lange's Party''' ('''ALP''').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frp.no/filestore/Introduction_To_The_Progress_Party.pdf|title=Ideology and Principles of the Progress Party|publisher=FrP.no|access-date=11 November 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716202346/http://www.frp.no/filestore/Introduction_To_The_Progress_Party.pdf|archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref> Lange had some political experience from the interwar era [[Fatherland League (Norway)|Fatherland League]] and was part of the [[Norwegian resistance movement]] during the [[Second World War]].<ref name="kinos"/> Since the end of the war, he had worked as an [[Independent politician|independent]] [[right-wing]] political editor and public speaker.<ref name="kinos"/> Lange held his first public speech as chairman of ALP at [[Youngstorget]] in Oslo on 16 May the same year. ALP was to a large extent inspired by the Danish [[Progress Party (Denmark)|Progress Party]],<ref>{{Cite news |last= Stanghelle |first= Harald |author-link= Harald Stanghelle |title= De oversettes opprør |trans-title= The rebellion of the neglected |url= http://www.aftenposten.no/meninger/kommentatorer/stanghelle/article3799502.ece |work= Aftenposten |language= no |date= 6 September 2010 |access-date= 7 September 2010 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100909000746/http://www.aftenposten.no/meninger/kommentatorer/stanghelle/article3799502.ece |archive-date= 9 September 2010 |df= dmy-all }}</ref> which was founded by [[Mogens Glistrup]]. Glistrup also spoke at the event, which gathered around 4,000 attendees.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.retriever-info.com/proxy/?id=055016197305163VcLLf3AAq9p3An1yv0Vdroh100201010614&x=8a09a9f9cfa6d7ac5a348db74ea9523f|work=[[Verdens Gang]]|date=16 May 1973|title=Andre toner på Youngstorget|trans-title=Different tones at Youngstorget|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref>

Originally, Anders Lange wanted the party to be an anti-tax protest movement rather than a common political party. The party had a brief political platform on a single sheet of paper that on one side listed ten things the party was "tired of", and on the other side ten things that they were in favour of.{{Sfn|Arter|1999|p=105}} The protest was directed against what Lange claimed to be an unacceptable high level of taxes and [[subsidy|subsidies]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://virksommeord.uib.no/taler?id=103|title=Anders Lange's speech at Saga Kino, 8 April 1973|publisher=Virksomme Ord|access-date=11 November 2009|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230050802/http://virksommeord.uib.no/taler?id=103|archive-date=30 December 2010}}</ref> In the [[1973 Norwegian parliamentary election|1973 parliamentary election]], the party won 5% of the vote and gained four seats in the [[Stortinget|Norwegian parliament]]. The main reasons for the success has later been seen by scholars as a mixture of tax protests, the charisma of Anders Lange, the role of television, the aftermath of the [[1972 Norwegian European Communities membership referendum|1972 European Community membership referendum]] and the political development in Denmark.{{Sfn|Jungar|Jupskås|2010|p=5}} The first party conference was held in [[Hjelmeland]] in 1974, where the party established its first political conventions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.svelvik-frp.no/websider/historie.htm|title=Fremskrittspartets historie|trans-title=History of the Progress Party|publisher=Svelvik FrP|date=30 April 2003|last=Sandnes|first=Børge|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724184523/http://www.svelvik-frp.no/websider/historie.htm|archive-date=24 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Progress Party and Carl I. Hagen ===
In early 1974, Kristofer Almås, Deputy Member of Parliament [[Carl I. Hagen]], along with some others, broke away and formed the short-lived [[Reform Party (Norway, 1974)|Reform Party]].<ref name="tv2frp">{{Cite news|url=http://www.tv2nyhetene.no/innenriks/politikk/frps-historie-2577871.html|title=FrPs historie|trans-title=History of the Frp|publisher=[[TV 2 (Norway)|TV2]]|first=Kjetil|last=Løset|date=15 June 2009|access-date=11 November 2009|language=no}}</ref> The background for this was a criticism of ALPs "undemocratic organisation" and lack of a real party program. However, in the same year, Anders Lange died; consequently Hagen stepped in as a regular Member of Parliament in Lange's place. As a result, the Reform Party merged back into ALP already the following year. The party adopted its current name, the ''Progress Party'', on 29 January 1977, inspired by the great success of the Danish Progress Party.<ref name="snl">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia = [[Store norske leksikon]] | url = http://www.snl.no/Fremskrittspartiet/Frp|title=Fremskrittspartiet – Frp|trans-title=The Progress Party – Frp | first = Knut Are|last=Tvedt|author-link=Knut Are Tvedt|publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget|location=Oslo|date=29 September 2009|access-date=11 November 2009|language=no}}</ref> The Progress Party performed poorly in the [[1977 Norwegian parliamentary election|1977 parliamentary election]], and was left without parliamentary representation. In the 1978 party convention, Carl I. Hagen was elected as party chairman. Hagen soon started to expand the political program of the party, and built a conventional party organisation, a step which Lange and some of his followers had opposed.<ref name="kinos"/>{{Sfn|Arter|1999|p=106}} The party's youth organisation, the [[Progress Party's Youth]], was also established in 1978.<ref name="dbmg"/> Hagen succeeded in sharpening the image of the party as an anti-tax movement. His criticism of the wisdom of hoarding billions of dollars in the "[[The Government Pension Fund of Norway|Oil Fund]]" hit a nerve owing to perceived declines in infrastructure, schools, and [[social service]]s and long queues at hospitals.<ref name="afp040506">{{Cite news|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/fakta/innsikt/article1303263.ece|work=[[Aftenposten]]|title=Fra parentes til mektig partieier|trans-title=From parenthesis to powerful party owner|first=Gunnar|last=Magnus|date=4 May 2006|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604122155/http://www.aftenposten.no/fakta/innsikt/article1303263.ece|archive-date=4 June 2011}}</ref>

