Audun Lysbakken

Lysbakken is the son of actor Sigurd Lysbakken (1947–1994) and cultural worker and author Geirdis Bjørlo (1952).

Audun Bjørlo Lysbakken (born 30 September 1977) is a Norwegian politician who served as the leader of the Norwegian Socialist Left Party from 2012 to 2023.

He attended primary school at Møhlenpris elementary school (1984–1993), and high school at Bergen Handelsgymnasium (1993–1996).

Lysbakken held various posts in the youth NGOs Ungdom mot EU and Nature and Youth 1995–1996, and was involved in student politics during his university studies 1998–1999.

He has university minors in French and comparative politics from the University of Bergen (1996–1998).

Lysbakken held his first post in Socialist Youth, the Socialist Left party's youth organization, as leader of its Bergen chapter in 1996–1998, and went on to be elected leader of the county (Hordaland) organization in 1998–2000.

Lysbakken's first public office was as member of the Bergen City Council in 1999–2000.

After his university studies, he performed mandatory civil service instead of conscript military duty, serving as a secretary at Norsk Økologisk Landbrukslag and as a journalist in the daily Klassekampen 2000–2001.

He was deputy leader of the Socialist Youth's national organization 2000–2002.

His career in national politics began when he was elected to the Norwegian parliament in 2001.

He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament in 2001 as a representative for Hordaland county.

He was a member of the parliament's Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

He was elected a member of the Storting from Hordaland following the 2001 election.

He was not re-elected in 2005, but became first deputy representative.

He served until 2005, and was re-elected in the 2009 election.

In 2006, he became deputy leader of the Socialist Left Party.

He was elected deputy leader of the Socialist Left Party on 18 February 2006.

He held the post as Minister of Children and Equality in Jens Stoltenberg's second government from October 2009 to March 2012, when he resigned due to a conflict of interest.

Under his leadership, the Socialist Left Party had strong gains in its vote share in Parliamentary elections and membership.

In 2009, Lysbakken reclaimed a seat in Parliament from Hordaland, and was appointed to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence.

He was named parliamentary leader of his party group, but was shortly thereafter appointed as Minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion in Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet on 20 October 2009, as the first man to hold this post.

When Lysbakken was appointed to the ministry, his deputy Gina Barstad took his place in Parliament.

During Lysbakken's term in office, he oversaw an increase in the funding of child protection services by over 300 million NOK per year.

The parental leave and the father's quota were also extended after propositions from his office.

Later in the 2009-2013 assembly of the Norwegian Parliament, he moved to the Standing Committee on Schools and Education.

Lysbakken also wrote a book entitled "Liberty, equality and fatherhood", which was published in 2011.

Lysbakken resigned from his office on 5 March 2012 (see "self-defense case" below).

On 10 March, he was elected party leader.

After resigning as Minister, Lysbakken resumed his duties as a representative in the Storting and the position as parliamentary leader, now holding a seat on the Parliament's Standing Committee on Health and Social Services, as well as the Enlarged Standing Committee on Foreign and Defence Affairs.

He was re-elected in 2013, 2017 and 2021.

In January 2024, he announced that he wouldn't seek re-election in the 2025 election.

The party gained almost 50% in the number of votes since the poor showing in the 2013 election, gaining 4 new seats in Parliament and 176.000 votes, corresponding to a 6,0 % voter share.

Party membership rose in parallel.

After the 2017 election, he rejoined the Standing Committee on Foreign and Defence Affairs.

Under Lysbakken's leadership, the Socialist Left Party, which had declined steadily in the polls since joining Jens Stoltenberg's "Red-Green" government, bounced back, increasing its parliamentary group after gains in the 2017 election.

The party's election campaign in 2017 and Lysbakken as party leader was awarded the prize for best campaign by a panel in the publicity industry magazine Kampanje, and the media-industry newspaper Medier24.

Several commentators agreed that Lysbakken was the "winner" of several of the biggest televised debates.

The campaign, focusing on issues of inequality, climate change and education, also resulted in a growth in voter share.

In early 2018, the party had over 11.000 members, the highest number since the early nineties.

Lysbakken led the party into 2021 election, with the campaign focusing on tackling climate change and inequality.