Masud Gharahkhani

Masud Gharahkhani (Persian: مسعود قره‌خانی; born 22 September 1982 in Tehran) is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party from the city of Drammen. He is currently an MP for Buskerud since 2017, and the President of the Storting since 2021.

Masud Gharahkhani
President of the Storting
Assumed office
25 November 2021
MonarchHarald V
Prime MinisterJonas Gahr Støre
Preceded byEva Kristin Hansen
Member of the Storting
Assumed office
1 October 2017
ConstituencyBuskerud
Deputy Member of the Storting
In office
1 October 2009 – 30 September 2013
ConstituencyBuskerud
Personal details
Born (1982-09-22) 22 September 1982
Tehran, Iran
Political partyLabour
Spouse(s)Saloumeh Abbasian
Children1

Early life and education

Born in Tehran, Iran, Masud Gharahkhani emigrated to Norway with his family in 1987 and grew up in Skotselv in Øvre Eiker. His family is originally from Piranshahr, Iran.[1] His father is politician and trade unionist Bijan Gharakhani. After attending Rosthaug senior high school, he enrolled at Gjøvik University College studying Radiography, graduating as a Radiologic technologist, and has been employed by Blefjell Hospital. He has also been employed as secretary-general for the Buskerud Labour party.

Political career

Gharahkhani was first elected as a deputy representative to the parliament in the 2009 election.[2] He received a standing ovation at the Labour Party national convention in 2011 for his speech about his journey from Tehran to Drammen.[3] Hoping to be the first mayor in Norway with a non-Western immigrant background, Gharahkani was the Labour party candidate for the mayor of Drammen in the 2011 local election. He eventually lost to popular incumbent Tore Opdal Hansen from the Conservative Party.[4] His campaign was marred by speculation in the press about his marriage to a woman in Iran. Gharahkani however blamed his opponents for attempting to smear him.[5]

Prime minister Jens Stoltenberg has called Gharahkhani "an extraordinary political talent" and "a success story in Norwegian society."[5]

President of the Storting

On 24 November 2021, the Labour Party nominated Gharahkhani to succeed Eva Kristin Hansen following her resignation after a parliamentary housing scandal.[6] He was formally elected the day after in a written vote. He is the first person of an ethnic minority background to serve as Storting president.[7]

On 7 December, he ordered an investigation into all MPs welfare benefits. He also demanded quicker results, and expanded the commission’s mandate and to have them deliver their findings by next summer. He called it “a right and fair signal to give”, and received support from the parliamentary leaders in the Storting.[8]

On 10 December, Gharahkhani proposed a wage freeze to last for one more year for Storting representatives. He expressed that it was right to do so until further. He stated: “I informed the presidency on Thursday about the party's position. Pending the committee that will look at executive salaries in the state in general and the Storting's committee that will review the representatives' schemes, we believe it is right to freeze the current remuneration until further notice”.[9]

On 15 December, Gharahkhani presented new rules for how members of the Storting should utilise commuter housing. He said that the rules should now be “crystal clear and not to misunderstand”. He further explained: “This means that if you own or rent a home that you utilise daily, within 40 kilometers of Oslo, then you are not entitled to commuter housing”.[10]

On 4 January 2022, Gharahkhani went into quarantine after his son had tested positive for COVID-19 and began remote working. He also encouraged people to take a COVID-19 vaccine.[11]

On 20 January, Gharahkhani received Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, showing her around the Storting and meeting with Vice President Svein Harberg, and Maren Grøthe, the youngest Storting representative.[12]

Gharahkhani’s proposal from December 2021 about a possible wage freeze for Storting representatives was rejected by a majority of the Storting presidency, consisting of the Centre, Conservative and Progress parties. The parties reasoned it was better for the investigative commission to reach their findings before further action should be taken.[13]

Gharahkhani expressed his support for the Arne campaign, which was inspired by the TV series Lykkeland, to promote gender equality and to call attention to gender inequality in top positions in working life. In an email to NTB, he said: “Even though we have come a long way in Norway, we know that name and gender still affect the opportunities you get in working life. A former radiographer and employee in the health service knows this. That is why I am happy to participate in and support the Arne campaign. We all have a responsibility to influence within the opportunities and choices we make in our daily lives, and not least what we show through our words and actions”. He also said that he had invited the people behind the campaign to an 8 March breakfast and to discuss hate and discrimination against women.[14]

