Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of the Labour Party had to concede many local election victories to his arch rival and predecessor, Conservatives leader Erna Solberg.

A new conservative wave crashed over Norway in local elections on Monday, resulting in bitter defeats for Labour- and Center Party incumbents. Former Prime Minister Erna Solberg’s Conservative Party is now Norway’s largest for the first time in nearly a century.

“A 99-year tradition was broken today,” declared a triumphant Solberg after her Conservatives (Høyre) finally ranked as the biggest party in the land for the first time since 1924, with 25.9 percent of the vote. That compared to historically low support for current Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet), which won only 21.7 percent.

Next in line was a resurgent right-wing Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet), with 11.4 percent of the vote nationwide. Solberg led a Conservative coalition government from 2013-2021 with Progress, the Liberals (Venstre) and Christian Democrats (Kristelig Folkeparti). The latter two also did well enough on Monday to form new local conservative coalitions and recapture political power in Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger and many other communities that have been Labour bastions for decades, such as Sarpsborg, Porsgrunn and Lillestrøm. Sarpsborg, an industrial and agricultural city near Norway’s southern border to Sweden, has been led by Labour Party governments for 110 years.

Labour’s results were 3.1 points below those in the last local elections in 2019.

Disappointed Labour Party politicians around Norway were calling new local election results “catastrophic” on Tuesday, and claiming that their once-mighty party is in crisis. Some are already blaming Jonas Gahr Støre, the Labour Party’s long-struggling leader and current prime minister, and they’re calling for his resignation.

Støre’s coaliton partner, the Center Party, suffered even worse, tumbling 6.2 points to win just 8.2 percent of the vote nationwide.

The left-wing Socialist Left (SV) fared better than Labour and Center, up 0.7 of a point to 6.8 percent of vote, which may reflect its decision not to join Støre’s left-center government.

The far-left Reds Party, meanwhile, won just 3.5 percent of the vote, down 0.3 of a point. It was plagued by a shoplifting scandal involving its former charismatic leader last summer.

Climate issues lost out to personal economy

Many had expected this year’s local elections to be a “climate vote” aimed at finally trying to cut Norway’s carbon emissions and preserve nature.

The most climate-friendly party, the Greens (MDG), meanwhile, won just 4.1 percent of the vote, down 2.7 points in what may be a voter backlash against the Greens’ constant battle against use of private cars.

https://www.newsinenglish.no/2023/09/12/non-socialists-sweep-local-elections/