Norwegian Elections Continue European Trend with Rising Support for the Far-Right

By DEMIR KASAPOGLU

On Sept. 8, Norwegians headed to the polls to elect a new government in the Storting, their parliament. 

The currently ruling center-left Labour Party became the largest party with 53 seats, up from their previous 48 seats. The right-wing populist Progress Party has more than doubled their seat share, going from 21 seats to 47 following the European trend of a rise in support for the far-right. 

Labour leader and prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre now finds himself in a tight situation. He must create a government with a majority, however the left wing parties together have 87 seats, with 85 needed for a majority. Støre, who in the past has decided to not work with the more left wing Socialist Left and Red parties must now pick his allies. 

To deny the right a government, all the left-wing parties must now enter government or a toleration agreement with Labour. No matter the outcome of coalition talks, it’s clear that the surge in support for the far-right has not left Norway unaffected, creating more instability in governments and in the streets.

_{Featured image: Wikimedia Commons}