Right-wing Wins Local Elections in Norway for the First Time in 99 Years

Two Norwegian opposition parties, the center-right Høyre (H) party led by former Prime Minister Erna Solberg and the national-conservative Progress Party (FrP), won the municipal elections in Norway on Monday, September 11, denying victory to the center-left Labor Party for the first time in 99 years.

According to information published in one of the largest newspapers, AFTENPOSTEN, for the first time since 1924, the Conservative Party — Høyre is the largest party in the country, with a support rate of 25.9%. They have succeeded in several major cities and currently dominate in 11 out of the country's 15 largest municipalities. The Labor Party may also lose power in ten of the largest cities.

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The percentage of votes for the Høyre party increased from 20.1% to 25.9% in the local elections, while the Progress Party gained 3.1 points, reaching 11.4%. Among the smaller parties, the right-wing Industry and Business Party (INP) achieved its first electoral success, securing 3.0% of the vote and solidifying its position as a new player on the political landscape. The elections served as a test for the current government composed of the Labor Party and the Center Party, both of which experienced a decline in support.

The Labor Party of the current Prime Minister Jonas Gahra Støre dropped by 3.1 points to 21.7%. Consequently, for the first time in 99 years, the Labor Party did not secure the largest number of votes in Norwegian local elections.

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The Center Party (Sp), whose appeal to rural voters was challenged by the Industry and Business Party, lost 6.2 points, achieving only 8.2%, in line with the election results from the early 2000s.

This electoral setback, which does not affect the national parliament, complicates the position of the Labor Party, but the Prime Minister has promised to continue leading his minority coalition government.

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Other parties remained relatively stable. The Greens (MDG) obtained 4.1% (-2.7), the Left (SV) garnered 6.8% (+0.7), the liberal Venstre party (V) achieved 5.0% (+1.1), the Christian Democrats (KrP) held steady at 4.0%, the far-left Red Party (R) increased to 3.5% (-0.3), and the Pensioners' Party reached 1.5% (+0.4). Other parties remained below 1%.

Both Høyre and the Christian Democrats are part of the conservative European People's Party (PPE), while the Social Democrats belong to the Party of European Socialists.