=== 1980s: establishing the party ===
[[File:CI Hagen2326alt 2E jpg DF0000062793.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Carl I. Hagen]], party leader for nearly three decades from 1978 to 2006]]
While the Progress Party dropped out of parliament altogether in 1977, it returned in the following [[1981 Norwegian parliamentary election|1981 parliamentary election]] with four representatives. In this election, the [[Right-wing politics|political right]] in general had a great upturn, which garnered the Progress Party increased support.<ref name="dbmg">{{Cite news|url=http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2001/03/05/245386.html|work=[[Dagbladet Magasinet]]|title=Fremskritt fra dag en|trans-title=Progress from day one|date=5 March 2001|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> The ideology of the party was sharpened in the 1980s, and the party officially declared that it was a [[Libertarianism|libertarian]] party at its national convention in [[Sandefjord]] in 1983.{{Sfn|Simonsen|2007|p=40}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://onlinesos.aftenposten.no/tjenester/archive/show.htm?catalog=44073&page=5&query=%22carl+i.+hagen%22+ideologi&date=2.5.1983|title=Ønsker samarbeide med Høyre på sikt: Liberalismen Fr.p.s nye ideologi|work=[[Aftenposten]]|first=Per|last=Danielsen|access-date=28 November 2010|language=no|date=2 May 1983|page=5|quote=Fremskrittspartiet ønsker et samarbeide med Høyre. Liberalismen er blitt partiets ideologi. Dette er to sentrale hovedkonklusjoner fra partiets landsmøte i Sandefjord, som blr {{sic}} avsluttet søndag.}}</ref> Until then, the party had not had a clearly defined ideology.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}} In the campaign for the [[1985 Norwegian parliamentary election|1985 parliamentary election]], the party attacked many aspects of the Norwegian welfare state, and campaigned for privatization of medical care, education and government-owned enterprises as well as steep cuts in [[income tax]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.no/newspapers?id=_R8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1KUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3319%2C4288335|work=[[The Montreal Gazette]]|title=Ruling coalition takes narrow win over left in Norwegian election|page=58|date=10 September 1985|access-date=27 August 2010}}</ref> In the election, the party lost two of its four members of parliament, but was left with some power as they became the [[Kingmaker scenario|kingmaker]]. In May 1986, the party used this position to effectively throw out the governing [[Willoch's Second Cabinet|Conservative-led government]] after it had proposed to increase gas taxes. A [[Brundtland's Second Cabinet|minority Labour government]] was established as a result.<ref name="tv2frp"/>

