opposition, a situation has been produced where the centre party is more on the left than Left itself. When the name Left was chosen in 1884, the word did not refer to socialism in the way "Left wing" does today. It meant liberal or radicalism in comparison to the conservatives on the right, and referred to the position of the seats in Parliament. The use of the word for "left" in the names of the Danish political parties Venstre and Radikale Venstre is also meant to refer to liberalism and radicalism rather than socialism. Party leaders 1884 Johan Sverdrup 1884–1889 Ole Anton Qvam 1889–1893 Johannes Steen 1893–1894 Viggo Ullmann 1894–1896 Ole Anton Qvam 1898–1900 Viggo Ullmann 1900–1903 Lars Holst 1903–1909 Carl Berner 1909–1927 Gunnar Knudsen 1927–1940 Johan Ludwig Mowinckel 1945–1952 Jacob S. Worm-Müller 1952–1964 Bent Røiseland 1964–1970 Gunnar Garbo 1970–1972 Helge Seip 1972–1974 Helge Rognlien 1974–1976 Eva Kolstad 1976–1982 Hans Hammond Rossbach 1982–1986 Odd Einar Dørum 1986–1990 Arne Fjørtoft 1990–1992 Håvard Alstadheim 1992–1996 Odd Einar Dørum 1996–2010 Lars Sponheim 2010–2020 Trine Skei Grande 2020– Guri Melby Prime ministers from Venstre 1884–1889 Johan Sverdrup 1891–1893 Johannes Steen 1898–1902 Johannes Steen 1902–1903 Otto Blehr 1907–1908 Jørgen Løvland 1908–1910 Gunnar Knudsen 1913–1920 Gunnar Knudsen 1921–1923 Otto Blehr 1924–1926 Johan Ludwig Mowinckel 1928–1931 Johan Ludwig Mowinckel 1933–1935 Johan Ludwig Mowinckel Electoral results See also Liberalism Contributions to liberal theory Liberalism worldwide List of liberal parties Liberal democracy Liberalism in Norway Notes References External links Venstre official site Election results for Venstre in the 2007 local elections Liberal parties in Norway Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party member parties Classical liberal parties Green liberalism Liberal International Political parties established in 1884 Radical parties Republicanism in Norway Social liberal parties 1884 establishments in Norway