The leader of the Progress Party was the leading challenger to become prime minister, and this also scared away conservative voters. The liberal party Venstre was particularly affected by this and ended up below the threshold. But the program of the conservative side also caused them to lose voters. The Conservative Party’s main issue was the removal of the wealth tax. This would particularly benefit the richest of the rich, while being financed by cuts to public services for those who need them most.
Poverty on the rise
During the period when the Conservative Party leader Erna Solberg was Prime Minister, there were tax cuts for the rich, unpopular cuts and increasing inequalities. In this election campaign, she said that she would completely remove social security benefits after three years for sick people if they have not been able to clarify whether they can work part-time. But disputes in the health sector, and slow case processing, are not the fault of the sick.
Labour Party Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has not reversed this trend in power. Poverty is on the rise in Norway, particularly due to the sharp rise in food and other prices. More and more groups are having to queue for food at voluntary organisations. Stricter rules and slow case processing make it more difficult to receive the benefits to which one is entitled from the public sector. There is also strong opposition to the closure of schools and hospitals around the country. At this year’s May Day demonstration in Oslo, which was record-breaking in size, one of the largest sections consisted of teachers, parents and pupils from three schools that are to be closed.
Large anti-racist demonstration
The leader of the Progress Party, Sylvi Listhaug, has also made xenophobic statements in this election campaign, but perhaps toned down her racist rhetoric somewhat because she wanted to become prime minister. She took the press to the Old Oslo district to point it out as a ‘problem area’ because of immigration. Not long afterwards, a right-wing extremist living in a reinforced dormitory in the same district killed an employee. The police characterised the murder as terrorism. The employee was from Ethiopia and a Muslim. This led to one of the largest anti-racist demonstrations in Norway. On 31 August, 30,000 people demonstrated to commemorate the murdered Tamima Nibras Juhar and to protest against racism.
But state racism must also be protested against. Other parties have accepted much of the Progress Party’s rhetoric, cooperated with the party and implemented increasingly strict immigration and asylum policies. This also provides fertile ground for violent extremists.
International right-wing extremists have also singled out Old Oslo as a ‘problem area’. During the election campaign, the small right-wing extremist party Norgesdemokratene invited the German AfD to the district. A thousand counter-demonstrators forced the police to escort the right-wing extremists away.
The Left parties
Another interesting aspect of the election campaign was that Rødt (Red) was above the Socialist Left Party (SV) in several polls. SV is a traditional Left of Social Democracy party, while Rødt has its roots in the Maoist AKP(m-l). Rødt had its best election ever, receiving 5.3% of the vote, almost as much as the SV with 5.6%. Rødt is probably seen by many voters on the left as more committed than SV to the fight against increasing inequality. Solidarity with Gaza probably also won Rødt votes. Unfortunately, however, Rødt has voted in favour of war spending for Ukraine and military rearmament. They have also opened up the possibility of joining the government, something they have previously opposed on principle.
SV did not want to join the previous government because they thought its policies were too poor. After this election, the Labour Party is dependent on support from the parties to its left. But Labour have arrogantly stated that they do not want any formal cooperation with Rødt. The government will continue the same policies as before the elections. This means the protests outside the Storting (parliament) will continue, against cuts and closures of schools and hospitals and in solidarity with Gaza.
