Central Committee member of Rødt, Joachim Espe, believes it is time for an honest discussion about whether the party should sever ties with its own youth organisation.

This emerges in an interview with Klassekampen on Tuesday. The background is several controversial statements from Rød Ungdom in recent times in which politically motivated violence has been used as a humorous device.

Violence humour creates deep division

The unrest began in earnest when Rød Ungdom published a video on social media that joked about the terrorist bombing outside the American embassy in Oslo. Shortly thereafter, the Central Committee of the youth organisation resolved to name the three brothers charged in connection with this bombing as “heroes of the week”. This comes only half a year after the previous leader of Rød Ungdom had to step down following similar statements after the murder of Charlie Kirk in the United States.

Espe, who is also a union secretary (forbundssekretær) in Fellesforbundet, states to Klassekampen that a youth organisation that fails to take a clear stand against political violence is not something needed in Norway. He believes that Rød Ungdom must consider whether their political project is at all compatible with being affiliated with the parent party Rødt.

Demand for clear distancing

Other Central Committee members also react strongly to the youth organisation’s conduct. The group leader for Rødt in Trondheim, Roald Arentz, describes the statements as provocatively childish and emphasises to Klassekampen that the parent party cannot have a youth organisation that does not distance itself from violence as a political instrument. Mailiss Solheim-Åkerblom points out that such statements undermine credibility when the party is to criticise other countries’ conduct of war.

Rød Ungdom currently receives two million kroner in support from Rødt, and the leader of the youth organisation has a permanent seat in the parent party’s executive leadership. This financial and organisational cooperation is now to be discussed internally within Rødt’s Central Committee.

RU leader hopes for reconciliation

Leader of Rød Ungdom, Halvor Bergkvist, writes in an email to Klassekampen that they distance themselves from violence and terror, and that they will evaluate the process internally. He expresses that it is regrettable that some desire a break between the organisations. Bergkvist emphasises that he is working to build a better relationship with Rødt, and believes that the two parties need each other in the time ahead.