Norway's Prime Minister Støre revels in election triumph

Norway's Parliamentary Election Results: Støre Set for Second Term

Jonas Gahr Støre, the incumbent Prime Minister of Norway, is expected to serve a second term after the recent parliamentary election. The Labour Party, led by Støre, emerged as the strongest force in the election, securing 28.2% of the votes.

The government coalition enabling Støre's second term consists of parties from the left-of-center bloc, which together held a narrow majority of 87 seats out of 169 in the Norwegian parliament. This includes Støre's Labour Party and other red-green parties that support his leadership. The left-of-center bloc, consisting of five parties, has secured 87 seats in the Norwegian Storting, representing a narrow parliamentary majority of 46 seats.

The right-wing populist Progress Party experienced the largest increase compared to the 2021 election, with 23.9% of the votes, making them the second strongest force. The Conservatives (Høyre) of former Prime Minister Erna Solberg finished in third place with 14.6% of the votes, a decrease of 5.7 percentage points compared to 2021.

It is worth noting that minority governments are not uncommon in Norway's political system. To govern effectively, it is sufficient if no majority in parliament votes against the Prime Minister's plans. Støre has been leading a minority government since 2021.

All parties of the red-green camp had expressed their support for a government led by Støre during the election campaign. With the red-green camp having a majority in parliament, Støre can continue to hope for support for his policies in the future.

Around four million Norwegians were called to the polls in the election, and the voter turnout was announced to be 78.8 percent by the Norwegian election authority on Monday evening. The final election result is expected in the coming days.

With these results, Støre has good chances for a second term due to Norway's political system, which does not require a parliamentary majority to govern. However, the exact composition of the government and its policies will be determined in the coming weeks as negotiations between the parties take place.