The first real breakthrough for the party in Norwegian politics came in the [[1987 Norwegian local elections|1987 local elections]], when the party nearly doubled its support from 6.3% to 12.3% (county results). This was largely as immigration was for the first time seriously taken up as an issue by the party (although Hagen had already in the late 1970s called for a strongly restrictive immigration policy),<ref name="afp040506"/> successfully putting the issue on the national agenda.{{Sfn|Skjørestad|2008|p=40}} Its campaign had mainly been focused on the issue of [[asylum seeker]]s,{{Sfn|Hagelund|2005|p=152}} but was additionally helped by the infamous "[[Mustafa-letter]]", a letter read out by Hagen during the electoral campaign that portrayed the [[Counter-jihad|future Islamisation of Norway]].<ref name="tv2frp"/>{{Sfn|Hagelund|2005|p=155}} In April 1988 the party was for the first time the second largest party in Norway in an opinion poll with 23.5%.<ref name="dbmg"/> In September 1988, the party further proposed in parliament for a referendum on the immigration policy, which was regarded by political scientists as the start of the party's 1989 election campaign.<ref name="aft279">{{Cite news|title=Hagen: Folket må selv bestemme innvandring|trans-title=Hagen: The people must make the decisions on immigration themselves|url=http://onlinesos.aftenposten.no/tjenester/archive/show.htm?catalog=75229&page=10&query=folkeavstemning+innvandring&date=27.9.1988|work=[[Aftenposten]]|date=27 September 1988|access-date=13 October 2010|language=no|first=Geir|last=Salvesen}}</ref> In 1989, the party made its breakthrough in national politics. In the [[1989 Norwegian parliamentary election|1989 parliamentary election]], the party obtained 13%, up from 3.7% in 1985, and became the third largest party in Norway. It started to gain power in some local administrations. The first mayors from the party were<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://onlinesos.aftenposten.no/tjenester/archive/show.htm?catalog=82717&page=9&query=%22bj%C3%B8rn+br%C3%A5then%22+ordf%C3%B8rer&date=11.9.2007|page=9|title=Får trolig flere ordførere|trans-title=Will probably have several mayors|work=[[Aftenposten]]|date=11 September 2007|language=no|access-date=18 October 2010}}</ref> [[Håkon Rege]] in [[Sola, Norway|Sola]] (1988–1989),<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.aftenbladet.no/innenriks/politikk/article333487.ece|work=[[Stavanger Aftenblad]]|publisher=www.aftenbladet.no|title=Rege tar gjenvalg|trans-title=Rege stands for re-election|date=16 August 2006|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002232623/http://www.aftenbladet.no/innenriks/politikk/article333487.ece|archive-date=2 October 2011}}</ref> Bjørn Bråthen in [[Råde]] (1990–1991)<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://onlinesos.aftenposten.no/tjenester/archive/show.htm?catalog=73210&page=48&query=%22bj%C3%B8rn+br%C3%A5then%22+ordf%C3%B8rer&date=11.2.2010|page=16|title=Jubilanter: 70 år|trans-title=Anniversaries: 70 years|work=[[Aftenposten]]|date=11 September 2007|language=no|access-date=18 October 2010}}</ref> and [[Peter N. Myhre]] in Oslo (1990–1991).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ordforeren.oslo.kommune.no/tidligere_ordforere/|title=Tidligere ordførere|trans-title=Previous mayors|work=[[Oslo|Oslo municipality]]|publisher=www.ordforeren.oslo.kommune.no|access-date=11 November 2009|language=no}}</ref>

=== 1990s: libertarian-wing schism and consolidation ===
{{further|1994 Progress Party national convention}}
The [[1993 Norwegian parliamentary election|1993 parliamentary election]] halved the party's support to 6.3% and ten members of parliament. This drop in support can be seen as the result of an internal conflict within the party that came to a head in 1992, between the more radical libertarian minority and the majority led by Carl I. Hagen.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Siv_Jensen/utdypning|encyclopedia=[[Norsk biografisk leksikon]]|publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget|location=Oslo|editor=Helle, Knut |title=Siv Jensen|first=Lise Merete|last=Olaussen|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|editor-link=Knut Helle}}</ref>{{Sfn|Simonsen|2007|p=5}} The [[right-libertarians]], or simply libertarians, had removed the party's focus on immigration, declaring it a "non-issue" in the early 1990s, which was heavily punished by voters in 1993 as well as 1991.<ref>"Det nye landet: Kampen", 26 January 2010. ''[[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation]]'' (television).</ref> [[Social conservative]] policy platforms had also been liberalised and caused controversy such as accepting [[Registered partnership|homosexual partnership]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.fpu.no/?q=visArtikkel&id=209&type=start|publisher=[[Progress Party's Youth]]|title=Gratulerer FpU|trans-title=Congratulates the Youth of the Progress Party|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> The party's unclear stance on Norwegian membership of the [[European Union]] also contributed greatly to the setback, by moving the focus away from the party's stronger issues such as during the [[1994 Norwegian European Union membership referendum]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/more_og_romsdal/valg_2009_more_og_romsdal/1.6733973|publisher=[[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation]]|title=EU-debatten – en kjepp i hjulet|trans-title=The EU debate – a spanner in the works|first=Trond|last=Vestre|date=17 August 2009|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref>

