The REDIRECT project contributed to a public discussion in Oslo examining the rise of the far right in Europe, its implications for Norway, and the broader challenges it poses for democratic politics and political representation.
The event, entitled “The Far Right in the EU: What Does It Mean for Norway?”, took place on 8 October 2026 at Sentralen in Oslo. The discussion addressed key questions surrounding the development of the far right in Europe: who these political actors are, which common patterns can be identified across countries, how their influence may develop, and how Norway should respond.
John Erik Fossum, Professor at the ARENA Centre for European Studies and member of the REDIRECT team, participated in the panel alongside Jette F. Christensen, political commentator; Jonas Bals, advisor at LO; Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, Political Editor at E24; and Øyvind Svendsen, Senior Research Fellow at NUPI. The discussion was moderated by journalist and author Elin Sørsdahl.
The debate also provided an opportunity to connect these questions with REDIRECT’s work on democratic representation and democratic experimentation. In particular, the discussion generated considerable interest in alternative forms of democratic engagement and in how democratic experiments can create spaces for meaningful political discussion when established party competition struggles to produce sustained dialogue across political divides.
This speaks directly to a central concern of REDIRECT: how representative democracies can respond to political disconnection, polarisation and declining opportunities for substantive interaction between citizens, parties and political representatives. The Oslo discussion highlighted the importance of exploring institutional and participatory innovations capable of complementing traditional channels of representative politics.
The event was organised by NUPI (Norwegian Institute of International Affairs) together with Tankesmien Europa and Norsk PEN, and brought together researchers, commentators and practitioners to reflect on the changing European political landscape and its consequences for Norway.
Many thanks to John Erik Fossum and to all participants for bringing REDIRECT’s research and perspectives into this important public discussion.
Location: Oslo, Norway
Date: 8 October 2026
Event: Ytre høyre i EU. Hva betyr det for Norge?
Organisers: NUPI, Tankesmien Europa and Norsk PEN
REDIRECT participant: John Erik Fossum, ARENA Centre for European Studies
Research focus: Democratic representation, far-right politics, political polarisation, democratic experimentation and citizen participation
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