Ola Svenneby

Ola Svenneby
Svenneby in 2021
Second Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 February 2026
LeaderIne Eriksen Søreide
Preceded byTina Bru
Deputy Member of the Storting
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 October 2021
ConstituencyHedmark (2021–2025)
Oslo (2025–)
Leader of the Young Conservatives
In office
3 October 2020 – 14 February 2026
First DeputyHåkon Snortheim
Oda Sivertsen
Second DeputyLeon Knutsen
Emma Erlandsen
Nicolai Østeby
Preceded bySandra Bruflot
Succeeded byOda Sivertsen
Personal details
Born (1997-03-23) 23 March 1997
Våler, Hedmark, Norway
PartyConservative
Alma materUniversity of Oslo

Ola Svenneby (born 23 March 1997) is a Norwegian politician currently serving as the second deputy leader of the Conservative Party since 2026 and a deputy member of parliament for Oslo since 2025 and previously for Hedmark. A member of the Conservative Party, he previously served as the leader of the Norwegian Young Conservatives from 2020 to 2026 and as its deputy leader from 2018 to 2020.

Political career

Norwegian Young Conservatives

In 2017, Svenneby won the Norwegian Young Conservatives' elite course.[1]

Svenneby served as the second deputy leader of the Norwegian Young Conservatives from 2018 to 2020 under the leadership of Sandra Bruflot. At the 2020 convention, he was elected to succeed her beating his rival Amalie Gunnufsen in a 106–86 vote.[2] He was re-elected in 2022 and 2024.[3][4] He announced in October 2025 that he wouldn't be seeking re-election at the next convention in 2026.[5] He resigned after being elected as the nationwide party's second deputy leader and was succeeded by Oda Sivertsen.[6]

During his tenure as leader, he went against the mother party regarding the 2011 Norway attacks and argued that the right wing of the political spectrum also had some responsibility in addressing far-right extremism.[7] He caused some controversy following his party's victory at the 2023 school elections, held five days before the 2023 local elections, when he declared "the Greta Thunberg generation dead". He later apologised for his comment and took self-criticism for it.[8]

Party politics

In November 2025, Svenneby announced his candidacy for the deputy leadership of the Conservative Party.[9] The party's election committee designated him as second deputy leader on 11 December, alongside Henrik Asheim as first deputy leader and Ine Eriksen Søreide as leader.[10] The trio were formally elected at the party's extrodinary convention on 14 February 2026.[11]

Parliament

Svenneby was elected as a deputy member for Hedmark at the 2021 election. In 2025, he was elected as a deputy member for Oslo.[12]

Personal life

Svenneby grew up at his family farm in Våler Municipality, the oldest son of Brede Svenneby and Tove Flobergsæter. He has one younger brother.[13] He is openly gay and came out at the age of fifteen. He was diagnosed with ADHD in 2021. He lives in Oslo with his partner, former Norwegian Young Conservatives politician Mathias Opdal Weseth.[14][13] He has Forest Finnish roots.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Ola Svenneby vant Eliteprogrammet" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Norwegian Young Conservatives. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  2. ^ Setten, Karen; Sørsdahl, Elin (3 October 2020). "Ola (23) er ny Unge Høyre-leder" (in Norwegian Bokmål). TV2. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Svenneby gjenvalgt som Unge Høyre-leder" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Adresseavisen. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Gjenvalgt som Unge Høyre-leder" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Aftenposten. 22 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  5. ^ Jakobsen, Anna (25 October 2025). "Ola Svenneby: – Jeg kommer ikke til å ta gjenvalg" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Nettavisen. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  6. ^ Lona, Peter Andreas (17 February 2026). "Hun er ny leder i Unge Høyre" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Altinget. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  7. ^ Svenneby, Ola (14 May 2021). "To løfter til AUF" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Vårt Land. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  8. ^ Kurseth, Hedde; Børringbo, Anders; Bulai, Eva Marie; Thommessen, Julia Kirsebom (5 September 2023). "Svenneby tek sjølvkritikk etter Thunberg-utspel" (in Norwegian Nynorsk). NRK. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  9. ^ Haugan, Bjørn; Vågenes, Hallgeir (6 November 2025). "Svenneby: –⁠ Vil bli nestleder" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  10. ^ Røsvik, Eirik; Lægland, Martin; Johnsen, Alf Bjarne; Jåma, Naina Helén (11 December 2025). "Omstridt nestlederforslag i Høyre: –⁠ Varsler kampvotering" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  11. ^ Díaz, Martha C. S.; Rønnfeldt, Anne Sofie; Haugan, Bjørn; Mikalsen, Helge (14 February 2026). "Ine Eriksen Søreide er ny Høyre-leder" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Biografi: Svenneby, Ola" (in Norwegian Bokmål). stortinget.no. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  13. ^ a b Skarvøy, Lars Joakim; Eidsmo, Ditlev (25 October 2025). "Odelsgutten" (in Norwegian Bokmål). TV 2. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  14. ^ Røed, Lars-Ludvig; Gaare, Gorm (2023). "Rett på sak" (in Norwegian Bokmål). ADHD Norge. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Minervapodden: Ola Svenneby – Nasjonsbygging og skogfinner" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Minerva. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
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