While many of the libertarians, including [[Pål Atle Skjervengen]] and [[Tor Mikkel Wara]], had left the party before the 1993 election<ref name="dbmg"/> or had been rejected by voters,{{Sfn|Simonsen|2007|p=42}} the conflict finally culminated in 1994. Following the party conference at ''Bolkesjø Hotell'' in [[Telemark]] in April of that year, four MPs of the "libertarian wing" in the party broke off as [[Independent (politician)|independents]]. This was because Hagen had given them an ultimatum to adhere to the political line of the party majority and parliamentary group, or else to leave.<ref name="dbmg"/> This incident was later nicknamed "[[1994 Progress Party national convention|Dolkesjø]]", a [[pun]] on the name of the hotel, with "dolke" meaning to "[[Literal translation|lit.]] stab (in the back) /betray".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frp.no/no/Mot_oss/Historie/Fakta_Kort_om_partiets_historie/|publisher=FrP.no|title=Kort om partiets historie|trans-title=Briefly on the party's history|access-date=17 February 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716202750/http://www.frp.no/no/Mot_oss/Historie/Fakta_Kort_om_partiets_historie/|archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref>

These events have been seen by political scientists as a turning point for the party.{{Sfn|Skjørestad|2008|p=9}} Subsequently, the libertarians founded a libertarian organisation called the [[Free Democrats (Norway)|Free Democrats]], which attempted to establish a political party but without success. Parts of the younger management of the party and the more libertarian youth organisation of the party also broke away and even tried to disestablish the entire youth organisation.{{Sfn|Skjørestad|2008|p=42}} The youth organisation was however soon running again, this time with more "loyal" members, although it remained more libertarian than its mother organisation. After this, the Progress Party had a more [[right-wing populist]] profile, which resulted in its gaining electoral support.<ref name="snl"/>

In the [[1995 Norwegian local elections|1995 local elections]], the Progress Party regained the level of support seen at the 1987 elections. This was said largely to have been as a result of a focus on Progress Party core issues in the electoral campaign, especially immigration, as well as the party dominating the media picture as a result of the controversy around the [[1995 Norwegian Association meeting at Godlia kino]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frp.no/no/Mot_oss/Historie/|publisher=Frp.no|title=Fremskrittspartiets historie: Valgåret 1995|trans-title=The history of the Progress Party: The election year 1995|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125145458/http://www.frp.no/no/Mot_oss/Historie/|archive-date=25 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dagbladet.no/tekstarkiv/artikkel.php?id=5001990047545|title=Pitbullene er løs!|trans-title=The pitbullsa re lose!|first=Halvor|last=Elvik|work=[[Dagbladet]]|date=3 September 1999|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> The latter particularly gained the party many sympathy votes, as a result of the harsh media storm targeted against Hagen.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://onlinesos.aftenposten.no/tjenester/archive/show.htm?catalog=74894&page=4&query=fremskrittspartiet&date=8.9.1995|title=Velgerstrøm til Fr.p.|work=[[Aftenposten]]|first=Carsten|last=Bleness|access-date=28 November 2010|language=no|date=8 September 1995|page=4}}</ref> In the [[1997 Norwegian parliamentary election|1997 parliamentary election]], the party obtained 15.3% of the vote, and for the first time became the second largest political party in Norway. The [[1999 Norwegian local elections|1999 local elections]] resulted in the party's first mayor as a direct result of an election, [[Terje Søviknes]] in [[Os, Hordaland|Os]]. 20 municipalities also elected a deputy mayor from the Progress Party.

=== 2000–2001: turmoil and expulsion of populists ===
While the Progress Party had witnessed close to 35% support in opinion polls in late 2000,{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}} its support fell back to 1997 levels in the upcoming election in 2001. This was largely a result of turmoil surrounding the party. The party's deputy leader Terje Søviknes became involved in a sex scandal, and internal political conflicts came to the surface;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frp.no/no/Mot_oss/Historie//|publisher=FrP.no|title=Fremskrittspartiets historie: Valget 2001 og ny turbulens i partiet|trans-title=History of the Progress Party: The 2001 election and new turbulence in the party|access-date=17 February 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125145458/http://www.frp.no/no/Mot_oss/Historie/|archive-date=25 November 2009}}</ref> Hagen had already in 1999 tried to quiet the most controversial immigration opponents in the parliamentary party, who had gained influence since the 1994 national convention.<ref name="snlcih"/> In late 2000 and early 2001, opposition to this locally in [[Oslo]], [[Hordaland]] and [[Vest-Agder]] sometimes resulted in expulsions of local representatives.<ref name="snlcih"/> Eventually Hagen also, in various ways, got rid of the so-called "gang of seven" (''syverbanden''), which consisted of seven members of parliament.<ref name="vg311007">{{Cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=177606|title=Jeg har vært kravstor og maktsyk: Slik kvittet Carl I Hagen seg med "syverbanden" i Frp|trans-title=I have been demanding and power hungry: How Carl I Hagen rid himself of the "Gang of Seven" in the Frp|work=[[Verdens Gang]] |date=31 October 2007|first=Anne|last=Vinding|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> In January 2001, Hagen claimed that he had seen a pattern where these had cooperated on several issues,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.smaalenene.no/nyheter/article426472.ece|work=[[Smaalenenes Avis]]|title= Avkrefter påstander om kupp|trans-title=Denies coup allegations|date=23 January 2001|access-date=16 September 2010|language=no}}</ref> and postulated that they were behind a conspiracy to eventually get [[Øystein Hedstrøm]] elected as party chairman.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tux1.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/d187202.htm|work=[[Aftenposten]]|title=Hagen frykter kupp i partiet|date=23 January 2001|access-date=16 September 2010|first=Gunnar|last=Magnus|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716233914/http://tux1.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/d187202.htm|archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref> The seven were eventually suspended, excluded from or voluntarily left the party, starting in early 2001.<ref name="snl"/> They most notably included [[Vidar Kleppe]] (the alleged "leader"), [[Dag Danielsen]], [[Fridtjof Frank Gundersen]], as well as [[Jan Simonsen]].<ref name="vg311007"/> Only Hedstrøm remained in the party, but was subsequently kept away from publicly discussing immigration issues.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://dt.no/arkiv/superreserven-carl-i-hagen-1.3082925|title=Superreserven Carl I. Hagen|trans-title=Carl I. Hagen, the super-sub|first=Olav|last=Melbye|work=[[Drammens Tidende]]|date=30 August 2009|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref>

