This is what I love about living in Norway:
This morning I was walking to work and passed a woman in the street. She looked familiar and I was deep in my own thoughts so I just said “hi”. She said “hi” back and gave me a smile. That was when I realized that I`d just said “hi” to our prime minister.
Erna Solberg – the Norwegian prime minister
She was walking down the street, no security pushing people aside or trying to keep her away from any and all dangers in her path. I liked that.
And before you say, “well, it`s easy for your prime minister to walk around unprotected – you live in such a peaceful part of the world”, I need to remind you of the terror of Oslo and Utøya only a little over two years ago. Our government buildings were bombed and 69 kids were killed at a political rally – all on the same day. I also need to remind you that the Swedish prime minister was killed in the streets back in 1986 and that another Swedish minister was killed while shopping in 2003.
I`m not sure our politicians are in much less danger of meeting a crazy person than politicians in most other countries. They still choose to walk, use their bicycle or the tram – they are among us – and if you come here you`ll see it all the time. This is a choice they`ve made. They want to be close to “the people” because that`s the only way they can still stay part of the people.
So I was thrilled to be able to say “hi” to our prime minister today. Not because I voted for her or because I`m a fan of her. Not because I get a thrill from seeing famous people. But because it reassures me that our politicians are still just people and that they are accessible. If I contact a politician via email or some social media, I`ll always get a reply – and most probably from that politician him-/herself. I may not like the reply but I know he or she listened to me and that my opinions were somehow taken into account.
I like that 🙂
EDIT: On the same day I had lunch at a restaurant near my office and who walks in? The mayor of Oslo – dressed in jeans and a huge smile. Yes, I like this country (even if I didn`t vote for the mayor either).