On 18 March, Gharahkhani announced that he has contacted the Ukrainian embassy to request if president Volodymyr Zelenskyy would hold a speech to the Storting. Gharahkhani added that he had already sent a request for a meeting to the speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament.[15] Zelenskyy accepted the invitation on 24 March, and promised to speak to the Storting in the near future. Gharahkhani confirmed this, adding that a time for the speech had yet been determined, and that it was an honour that Zelenskyy had accepted.[16]

Immigrant relations

In an incident where teachers at an elementary school in Drammen banned its pupils from wearing traditional Christmas costumes at an annual Christmas play, Gharahkhani publicly condemned the school for its actions and reiterated the importance of Norwegian culture and tradition in schools. When asked about his personal experiences, he explained: "I always participated in Christmas activities in school and I would recommend it to my children."[17] Commentators praised him for his openness and tolerance.[18] The head principal of the school later apologized for the affair.

A hardline supporter of immigrant integration, Gharahkhani has stated that immigrant children have to learn to speak Norwegian or risk being taken by Norwegian Child Welfare Services, calling failing to teach children Norwegian "unacceptable parental neglect" as it was an absolute prerequisite for succeeding in the Norwegian society.[19]

Personal life

Gharahkhani married his wife Saloumeh "Sally" Abbasian in a private ceremony in Turkey in 2010. They currently live in the Åssiden neighborhood in Drammen.[5][20] They also have a son.[21]

References
  1. Piranshahr politician became speaker of the Norwegian parliament
  2. Fiskvik, Eli Pauline (2009). "Biografi: Gharahkhani, Masud". Representanter og Komiteer (in Norwegian). Stortinget.no. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
  3. Stående applaus for Drammens ordførerkandidat Archived 2012-05-27 at archive.today
  4. Masud Gharahkhani kan bli første ordfører med innvandrerbakgrunn
  5. Andersen, Mads (2011-04-09). "Ap-Yndling: Kjærligheten brukt i en svertekampanje". Vg.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2012-07-15.
  6. "Støre stolt over valget av Gharahkhani" (in Norwegian). ABC Nyheter. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  7. "Masud Gharahkhani valgt som stortingspresident" (in Norwegian). ABC Nyheter. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  8. "Stortingspresidenten ber om granskning av alle velferdsgoder til stortingsrepresentantene" (in Norwegian). ABC Nyheter. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  9. "Gharahkhani foreslår lønnsfrys enda et år for stortingsrepresentantene" (in Norwegian). ABC Nyheter. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  10. "Stortinget innfører krav om dokumentasjon for pendlerbolig" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  11. "Stortingspresidenten er i coronakarantene" [The President of the Storting is in corona quarantine]. ABC Nyheter (in Norwegian). 4 January 2022.
  12. "Prinsessen fikk rundtur på Stortinget: – Det var veldig lærerikt å være her". TV 2 (in Norwegian). 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  13. "Tapte kamp om doble feriepenger" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  14. "Stortingspresidenten endrer navn til «Anne»" (in Norwegian). Dagsavisen. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  15. "Stortinget har spurt om Zelenskyj vil holde tale" (in Norwegian). ABC Nyheter. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  16. "Zelenskyj er klar til å tale til Stortinget" (in Norwegian). ABC Nyheter. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  17. Muslimsk Ap-leder i Drammen ut mot jule- og nisseluenekt
  18. Nissekonflikten i jule-Drammen, VG 15. desember 2011 s. 2
  19. Nordahl, Bjørn Olav (2011-09-02). "Ap-topp vil bruke barnevernet mot invanndrerfamilier". Nrk.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2012-07-15.
  20. Køsling, Ingvild-Anita Velde (2011-09-13). "Jeg er ingen slagen mann". Nrk.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2012-07-15.
  21. "Tok til tårene da sønnen ble innstilt som stortingspresident" (in Norwegian). NRK. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
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