In its proposal for a new political program, the Norwegian Labor Party (AP) does not support gender-neutral compulsory military service.
However, the program committee is split on the issue, and Tor-Arne Solbakken, a representative in the program committee from The Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), dissented on the question of military service for women.
Solbakken says that his decision to dissent is rooted in LO's stand when the confederation offered its input to the Norwegian Defense's long term plans.
"I brought up our decision in the program committee, but it didn't get the majority vote," says Solbakken.
The head of the committee, Helga Pedersen, confirms that the party has decided not to support a gender neutral, compulsory military service.
"We agree with the military that more women should be recruited, but the Norwegian Defense Is accepting fewer and fewer people for the compulsory military service," Pedersen explains. "As long as the defense recruits fewer people, we think it's the wrong decision to expand the military service," she says.
Currently, Norwegian women do not have to serve in the military, but can choose to become part of the Norwegian Defense. 90 percent of the soldiers who are part of the initial military service are men.
AUF, the Labour Party's Youth Group, disagrees with the Labor Party's decision, and will work towards having the decision reverted at the party's national assembly in the spring.
"The Norwegian Defense will be better if we include both genders," says head of AUF Eskil Pedersen.
(DN/Aftenposten)
Julie Ryland
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