 The year 1994 started with annual conventions in each county , scheduled between 15 January and 6 April . These conventions elected delegates to the national convention . Tension had mounted between party leader Carl I. Hagen and other factions in the party . Parts of the central committee were skeptical to Hagen 's position and policies . In addition , the youth wing , Youth of the Progress Party , had experienced disagreements with the Hagen @-@ led Progress Party . The leader of the Youth of the Progress Party , Lars Erik Grønntun , had been on the verge of stepping down , but was persuaded around the end of 1993 to run for re @-@ election . Before the county conventions , Grønntun stated a desire for an extraordinary meeting between the party and its youth wing , where he wanted to " contribute to gathering the party and avoid any signs of a split " . 
