On Sunday, September 7, parliamentary elections began in Norway, which will last two days. The left bloc, led by the Labour Party, and the right bloc, represented by the Conservative Party and the populist Progress Party, are competing for power. This is reported by Reuters and Euronews, according to UNN.
Details
At least nine parties are projected to win seats in the parliamentary elections, which conclude Monday evening, but only the leaders of the three main political forces are contenders for the prime minister's office.
At stake is a welfare system that other European countries have adopted as a comprehensive, universal model that provides tax-funded, publicly accessible services, including healthcare, free education, and income support.
What topics were the main focus of the election campaign?
According to Reuters, key campaign issues were the cost of living, taxation, and public services, and its outcome could affect energy and electricity supply to Europe, as well as the management of Norway's $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund.
Geopolitics was of great importance to voters, and analysts noted that this could play in favor of the Labour Party and its leader, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who positions himself as a reliable leader.
It is noted that the center-left bloc led by Støre wants to maintain the wealth tax to combat inequality. But the right-wing opposition argues that it harms entrepreneurs and calls for its abolition.
What do the latest poll results show?
The Labour Party and four smaller parties are likely to win 88 seats in the Norwegian parliament. This is three more than the minimum needed to secure a majority, and less than the total of 100 seats the left won in 2021.
The Progress Party and the Conservative Party, along with two smaller groups, will win 81 seats. However, the difference in polls between the left and right blocs remains within the margin of error.
When will the official election results be announced?
Official results will be announced on Tuesday, after which weeks of coalition negotiations are expected.
Recall
Norway will allocate $8.45 billion to support Ukraine in 2025-2026. The country is also participating in the supply of Patriot systems, the development of naval capabilities, and investment in the production of Ukrainian drones.