What is disturbing is that the racist rightwing populist Progress party surged to 20% of the vote and is now the second biggest party.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/09/12/norway.election.reut/index.html

quote:

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A television survey for NRK broadcasting indicated that the so-called "Red-Green" alliance, led by the Labor Party, would win a tiny majority of 85 seats in the 169-member parliament to 84 for Bondevik's tax-cutting coalition.

An earlier poll for independent TV2 indicated that the opposition would win by 86-83 seats.

In the NRK poll, the opposition's 85 seats included two seats from the communist Red Electoral Alliance, which are not formally part of the bloc but would support a leftist government, likely to be led by Labor's former Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

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But this is good enough I guess...Socialist Left comes across as being the NDP trimmed of some of the prohibitionist and Blairite fat.

I was satisfied with Portugal's results, and I am satisfied with Norway's.

[ 12 September 2005: Message edited by: Hugo the Liberator ]

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Originally posted by Stockholm:
Of course the Centre Party is part of the alliance with Labour and they are a non-socialist party for farmers that just stands for more farm subsidies.

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And decentralised economics...

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Originally posted by Doug:
I like Norway. It's the Bizarro-world Alberta.

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Not really...

The previous coalition was probably more right-wing than Ralph Klein's government.

But then again, Klein is Albertans at their "best"...

Remember the Socreds?

[ 12 September 2005: Message edited by: Hugo the Liberator ]

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Originally posted by Stockholm:
I doubt that very much. Ralph Klein would be off the scale to the right in Norway...he MIGHT be comparable to the rightwing populaist Progress party that is treated like a lepe by the other rightwing parties.

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Official Results:

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Labour (A) 61 seats, up 18
Socialist Left (SV) 15 seats, down 8
Centre Party (SP) 11 seats, up 1

Coast Party (KYST) 0, down 1
Liberals (V) 10 seats, up 8
Christian Peoples' Party (KRF) 11 seats, down 11
Conservatives (H) 23 seats, down 15
Progress Party (FRP) 38 seats, up 12

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[ 13 September 2005: Message edited by: Wilf Day ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Stockholm:
Actually the Christian Democrats in Norway tend to be the least conservative of all the "non-socialist" parties. They tend to be quite progressive Red Tory types - the Conservatives are the big business party and the "Progress Party" are the populaist anti-immigrant types.

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You sure about that?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Democratic_Party_of_Norway

quote:

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The Christian Democrats follow their European counterparts in many ways, arguing that the state should care for its citizens but not get otherwise economically involved. In the late 1990s they tried to market themselves as a family-friendly party, and their upcoming election campaign is rumoured to be based on traditional moral values, including gay adoption and abortion. KrF have conservative opinions in both issues, arguing against both gay adoption and the prevalent abortion rate in Norway. They also want to ban biotechnology, and have made the biotechnology laws in Norway into some of the strictest in the world.

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Sound like religious fanatics to me...

[ 13 September 2005: Message edited by: Hugo the Liberator ]

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Originally posted by Stockholm:
They are socially conservative, but more economically progressive since their voters tend to be pensionaers and farmers etc...(ie: people who expect a lot of government money to be spent on them)

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quote:

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Originally posted by Wilf Day:
Partners: Jens Stoltenberg, Kristin Halvorsen and Åslaug Haga.
[/URL]

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Yum, Red-Green threesome.

His father was Foreign Minister in a Social Democratic government, and was later UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

People who know them tell me they are brilliant, well-read, speak 5-6 foreign languages well, etc.

The new prime minister, Jens Stoltenberg, was Minister of Energy in the government of Gro Harlem Bruntland. He was apparently a driving force for the idea that the new oil riches should, first and foremost, "not undermine Norwegian democracy" by creating excessively wealthy individuals or groups.

The government-owned fund which came from oil revenues is now worth $50,000.00 for every Norwegian, or 133,000.00 per family.