Office: | Leader of the Socialist Left Party |
Term Start: | 18 March 2023 |
1Blankname: | First Deputy |
1Namedata: | Marian Hussein |
2Blankname: | Second Deputy |
2Namedata: | Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes |
Predecessor: | Audun Lysbakken |
Term Start2: | 21 October 2021 |
Term End2: | 2 May 2023 |
1Blankname2: | First Deputy |
1Namedata2: | Per Olaf Lundteigen |
2Blankname2: | Second Deputy |
2Namedata2: | Tuva Moflag |
Predecessor2: | Erlend Wiborg |
Successor2: | Freddy André Øvstegård |
Office3: | First Deputy Leader of the Socialist Left Party |
Term Start3: | 18 March 2017 |
Term End3: | 18 March 2023 |
Leader3: | Audun Lysbakken |
Predecessor3: | Oddny Irene Miljeteig |
Successor3: | Marian Hussein |
Office4: | Member of the Storting |
Term Start4: | 1 October 2021 |
Constituency4: | Akershus |
Term Start5: | 1 October 2013 |
Term End5: | 30 September 2017 |
Constituency5: | Finnmark |
Office6: | Deputy Member of the Storting |
Term Start6: | 1 October 2005 |
Term End6: | 30 September 2009 |
Constituency6: | Finnmark |
Birth Date: | 1 July 1981 |
Birth Place: | Rana, Nordland, Norway |
Partner: | Atle |
Children: | 1 |
Party: | Socialist Left |
Kirsti Bergstø (born 1 July 1981) is a Norwegian politician serving as the leader of the Socialist Left Party since March 2023. She previously served as one of the party's deputy leaders from 2017 to 2023.
Bergstø was born in Rana in Nordland.[1] She is the daughter of Harald Bergstø who worked as a municipal fireman and Erna Bergstø who worked for the Norwegian welfare office.
She currently has a partner, and a son.[2]
She is the former leader of the Socialist Youth, the youth wing of the Socialist Left Party, and held this position between 2006 and 2008.
She served as a deputy representative to the Storting from Finnmark from 2005 to 2009. She was a deputy member of Finnmark county council from 1999 to 2003.[1] From 2010 to 2012 she was a State Secretary in the Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion, but she and Audun Lysbakken had to step down due to a political financing controversy regarding the appropriation of funds to organisations.[3]
She was a member of the Storting from Finnmark from 2013 to 2017, and again, from Akershus since 2021. In addition, she became the chair of the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Affairs, a position she held until 2023.[4]
She was elected the party's deputy leader on 18 March 2017.[5]
From April to September 2022, she was acting party leader while Audun Lysbakken was on parental leave.[6]
Following Lysbakken's announced departure as leader, Bergstø was floated as a possible contender to succeed him, alongside Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes and Kari Elisabeth Kaski.[7] Bergstø officially declared her candidacy on 9 December.[8] The party election committee unanimously designated her as party leader on 1 February 2023.[9] She was formally elected leader on 18 March.[10]