This again caused turmoil within the party; supporters of the excluded members criticized their treatment, some resigned from the party,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ba.no/nyheter/politikk/article309716.ece|title=Haoko Tveitt melder seg ut av Frp|trans-title=Haoko Tveitt leaves the Frp|work=[[Bergensavisen]]|date=28 February 2001|first=Siri Haave|last=Høstmælingen|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> and some of the party's local chapters were closed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nrk.no/distrikt/sorlandet/nyheter/873630.html|title=Frp'ere melder seg ut|trans-title=Frp members leave the party|publisher=[[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=8 March 2001|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> Some of the outcasts ran for office in the 2001 election in [[County lists for the 2001 Norwegian parliamentary election|several new county lists]], and later some formed a new party called the [[Democrats (Norway)|Democrats]], with Kleppe as chairman and Simonsen as deputy chairman. Though the "gang of seven" took controversial positions on immigration, the actions taken against them were also based on internal issues;<ref name="forhold">{{cite web|url=http://www.frie-ytringer.com/2009/09/10/mitt-forhold-til-fremskrittspartiet/|title=Mitt forhold til Fremskrittspartiet|trans-title=My relations with the Progress Party|publisher=Frie Ytringer, Jan Simonsen's blog|first=Jan|last=Simonsen|date=10 September 2009|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912153817/http://www.frie-ytringer.com/2009/09/10/mitt-forhold-til-fremskrittspartiet/|archive-date=12 September 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/artikkel.php?artid=2699564|title=Kleppe suspendert|trans-title=Kleppe suspended|work=[[Verdens Gang]]|publisher=www.vg.no|date=7 March 2001|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> it remains unclear to what degree the settlement was based primarily on political disagreements or tactical considerations.{{Sfn|Skjørestad|2008|p=5}} Hagen's main goal with the "purge" was an attempt to make it possible for non-socialist parties to cooperate in an eventual government together with the Progress Party.<ref name="snl"/> In 2007, he revealed that he had received "clear signals" from politicians in among other the [[Christian Democratic Party (Norway)|Christian Democratic Party]], that government negotiations were out of the question so long as certain specific Progress Party politicians, including Kleppe and Simonsen (but not Hedstrøm), remained in the party.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=177633|title=Hedstrøm til angrep på Hagen |trans-title=Hedstrøm attacks Hagen|work=[[Verdens Gang]] |date=31 October 2007|first1=Anne|last1=Vinding|first2=Camilla|last2=Ryste|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> The more moderate libertarian minority in Oslo, including [[Henning Holstad]], [[Svenn Kristiansen]] and Siv Jensen, now improved their hold in the party.{{Sfn|Simonsen|2007|p=44}}

