there promise areas such as children, family affairs and kindergartens, and avoid trouble with questions regarding the LGBT community and abortion. In June 2019, several Christian Democratic politicians expressed criticism to Ropstad about not attending Pride parades. Ropstad had previously said in 2017, that it was fine to support the LGBT community and Pride, but he didn't have to walk in a parade to show it. The week before 26 May 2020, Ropstad stated that the Christian Democrats would add changes to the Biotechnology law. He and his party attempted to secure more conservative Progress Party votes, but when the Storting voted the week after, the party suffered a major loss in reforming the law. Instead, the other government parties, along with all opposition parties, voted for their own changes, which marked the first change in the law since 2004. From 2 June to 21 August 2020, Ropstad took parental leave as minister, and Ida Lindtveit Røse took over in acting capacity. A week before the 2021 election, media outlets revealed that Ropstad had received free housing for a parliamentary commuter home, paid by taxpayers, while at the same time being registered at his parents' home address. He only re-registered his address in November 2020, after having been registered at his parents' address since he was elected to Parliament in 2009. It was also specified that he had purchased a house in Lillestrøm, which he also rented out. Ropstad issued an apology, but insisted that he hadn't broken any laws. The Storting presidency later announced that they would look into the rules and regulations regarding parliamentary commuter homes when more revelations about other politicians having done the same or similar in nature, as Ropstad. Days after the election, further revelations from Aftenposten revealed that Ropstad had taken active measures to avoid taxation for the commuter home in Oslo. He admitted to this in a press conference on 17 September, but said he wouldn't step down and would like to continue as minister until a new government was in place. He also expressed he wanted to continue as party leader, despite some county party leaders calling his leadership into question as a breach of trust. The day after, he announced at a press conference that he would be stepping down as both party leader and minister. He specified he would remain leader until the party has elected a successor. References External