It is expected that the leader of the Labor Party, Jonas Gahr Støre, will form the next government. According to initial projections, his party comes to about 26 percent.
According to projections, the opposition center-left camp is ahead in the general election in Norway. The lead over the parties of the previous coalition government under Prime Minister Erna Solberg is large, reported several Norwegian media on Monday, citing separate forecasts after the closing of the polling stations.
Accordingly, the Social Democratic Workers’ Party initially received around 26 percent of the vote, the Conservatives of the incumbent Prime Minister Erna Solberg around 20 percent. After eight years of ruling coalition under Solberg, there are signs of a change of government. It is expected that the leader of the Labor Party, Jonas Gahr Støre, will form the next government.
According to the extrapolated figures, it could be enough for a slim majority of what is considered to be the most likely center-left alliance, which consists of the Social Democrats as well as the Center Party and the Socialist Left Party. If this triumvirate does not achieve this, Støre could also be dependent on the support of the Greens (around 4 percent) and the Red Party (around 5 percent).
But minority governments are also not uncommon in Scandinavia. In Denmark and Sweden, for example, Støre’s social democratic party colleagues Mette Frederiksen and Stefan Löfven also rule without a clear majority of their own. Erna Solberg has also led Norway with a minority government since the beginning of 2020 after the right-wing populists left the coalition.
Almost 3.9 million Norwegians were called to vote in the election. Almost 1.65 million voters had already voted early – that was more than 42 percent of all eligible voters. The first projections were based on these votes and a mathematical model. A preliminary election result is expected on Tuesday.
The dominant theme of the election campaign was the country’s climate policy, which owes its prosperity above all to the export of oil and gas. Both Støre and Solberg had spoken out in favor of a gradual change towards more climate-friendly energies. The oil and gas industry brings many jobs to the country. However, if a government were to be formed, Støre could have to rely on the support of the Greens, who had called for an end to all Norwegian oil production by 2035. Støre had branded this as a false industrial policy during the election campaign. The 61-year-old had promised tax cuts for low and middle incomes if he was elected. He wants to increase the taxes for the wealthy.