NORWEGIAN ELECTIONS: DOMESTIC CHALLENGES AND FOREIGN POLICY PARADOXES

Norway’s parliamentary elections on 8 September 2025 confirmed the solid position of the ruling Workers’ Party, which won 28.2% of the vote.

“This is a signal to the world that social democracy can win too, despite the right-wing wave,” said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who leads the Labour Party.

But the main beneficiary of the election was the Progress Party, led by Sylvie Listhaug, which achieved a historic result with 23.8 per cent of the vote and 47 seats, 26 more than in 2021.

“It’s fantastic. Our results are better than the polls showed. So it’s incredibly good. We still have reason to consider ourselves winners,” said Listhaug, commenting on her party’s results.

Former Prime Minister Erna Solberg’s Conservative Party suffered significant losses, dropping to third place with 14.6 per cent of the vote and 24 mandates, down 12 seats from the previous result.

The Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party won 9 seats each (5.6% of the vote), while the Red-Green bloc as a whole retained its majority, ensuring that it could form a government. The Red Party won 5.3 per cent of the vote and 9 seats, while the Green Party increased its representation to 8 seats with 4.7 per cent.

The Christian Democrats and the Liberal Party received 7 and 3 seats respectively. The overall turnout was 79.9 per cent, demonstrating the high involvement of Norwegian voters in the political process.

However, despite expectations of changes in domestic policy, Norway’s foreign policy course will remain unchanged. As experts note, Oslo will continue to support Ukraine and participation in European sanctions against Russia. This approach is explained by the economic interests of Norway, which has become the main supplier of energy resources to the EU countries against the background of anti-Russian sanctions.

The main topics of the election campaign were climate and energy, issues that have a direct impact on the future of the Norwegian economy. Oil and gas production provides the country’s main income, but also causes environmental problems. The MDG Green Party, with 4.7 per cent of the vote, opposes new drilling projects, creating tensions in the ruling coalition.

The Norwegian parties’ election campaign focused on foreign policy, sidelining domestic socio-political issues. At the same time, voters were more concerned about rising energy prices and maintaining social standards in the face of economic instability.

The American factor in Norwegian politics

Of particular interest is the interaction between Norway and the United States. Donald Trump, who will return to the White House in January 2025, demonstrates a pragmatic approach to international relations that often fails to take into account the interests of European allies. US policy towards the EU and Norway is aimed at creating conditions for enriching the American economy to the detriment of the interests of Europeans.
A vivid illustration of this approach was Trump’s 14 July 2025 statement on the delivery of Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to Ukraine.

“We will send them [Ukraine] some Patriot complexes – they really need them. They will pay one hundred per cent for it – and that’s exactly what we’re seeking,” the US president said, confirming the commercialisation of Washington’s foreign policy.

Trump does not see European politicians, particularly Norwegian politicians, as a political force to be reckoned with. This is evident in his rhetoric and practical steps. For example, during his meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, Trump repeatedly said that the latter “has no trump cards on his hands.” This attitude also applies to European allies, whom the American leader views as competitors rather than partners.

In August, during a meeting with European leaders at the White House, Trump failed to recognise Finnish President Alexander Stubb and humiliated European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen by not allowing her to discuss a prearranged topic.

In an attempt to gain voter support, some Norwegian politicians criticised the US president. However, such a strategy not only failed to bring the expected result, but also showed the low level of professionalism of politicians.

Such tactics not only failed to bring results, but also demonstrated a lack of deep understanding of the changing nature of transatlantic relations. Following the European trend, instead of constructive dialogue with the U.S. administration, some Norwegian politicians preferred populist outbursts, which only exacerbated tensions.

Parliamentary elections in Norway confirmed that the country will continue its current foreign policy course, including support for Ukraine and participation in sanctions against Russia. However, the domestic political environment is becoming increasingly fragmented and polarised. To maintain unity in government, the Labour Party will have to take into account the interests of its bloc partners, who have different priorities, from strengthening the environmental agenda to expanding free social services for the population.

Norwegian politicians face a balancing act between maintaining energy-export-based economic prosperity and moving towards a more sustainable development model. At the same time, the country has to manage its relationship with the Trump administration, which has shown an increasingly pragmatic and commercialised approach to international relations.

However, the election showed that Norwegian voters want a more defined policy path, tired of so-called “half-measures”.