 A former member of the Conservative Party and the libertarian organisation Libertas, Gjems-Onstad joined Anders Lange's Party when it was founded in 1973 and became the party's deputy leader.He was elected a Member of Parliament in the 1973 parliamentary election, and became the party's parliamentary leader following Anders Lange's death in 1974.Many of his views and proposals caused controversy, and he got in conflict with the new leadership of the party, which was eventually headed by Carl I. Hagen.