Norway’s left clinches vote win as populist right surges into second place

Norway’s centre-left Labour Party has won the general election, securing Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre a second term, while the anti-immigration Progress Party surged into second place with record support. The election, held on September 8, 2025, saw a high voter turnout of 78.9%, with Labour winning approximately 28.2% of the vote and 53 seats in the 169-seat Storting, marking an improvement from their 2021 performance. This positions Labour to potentially form a majority government with support from smaller left-leaning parties, requiring coalition negotiations in the coming weeks. The populist right-wing Progress Party, led by Sylvi Listhaug, achieved its best-ever result with nearly 24% of the vote and 48 seats, reflecting growing support for anti-immigration policies and discontent with established parties, mirroring trends seen elsewhere in Europe. Campaign issues were diverse, initially focusing on foreign policy such as the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, but later shifting to domestic concerns like rising living costs, the future of Norway’s oil industry, and debates over the wealth tax. The wealth tax has been particularly contentious, leading some wealthy Norwegians to relocate abroad, and it became a central point of disagreement between the political blocs. Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, valued at over $2 trillion, also featured prominently in the campaign, especially regarding its ethical investments, including recent divestments from companies linked to Israeli military actions. Prime Minister Støre, in his victory speech, emphasized that social democratic parties can still win elections despite the rise of right-wing forces in Europe, and his victory comes after a period of internal party strife, cabinet scandals, and economic challenges like high inflation and interest rates. The Conservative Party, led by former Prime Minister Erna Solberg, fell to third place with 14.6% of the vote, and Solberg has indicated she may not stand again, highlighting the shifting political dynamics in Norway. Looking ahead, Støre’s government faces the challenge of governing with a fragmented parliament and must address voter concerns on inequality, public services, and economic stability, while the strong performance of the Progress Party ensures that immigration and populist issues will remain central to Norwegian politics.