=== 2001–2005: Bondevik II years ===
In the [[2001 Norwegian parliamentary election|2001 parliamentary election]], the party lost the gains it had made according to opinion polling but maintained its position from the 1997 election, it got 14.6% and 26 members in the parliament. The election result allowed them to unseat the [[Norwegian Labour Party|Labour Party]] government of [[Jens Stoltenberg]] and replace it with a [[Bondevik's Second Cabinet|three-party coalition]] led by [[Christian Democratic Party (Norway)|Christian Democrat]] [[Kjell Magne Bondevik]]. However, the coalition continued to decline to govern together with the Progress Party as they considered the political differences too large. The Progress Party eventually decided to tolerate the coalition, as it promised to invest more in defence, open more private hospitals and open for more competition in the public sector.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1603256.stm|work=[[BBC Online]] |title=Norway far-right sets new course|date=16 October 2001|access-date=27 August 2010}}</ref> In 2002 the Progress Party again advanced in the opinion polls and for a while became the largest party.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.klassekampen.no/artikler/nyheter/30521/article/item/null|work=[[Klassekampen]]|title=Høyre taper til Frp|trans-title=Conservative Party loses to the Frp|first=Bjørgulv|last=Braanen|author-link=Bjørgulv Braanen|date=2 May 2002|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717135508/http://www.klassekampen.no/artikler/nyheter/30521/article/item/null|archive-date=17 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.klassekampen.no/artikler/nyheter/30752/article/item/null|work=[[Klassekampen]]|title=Trussel mot demokratiet|trans-title=A threat to democracy|first1=Espen|last1=Løkeland-Stai|author2=Marsdal, Magnus|author-link2=Magnus E. Marsdal|date=30 April 2002|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717135528/http://www.klassekampen.no/artikler/nyheter/30752/article/item/null|archive-date=17 July 2011}}</ref>

The [[2003 Norwegian local elections|local elections of 2003]] were a success for the party. In 36 municipalities, the party gained more votes than any other; it succeeded in electing the mayor in only 13 of these,{{Sfn|Hagelund|2005|p=148}} but also secured 40 deputy mayor positions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frp.no/no/Mot_oss/Historie//|publisher=FrP.no|title=Fremskrittspartiets historie: Konsolidering og kommunevalg|trans-title=History of the Progress Party: Consolidation and municipal elections|access-date=17 February 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125145458/http://www.frp.no/no/Mot_oss/Historie/|archive-date=25 November 2009}}</ref> The Progress Party had participated in local elections since 1975, but until 2003 had only secured a mayoral position four times, all on separate occasions. The Progress Party vote in Os—the only municipality that elected a Progress Party mayor in 1999—increased from 36.6% in 1999 to 45.7% in 2003. The party also became the single largest in the counties of [[Vestfold]] and [[Rogaland]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/innenriks/valg/valg_2003/3086321.html|title=Frp størst i 36 kommuner|trans-title=Frp largest in 36 municipalities|publisher=[[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=16 September 2003|first=Hallvard|last=Notaker|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref>

In the [[2005 Norwegian parliamentary election|2005 parliamentary elections]], the party again became the second largest party in the [[Parliament of Norway|Norwegian parliament]], with 22.1% of the votes and 38 seats, a major increase from 2001. Although the centre-right government of Bondevik which the Progress Party had tolerated since 2001 was beaten by the leftist [[Red-Green Coalition]], Hagen had before the election said that his party would no longer accept Bondevik as Prime Minister, following his consistent refusal to formally include the Progress Party in government.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/11/world/europe/11iht-norway.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=Close result expected as Norwegians head to polls|date=11 September 2005|access-date=28 August 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/sep/13/1|work=[[The Guardian]]|title=Norwegian PM announces resignation|date=13 September 2005|access-date=28 August 2010}}</ref> For the first time, the party was also successful in getting members of parliament elected from all counties of Norway, and even became the largest party in three: [[Vest-Agder]], [[Rogaland]] and [[Møre og Romsdal]].<ref name="snl"/> After the parliamentary elections in 2005, the party also became the largest party in many opinion polls. The Progress Party led November 2006 opinion polls with a support of 32.9% of respondents, and it continued to poll above 25 percent during the following years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tns-gallup.no/default.aspx?did=9078387|title=FrP og Høyre går kraftig fram|trans-title=Strong advances for the Frp and the Conservative Party|publisher=[[TNS Gallup]]|access-date=11 November 2009|language=no}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=195848|title=Fosser frem på diesel-opprør: Siv nær statsministerstolen|trans-title=Surges ahead because of diesel rebellion: Siv close to the prime minister's chair|work=[[Verdens Gang]]|first1=Lars Halvor|last1=Magerøy|first2=Bjørn|last2=Haugan|date=31 May 2008|access-date=11 November 2009|language=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=528033|title=Frp størst på ny måling|work=[[Verdens Gang]]|date=4 June 2008|access-date=11 November 2009|language=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=501050|title=Frp over 30 prosent på ny måling (NTB)|date=26 June 2008|access-date=11 November 2009|language=no|work=[[Verdens Gang]]}}</ref>

=== 2006–2021: Siv Jensen ===
[[File:Siv Jensen-14.jpg|thumb|upright|Siv Jensen, leader of the Progress Party from 2006 to 2021]]

