Norway Decides

. . . og n�er Fr.p. nest st�rst i Norge - Aftenposten.no

Soon, Norway will move on from celebrating the achievement of full state independence a century ago and focus on what it intends to do with its future.

On September 12 there is election to the Norwegian Parliament - the Storting.

Today's opinion polls points towards the possibility of a red-green thing coming to power in Norway at the same time as they are seen as a truly spent force in the rest of Norway.

The Labour party comes out as the strongest party, but it's still very weak if you compare it with its golden days in the past. Any result below 30 per cent must be seen as a confirmation of a long-term decline.

Nevertheless, they might get into power with the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party.

They are both distinctly off-centre, and none more so than the Centre Party.

It has been opposed to Norway entering into virtually any international agreement that has to do with trade and the economy. It is protectionist and isolationist in its very genes.

On the centre-right side, everything isn't lost as of yet, although the situation is far from good.

The populist Progress Party is gaining ground again, while the Christian People's Party of Prime Minister Bondevik is hovering in the lower reaches of support and the Conservative Höyre is experiencing a sudden weakening of support.

So far, the political debate prior to the election is difficult to detect.

With the economy doing extremely well and no one wanting to discuss Norway's marginalisation in Europe, there doesn't seem to be much around to excite anyone.

It's a pity.