Norway's Elections Result in Red-Green Coalition Majority
In a significant political shift for Norway, the incumbent Labour Party (Ap) led by Jonas Gahr Støre is set to become the strongest force in the Norwegian parliament, according to initial figures from the Norwegian election authority. With around four million Norwegians called to the polls, the preliminary final result of the election is expected during the night.
Støre's Labour Party initially received 28.1% of the votes, a slight increase (1.8%) compared to the result in the 2021 parliamentary election. This growth in support has put the Labour Party in a position to potentially form a government with parties from the left-green spectrum.
The parties of the left-green bloc, including the Socialist Left Party (SV), Center Party (SP), Red Party (Rødt), and the Green Party, together with Støre’s Labour Party, gave the left-green bloc a narrow majority in the Norwegian parliament. The right-wing populist Progress Party, however, saw the biggest increase (plus 12.6%) and became the second-strongest force with preliminary 24.2% of the votes.
The oil and gas industry in Norway is the country's biggest climate sinner, contributing significantly to Norway's carbon emissions. Three parties from the left-green spectrum in the Norwegian parliament have expressed their intent to stop new oil and gas drilling, signaling a potential shift in Norway's energy policy. However, Støre's Ap does not share this stance and supports continued oil and gas production.
Norway is an important energy supplier for Europe, particularly since the Ukraine war. The country's oil and gas production are the main sources of income for Norway. The future of Norway's energy policy remains uncertain as the left-green bloc, if it forms a government, will need to balance the need for revenue with the pressure to reduce carbon emissions.
It is worth noting that a minority government is not uncommon in Norway, and Støre has been at the head of a minority government since 2021. A party or coalition in Norway does not need a parliamentary majority to govern, but they must not have a majority in parliament voting against them.
Norway is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), closely connected to the EU. The Conservatives (Høyre) of former Prime Minister Erna Solberg came in third with initially 14.5% of the votes, representing a loss of 5.8 percentage points compared to 2021.
The results of the election mark a significant shift in Norway's political landscape, with the left-green bloc potentially taking a majority in parliament. The future of Norway's energy policy and its relationship with the EU will be closely watched as the final results are confirmed and coalition negotiations begin.
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