In 2006, after 27 years as leader of the party, Hagen stepped down to become Vice President of the Norwegian parliament [[Stortinget]]. Siv Jensen was chosen as his successor, with the hope that she could increase the party's appeal to voters, build bridges to centre-right parties, and head or participate in a future government of Norway. Following the [[2007 Norwegian local elections|local elections of 2007]], Progress Party candidates became mayor in 17 municipalities, seven of these continuing on from 2003. Deputy mayors for the party however decreased to 33.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frp.no/no/Mot_oss/Historie//|publisher=FrP.no|title=Fremskrittspartiets historie: 2007 Eksamen for ordførere|access-date=17 February 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125145458/http://www.frp.no/no/Mot_oss/Historie/|archive-date=25 November 2009}}</ref> The party in general strongly increased its support in municipalities where the mayor had been elected from the Progress Party in 2003.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/innenriks/valg/val_2007/1.3439409|work=[[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation]]|publisher=www.nrk.no|title=Brakvalg for Frp-ordførere|trans-title=Good election for FrP majors|date=11 September 2009|first=Kristian|last=Elster|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref>

In the months before the [[2009 Norwegian parliamentary election|2009 parliamentary elections]], the party had, as in the 2001 election, rated very highly in opinion poll results which however declined towards the actual election. Earlier in the year, the Progress Party had achieved above 30% in some polls which made it the largest party by several percentage points.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv2nyhetene.no/innenriks/politikk/valg09/partibarometeret-2677103.html|title=Partibarometeret| date=16 April 2009 |publisher=[[TV 2 (Norway)|TV2]]|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> With such high gains, the election result was in this case relatively disappointing. Before the election the gains continued to decrease, with most of these losses going to the [[Conservative Party of Norway|Conservative Party]] which had a surprisingly successful campaign.<ref>{{cite news|title=Norway Keeps Leftists in Power |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/world/europe/16norway.html?_r=1|access-date=27 August 2010|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=15 September 2009|first=Walter|last=Gibbs}}</ref> The decline in support over a longer period of time can also be seen as the Labour Party was since 2008 accused of "stealing" policies from the Progress Party.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8008364.stm|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=BBC News|title=Islam a political target in Norway|first=Thomas |last=Buch-Andersen  |location=Oslo|date=20 April 2009|access-date=8 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrk.no/skole/klippdetalj?topic=nrk:klipp/417439|publisher=[[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation]] |title=FrP og framgangen (4:47 min)|access-date=2 April 2010|language=no}}</ref> The Progress Party did, regardless, achieve a slight gain from the 2005 election with 22.9%, the best election result in the party's history. It also for the first time got represented in the [[Sami Parliament of Norway]] [[2009 Norwegian Sami parliamentary election|in 2009]], with three representatives.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nrk.no/kanal/nrk_sami_radio/valg_2009_sami_radio/1.6776708|title=– Vi har gjort et brakvalg|publisher=[[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=15 September 2009|first=Åse|last=Pulk|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> This made it the fourth largest party in the Sami parliament, and second largest of the nationwide parties. In the 2009 [[School Election Project|informal school elections]], it became the largest party in Norway with 24% of the votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.samfunnsveven.no/skolevalg/resultat/landsoversikt|title=Skolevalg 2009|publisher=[[Norsk samfunnsvitenskapelig datatjeneste|NSD Samfunnsveven]]|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|archive-date=19 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819194852/http://www.samfunnsveven.no/skolevalg/resultat/landsoversikt|url-status=dead}}</ref>

While other parties before had refused the Progress Party's efforts to join governing coalitions at the national level owing to concerns about the party's alleged populism and positions on immigration issues,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/politikk/article1385835.ece|title=Stiller Frp-ultimatum|work=[[Aftenposten]]|first=Lars Nehru|last=Sand|date=12 July 2006|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629143845/http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/politikk/article1385835.ece|archive-date=29 June 2011}}</ref>{{Sfn|Hagelund|2005|p=148}} after the election the Conservative Party stated they wanted to be "a bridge between the Progress Party and the centre."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article3732939.ece|work=[[Aftenposten]]|title=Ingen ny regjering uten Frp|date=15 July 2010|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718065810/http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article3732939.ece|archive-date=18 July 2010}}</ref> The position arose as the Progress Party vowed to not support any government coalition that it itself was not a part of,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.klassekampen.no/53399/article/item/null|title=Ernas umulige prosjekt|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|work=[[Klassekampen]]|date=24 April 2008|first=Anders|last=Horn|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717135248/http://www.klassekampen.no/53399/article/item/null|archive-date=17 July 2011}}</ref> while centrist parties rejected participating in a government coalition together with the party.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/innenriks/valg/valg_2009/1.6749065|title=Rungende nei til Frp|date=7 September 2009|publisher=[[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation]]|first=Linda|last=Bjørgan|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vl.no/samfunn/article4293061.ece|title=Nei til Frp-samarbeid|date=28 April 2009|work=[[Vårt Land (Norwegian newspaper)|Vårt Land]]|first=Rebekka|last=Joswig|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430082551/http://www.vl.no/samfunn/article4293061.ece|archive-date=30 April 2009}}</ref>

