Alcohol problems in politics are about uncertain leadership

Siri Gåsemyr Staalesen

12.05.2026 - Debates about problematic alcohol use in politics are often about individuals and single incidents. That is understandable, but not enough. The Storting, Norway’s parliament, is also a workplace. When alcohol-related problems in working life are allowed to take root, it is not because no one sees them. They arise because no one has the necessary conversation while it is still possible to do something about them.

Problematic alcohol use in politics is first and foremost a question of leadership.

As a former member of parliament, and today director of Akan Competence Centre, I know politics as a workplace. I also have in-depth knowledge of situations where alcohol can become a problem in working life. The experience is clear. Where leaders feel confident enough to have early and caring conversations, problems can be prevented. Where leaders wait, hope, or remain silent, the problem is given room to grow.

This applies across working life. It also applies in the Storting.

Leaders must have the conversation

Many leaders hesitate to have the necessary conversation. Not because they lack the will to take responsibility, but because they are unsure. Do I really have enough reason? Am I interpreting the signals correctly? What if I am wrong? What if the relationship is damaged?

In surveys, as many as four in ten leaders say that they avoid having the conversation even when they are concerned. Our experience at Akan Competence Centre is that this hesitation is often rooted in a misunderstanding of the leadership role. The necessary conversation is not about defining a problem or making a diagnosis. It is about being clear in the role of leader. It is about describing what you see, expressing concern, and inviting dialogue.

The aim of the first conversation is not to get an admission. It is to show care and take responsibility before situations develop further.

Alcohol-related challenges in working life also rarely appear as obvious breaches or absence. They appear as alcohol-related presenteeism. This can mean hangovers, reduced concentration, poorer judgement, and lower performance. This is more widespread than alcohol-related absence, and the costs, both human and organisational, are significant. Yet it is rarely discussed as a leadership responsibility. Instead, problematic alcohol use is often treated as a private matter until the consequences become impossible to overlook. By then, the room for action has already become smaller.

The Storting is a workplace

Politics is not exempt from these mechanisms. Quite the opposite. It involves travel, representation, late evenings, and many social arenas. For some, commuting, loneliness, and unpredictability are also part of the picture. All of this increases the need for clear leadership.

Parliamentary party groups have leaders. Elected representatives also need clear boundaries, clear expectations, and a low threshold for conversation when something does not seem right. Being elected by the people does not remove the need for leadership. It strengthens the responsibility.

The Akan model has been part of Norwegian working life since 1963, and every single day we receive inquiries from leaders who are dealing with situations where they need guidance. Through Akan Competence Centre, our owners, LO, NHO, and the state, have developed a shared understanding of what works. It is about clear roles, early dialogue, and leaders who dare to have the necessary conversation. This creates safer people and better workplaces.

The decisive question is therefore not whether politicians drink more or less than before. The decisive question is whether leaders in politics, just like leaders elsewhere in working life, take responsibility when concern arises.

Siri Gåsemyr Staalesen, director of Akan Competence Centre