50 Facts About Christian Tybring-Gjedde

Christian Tybring-Gjedde was born on 8 August 1963 and is a Norwegian politician who represented the Progress Party until 2024.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has been a member of the Norwegian parliament since 2005, and was the leader of the Progress Party's Oslo chapter from 2010 to 2014.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde is most widely known for his opposition to immigration, especially Muslim immigration.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde believes immigration policy to be the single most important political issue facing Norwegian society.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has been described by some media commentators and scholars as far-right, anti-immigrant and Islamophobic, and is a leading figure in a party faction that seeks to declare Norway a "patriotic beacon".

In July 2024, Christian Tybring-Gjedde was expelled from the Progress Party for comments made regarding its nomination process in Oslo.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde's father was the owner of an office supply company founded by Christian's grandfather Carl in 1918, until selling the family business in 2001.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde studied at the Loyola University Chicago from 1984 to 1988, and achieved a bachelor's degree in political science.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde later attended the NATO Defense College in Rome from 1996 to 1997.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde won the Norwegian championship with the Frogner water polo club in 1992, and has been picked out for the national water polo team.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has been a member of the Progress Party since 1979, when he was attending secondary school.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde was elected to his first public office in the 2003 local elections for the Oslo city council, while having been deputy chairman of the party's Oslo chapter from 2001 until then.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde held the local office until 2005 when he was elected to parliament, having secured the party nomination after Geir Mo dropped out from the contest for the third place on its Oslo list.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde was re-elected to parliament in 2009 and in 2013 on a more secure second spot only behind party leader Jensen.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde was the leader of the Progress Party's Oslo chapter from 2010, until announcing his withdrawal in 2014.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde did not attend the party's 2014 national convention, considering he had "no tasks" there, and announced he would publish a book later that year.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde was re-elected to parliament in 2017 and 2021.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde gained widespread publicity and controversy in August 2010 when he co-authored an op-ed in Aftenposten titled "Dream from Disneyland", where he strongly criticized what he described as the Labour Party-led immigration policy.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde subsequently claimed to represent the majority of Norwegians on the issue, claiming to be "mainstream in Norway" and "saying what you hear at parties".

Christian Tybring-Gjedde suggested to dissolve the modern asylum system, and transport all incoming asylum seekers to an international centre to have their applications processed.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has on several occasions rejected the scientific consensus on climate change.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has stated that he is opposed to Norwegian membership of the European Union.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has proposed for Norway to challenge the European Economic Area and the Schengen Agreement, and potentially consider other forms of cooperation.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has called for rejecting any pressure to follow Sweden's move in 2014 of recognising State of Palestine prior to an agreement has been reached between the two parties in the conflict.

When Mads Gilbert was denied entry to Gaza through Israel the same year, Christian Tybring-Gjedde voiced his understanding of Israel's decision, stating that the country had the full right to deny Gilbert entrance.

In other issues Christian Tybring-Gjedde has voiced opinions contradicting his party's official policy.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde condemned human rights violations in Saudi Arabia and criticized the close relations between the Saudi regime and Western governments.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde criticized human rights abuses and anti-EU policies by Erdogan's Turkey, Norway's ally in NATO.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has been sharply critical of the foreign policy of the United States prior to the election of Donald Trump.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde said the Minsk Protocol adopted by the leaders of Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia, which ensures peace and stabilization in eastern Ukraine, must be implemented.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde criticized the sanctions against Russia that the conservatives pushed for; he has said the west should recognise the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde said that in relations with China, the government should put Norway's interests first.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has voiced his scepticism of sending about 100 Norwegian soldiers to Iraq to fight against ISIL, fearing that doing so would increase the risk of Islamic terrorism in Norway, as well as not leading to peace and democracy in the region.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has proposed for Norwegian citizens joining ISIL to be put on trial for treason on the same line as Norwegians having fought for Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

In February 2022, Christian Tybring-Gjedde stated that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his fight for peace and having become an inspiration for the Ukrainian people.

In 2018 and 2020, Christian Tybring-Gjedde said he had put forward Donald Trump's name as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde is regarded as being on the far right wing of the Progress Party, and has been described as extreme right by expert on the far right Sindre Bangstad.

Since 2019 Christian Tybring-Gjedde has been a leading figure in a party faction that seeks to replace the party's ideology with a "Norway first" ideology with an emphasis on anti-immigration and rejection of the scientific consensus on climate change, and in 2020 he spearheaded an attempt to declare Norway a "patriotic beacon".

Christian Tybring-Gjedde said that the party should move in a national conservative direction and that "very few people agree" with the stated ideology of liberalism in the party programme because "liberalism in its extreme form means open borders" and because he views liberalism as a dead ideology.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has called for his party to cooperate more with the Sweden Democrats and to invite Jimmie Akesson to his party's national convention.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde is currently married to his second wife Ingvil Smines Christian Tybring-Gjedde, who was his childhood sweetheart from their time at Kristelig Gymnasium.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde said he was proud of his wife, who refused to go to Iran in 2017, where she would have to wear the compulsory hijab.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde's daughter from his first marriage Mathilde Tybring-Gjedde is a member of the Norwegian parliament, but for the Conservative Party.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde is a member of the Church of Norway.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde is currently estranged from his parents after a dispute over his divorce from his first wife.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde is reported to have forfeited millions of NOK from the family business due to this.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has said that he has not met or spoken to his father for several years, and that he is open about his family having "many issues".

In December 2011 it was reported that Christian Tybring-Gjedde had gone on sick leave due to threats.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde has later publicly related about becoming sick due to heated hostility towards him in the media, harassment and death threats, requiring police protection at times, as part of a backlash following the 2011 Norway attacks.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde's wife has spoken out against him being scapegoated and singled out by the media for his views.