Since early 2010, opinion polls regularly showed a majority support for the Progress Party and Conservative Party together.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=10005031|work=[[Verdens Gang]]|title=Rent flertall for Høyre og Frp i april|date=3 May 2010|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dn.no/forsiden/politikkSamfunn/article1926654.ece|work=[[Dagens Næringsliv]] |title=Blåblått flertall i juni|date=29 June 2010|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv2nyhetene.no/innenriks/politikk/valg09/partibarometeret-2677103.html|work=[[TV 2 (Norway)|TV 2]]|title=Partibarometeret| date=16 April 2009 |language=no|access-date=15 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=10012789|work=Verdens Gang|title=Ap mindre enn både Høyre og Frp |date=23 December 2010|access-date=23 December 2010|language=no}}</ref> The Progress Party however saw a strong setback for the [[2011 Norwegian local elections|2011 local elections]]. The party lost 6% in vote share, while the Conservative Party gained 9%. According to political scientists, most of the setback could be explained by a low turnout of Progress Party supporters.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/innenriks/valg/valg2011/1.7789682|publisher=[[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation]]|title=Frp mot sitt dårligste valg på 16 år|first=Oddvin|last=Aune|date=12 September 2011|access-date=13 September 2011|language=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dagbladet.no/2011/09/13/nyheter/politikk/valg_2011/valg11/innenriks/18103556/|work=[[Dagbladet]]|title=Utøya-effekten ble at Frp-velgerne satt i sofaen|first=Harald S.|last=Klungtveit|date=13 September 2011|access-date=13 September 2011|language=no}}</ref>
[[File:Regjeringen Solberg 2018-01-17-7629.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Solberg's Cabinet]] in 2018]]

In coalition with the [[Conservative Party (Norway)|Conservative Party]], the party won the [[2013 Norwegian parliamentary election|2013 parliamentary election]] and helped form its first ever government, the [[Solberg's Cabinet]], although the Progress Party itself lost seats and is now the third largest party instead of the second largest.<ref>{{cite news |title=Norway election: Erna Solberg to form new government |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24014551 |work=BBC News |date=9 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Orange |first=Richard |title=Populists left out of new Norway government |url=https://www.thelocal.no/20131016/populists-left-out-of-new-norway-gov/ |access-date=11 February 2021 |work=[[The Local]] |date=16 October 2013}}</ref> The parties won renewed support for the government in the [[2017 Norwegian parliamentary election|2017 parliamentary election]], which was expanded to include the centrist [[Liberal Party (Norway)|Liberal Party]] and the [[Christian Democratic Party (Norway)|Christian Democratic Party]] in 2018.

The Progress Party withdrew from the government coalition in January 2020. The cause of the withdrawal was repatriation to Norway of a Norwegian citizen who volunteered in the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|Islamic State]]. The position of the Progress Party was that no such person should receive assistance to return to Norway. The Solberg cabinet undertook the repatriation despite the protests from the Progress Party, over what they considered humanitarian considerations.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrk.no/norge/frp-gar-ut-av-regjering-1.14867637|title=Frp går ut av regjering|last=Krekling|first=David Vojislav|date=20 January 2020|website=NRK|language=nb-NO|access-date=25 February 2020}}</ref>

=== 2021–present: Sylvi Listhaug ===
In February 2021, Jensen announced that she would stand down as party leader. She was replaced by former deputy leader and immigration minister [[Sylvi Listhaug]] in May 2021. Listhaug had previously been endorsed as a potential future leader by both Jensen and former chairman [[Carl I. Hagen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dagsavisen.no/innenriks/carl-i-hagen-peker-ut-listhaug-som-sivs-arvtaker-1.1136761|title=– Sylvi er den beste kandidaten fordi hun ligner mest på meg.|website=Dagsavisen.no|date=27 April 2018 |access-date=28 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tv2.no/a/8242074/|title=Carl I. Hagen: – Listhaug bør bli vår neste leder|first=TV 2|last=AS|website=TV 2| date=20 April 2016 |access-date=28 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aftenposten.no/article/ap-EowyA.html|title=Carl I. Hagen mener Listhaug er "den soleklare kandidaten" til å etterfølge Siv Jensen|first=Solveig Ruud Robert|last=Gjerde|website=Aftenposten|date=19 April 2016 |access-date=28 March 2019}}</ref>