Editing Progress Party (Norway) (section)

=== Foreign policy ===
The Progress Party was for many years open to a [[referendum]] on [[Norway–European Union relations|Norwegian membership]] of the [[European Union]], although only if a majority of the public opinion was seen to favour it beforehand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frp.no/no/Vi_mener/|title=Vi mener: EU, EØS og Schengen|access-date=18 September 2010|language=no|publisher=Frp.no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101003125943/http://www.frp.no/no/Vi_mener/|archive-date=3 October 2010}}</ref> The party eventually grew to consider membership of Norway in the European Union to be a "non-issue", believing there to be no reason for a debate of a new referendum.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/valg-2009/artikkel.php?artid=564343|work=[[Verdens Gang]]|title=Siv: – EU-saken er en ikke-sak|first=Lars|last=Akerhaug|date=23 July 2009|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no}}</ref> In 2016, the party officially adopted a position against Norwegian membership in the EU.<ref name="FrpEU"/>

The party regards [[NATO]] to be a positive basic element of Norway's defense, security and foreign policy. It also wants to strengthen [[transatlantic relations]] in general, and [[Norway's relationship with the United States]] more specifically.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}} The party considers its international policy to "follow in the footsteps of [[Ronald Reagan]] and [[Margaret Thatcher]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.frp.no/nor/The-Progress-Party/Who-we-are-Wer-sind-wir-Qui-nous-sommes-Sobre-nosotros |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923192848/http://www.frp.no/nor/The-Progress-Party/Who-we-are-Wer-sind-wir-Qui-nous-sommes-Sobre-nosotros |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 September 2013 |title=Vi beklager... |website=Frp.no |access-date=17 February 2016 }}</ref> The party has also expressed support for [[Ukraine]] since the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|2022 full-scale Russian invasion]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Situasjonen i Ukraina: Dette mener FrP |url=https://www.frp.no/situasjonen-i-ukraina-dette-mener-frp |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.frp.no |language=nb}}</ref> which it reaffirmed on 1 March 2025, whilst calling for Norway to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norway rethinks €1.7 trillion sovereign fund to boost support for Ukraine - Euractiv |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/norway-rethinks-e1-7-trillion-sovereign-fund-to-boost-support-for-ukraine/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250303064248/https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/norway-rethinks-e1-7-trillion-sovereign-fund-to-boost-support-for-ukraine/ |archive-date=2025-03-03 |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.euractiv.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Of all the major political parties in Norway, the Progress Party has shown the strongest support for [[Israel]]. In 2009, it  supported the right of Israel to defend itself against rocket attacks from [[Hamas]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.frp.no/no/Nyheter/Nytt_fra_Stortinget/?module=Articles;action=Article.publicShow;ID=42321|publisher=Frp.no|title=FrPs syn på konflikten i Midtøsten|date=9 January 2009|first=Lars Joakim|last=Hanssen|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929011009/http://www.frp.no/no/Nyheter/Nytt_fra_Stortinget/?module=Articles;action=Article.publicShow;ID=42321|archive-date=29 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was the only party in Norway which supported Israel through the [[Gaza War (2008–2009)|2008–2009 Gaza War]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.idag.no/ledere-oppslag.php3?ID=17825|work=[[Norge Idag]]|first=Finn Jarle|last=Sæle|author-link=Finn Jarle Sæle|date=29 June 2010|title=Den nye høyrebølgen|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726195457/http://www.idag.no/ledere-oppslag.php3?ID=17825|archive-date=26 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.klassekampen.no/55508/article/item/null|work=[[Klassekampen]]|title=Full tillit til Israel i Frp|date=6 January 2009|first=Christiane Jordheim|last=Larsen|access-date=27 August 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303052042/http://www.klassekampen.no/55508/article/item/null|archive-date=3 March 2010}}</ref> The party has for many years also wanted to [[Positions on Jerusalem|relocate the Norwegian embassy in Israel]] from [[Tel Aviv]] to [[Jerusalem]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=529145|work=[[Verdens Gang]] (NTB)|date=27 August 2008|title=Jensen vil flytte norsk ambassade til Jerusalem|access-date=9 October 2010|language=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.aftenbladet.no/innenriks/politikk/article1156540.ece|work=[[Stavanger Aftenblad]]|date=5 February 2010|title=Hvorfor bør jeg velge Frp i stedet for Høyre?|access-date=9 October 2010|language=no|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825171327/http://www.aftenbladet.no/innenriks/politikk/article1156540.ece <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archive-date=25 August 2010}}</ref>

The party sees the most viable form of [[foreign aid]] policy to be for [[developing countries]] to gradually manage themselves without Western aid. It believes that [[free trade]] is the key for developing countries to gain economic growth, and that "the relationship between aid and development is at best unclear." The party is strongly critical of "forced contribution to government development aid through taxation", which it wants to limit, also as it believe this weakens the individual's personal sense of responsibility and generosity (voluntary aid). The party instead supports an increase in support for global health and vaccination initiatives against global epidemics such as HIV, AIDS and [[tuberculosis]], and to increase the support after emergencies and disasters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frp.no/no/Vi_mener/|title=Vi mener: Utviklingspolitikk|access-date=26 November 2010|language=no|publisher=FrP.no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203075801/http://www.frp.no/no/Vi_mener/|archive-date=3 December 2010}}</ref>