Norwegians are voting this weekend in a closely contested parliamentary election that could return a centre‑right government or deliver a second term for Labour Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
The campaign has been shaped by a blend of international and domestic issues: wars in Gaza and Ukraine and US trade policy have been prominent, but in the closing days voters and parties focused heavily on the rising cost of living, inequality and public services such as schools and infrastructure. With roughly four million eligible voters in the NATO founding member, the outcome will be decided under proportional representation in contests across 19 constituencies for 169 Storting seats.
Labour, led by 65‑year‑old Støre, has been ahead in opinion polls and benefited from the appointment of former NATO secretary‑general Jens Stoltenberg as finance minister — a boost referred to in Norwegian media as the "Stoltenberg effect." The opposition bloc includes the Conservative Høyre party, led by former prime minister Erna Solberg, and the right‑wing populist Progress Party under Sylvi Listhaug, whose rising popularity has sharpened debates about leadership should the centre‑right combine to win a majority.
A key domestic flashpoint has been Norway's wealth tax. Current rules levy a 1% tax on net assets above 1.76 million Norwegian kroner (about £130,000, $175,000), with discounts that reduce the assessed value of owner‑occupied homes. Listhaug has called for abolishing the wealth tax, and Solberg's Conservatives propose exempting ‘‘working capital’’ such as shares. Labour has ruled out sweeping abolition but has promised a comprehensive review of taxation policies. Stoltenberg has warned against changes that would allow the wealthiest to pay little or no tax.
Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest at about $1.9 trillion, has become an unexpected factor in the campaign after managers moved to divest holdings in nearly half of the Israeli companies the fund held, citing alleged rights violations. Nicolai Tangen, chief executive of the fund, has described the episode as "my worst‑ever crisis," and the decision has fuelled debate about the political pressures on the fund and Norway's foreign‑policy posture.
Foreign policy and Norway's relationship with Europe have been background themes. Norway is a member of the European Economic Area and the Schengen zone but is not a member of the European Union. Most parties have avoided making EU membership a central campaign issue, mindful of a persistent domestic majority that opposes joining the bloc. Høyre remains the most overtly pro‑EU party and says any move toward membership would require a referendum.
The Norwegian electoral system generally produces coalition or minority governments: a majority in the 169‑seat Storting requires 85 seats. Støre formed a minority government with the Centre Party after 2021, but that alliance collapsed in January over disputes about EU energy policies. Analysts say the centre‑right grouping also has internal disagreements, raising the possibility that the election could produce no clear majority and leave coalition talks to determine who governs.
Campaign events, including the annual Arendal political festival, brought leaders into televised debates and public meetings where questions on public spending, schools and transport repeatedly surfaced as headline voter concerns. Voters interviewed ahead of the vote cited everyday economic pressures as decisive factors in their choice at the ballot box.
Turnout figures and initial tallies are expected to appear on Monday evening after polls close. If no bloc reaches an outright majority, the subsequent negotiations between parties will determine the composition of the next government and who will lead it as prime minister.