(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
The Social Liberal Left alternates between liberal peace theory in its programs (parliamentary election program and principle program). This is reflected in the fact that free trade and freedom of movement across national borders are understood as crucial preconditions for peace. In line with liberal peace theory, the Liberal Party also emphasizes democratic governance as important for preventing war, as do liberal parties such as the FRP and the Conservative Party. The Liberal Party claims in its program of principles that it is only through international cooperation that we can prevent conflict and create peace. The party's parliamentary election program considers freedom, democracy, the rule of law and a social market economy as the safest way to international peace and security. In any case, foreign policy must be linked to all other political fields, where the overriding goal is to promote human rights globally.
The electoral program can not be said to advocate raising the threshold for the use of military force. On the contrary. When it is emphasized that Norway should strive to participate in military NATO and UN operations, that we have an obligation to intervene militarily to prevent human rights violations, and that military interventions should only as a "main rule" require a UN mandate, this paints a picture of a policy of more military interventionism. In contrast to, for example, SV and Rødt, the Liberal Party does not criticize previous Norwegian contributions in such military operations in its programs. For example, there is no self-criticism that the Liberal Party, together with the Conservatives and the Green Party, went to great lengths for Norway to bomb Libya in 2011.
In terms of disarmament policy, nuclear disarmament is most important in the Liberal Party's election program. The party wants to reduce the world's nuclear warheads and contribute to increased security around the associated weapons system. The Liberal Party will give priority to strengthening existing agreements in which the nuclear weapon states are parties. The party nevertheless believes that nuclear weapons should be banned, and that Norway should join the UN ban on nuclear weapons. The Liberal Party also wants NATO to give higher priority to disarmament.
This program calls for strict control over arms exports, but is far weaker in measures to strengthen this control than the party's previous parliamentary election program. The Liberal Party also advocates strengthening the defense-industrial cooperation between the Norwegian and European arms industry.
The Liberal Party also goes to the polls to strengthen the Armed Forces, both to deter Russia and to fulfill Norway's obligations in NATO. According to the program, the party will increase its military presence in the High North and expand the infrastructure for receiving Allied forces. The Liberal Party wants to increase the number of Allied exercises in Norway. In this context, the Liberal Party emphasizes needs and measures for relaxation to a lesser extent than, for example, the Socialist People's Party, the Labor Party, the Christian Democrats and the Socialist People's Party do in their programs. At the same time, an alliance loyalty to NATO is used as a basis. Here, the Liberal Party expresses almost as strong NATO loyalty as the Conservative Party does in its program.
The Liberal Party considers prevention and knowledge to be the most important thing in preventing violence and abuse. The election program therefore focuses on early intervention by strengthening cooperation between homes, the police, schools, kindergartens, child welfare services, health centers and voluntary organizations. The Liberal Party also has a program of principles (last edited in March). International control over the development and use of autonomous weapons is desired here.
