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Norway’s Labour party under Jonas Gahr St\u00f8re has won a second term in general elections, ahead of a populist right-wing party that doubled its vote.<\/p>\n
In a country used to minority governments, Labour has a chance of forming a narrow two-seat majority in the 169-seat Storting, if it secures the support of four smaller parties on the centre left.<\/p>\n
Norway’s four million voters came out in big numbers, and the turnout of 78.9% was the biggest for years.<\/p>\n
The anti-immigration Progress Party of Sylvi Listhaug made the biggest gains, securing almost 24% of the vote and 48 seats.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Jonas Gahr St\u00f8re, 65, told jubilant supporters that even though right-wing forces were on the rise in Europe, social democrat parties could still win elections.<\/p>\n
With most votes counted, Labour won 28.2% of the vote and 53 seats, an improvement on its showing in the 2021 election.<\/p>\n
The campaign was initially dominated by foreign policy, including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, but the run-up to the vote focused on rising living costs, the oil industry and reforming a wealth tax that has seen hundreds of Norwegians leave the country for Switzerland.<\/p>\n
Despite its small population of 5.6 million, Norway punches above its weight on the international stage. A founder member of Nato, it shares an Arctic border with Russia and is part of the EU’s single market but not a member state.<\/p>\n
Support for Labour was buoyed earlier this year when former Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg, a popular figurein Norway, joined the government as finance minister.<\/p>\n
Sylvi Listhaug, 47, congratulated the Labour leader on his party’s victory but told supporters that Norway had “four tough years ahead” under the left.<\/p>\n
Her Progress Party has no hope of forming a coalition as parties on the right fell three seats short of the 85 needed for a majority.<\/p>\n
The Conservatives lost ground with 14.6% and their leader, former prime minister Erna Solberg, has said she is unlikely to stand again.<\/p>\n
Coalition building is likely to take several weeks, and if Labour succeeds in forming a majority it will have to overcome policy disagreements with smaller parties on the future of the oil industry and investments by Norway’s enormous sovereign wealth fund.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n