Norwegians head to the polls this weekend in one of the most closely watched elections in years, a contest that will determine whether the country sticks with its Labour-led government or pivots back to the center-right. Voting takes place Sunday and Monday across the nation of just over four million voters.
Though small in population, Norway plays an outsized role on the global stage. A founding member of NATO and a neighbor to Russia along the Arctic, the country is also integrated into Europe’s single market, even while staying outside the European Union. With wars in Gaza and Ukraine shaping global politics—and U.S. tariffs putting pressure on trade—international affairs have loomed large. Yet, as Election Day nears, bread-and-butter issues like the rising cost of living and economic inequality have pushed to the forefront.
“Public spending, schools, infrastructure—those are the things that matter right now,” said Andreas, a young father in Oslo, reflecting the mood of many voters more concerned with daily life than foreign policy.
This domestic focus sharpened during the summer’s annual political gathering in Arendal, where leaders from across the spectrum debated the nation’s future. At center stage was Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, 65, who is seeking a second term after bringing Labour back to power in 2021 following eight years of conservative rule.
Challenging him is a right-leaning bloc led by two familiar forces: Erna Solberg’s Conservatives (Høyre) and the populist Progress Party, energized under Sylvi Listhaug, 47. Both have gained traction by hammering at taxes—especially Norway’s controversial wealth tax.
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Currently set at 1% for assets above 1.76 million kroner ($175,000), the levy has prompted an exodus of wealthy Norwegians to Switzerland in recent years. Listhaug wants to scrap the tax entirely, while Solberg proposes eliminating it on “working capital” such as business shares. Labour refuses to go that far, instead pledging a comprehensive tax review.
In Labour’s corner stands a heavyweight: former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, now overseeing finance policy. He has warned against hollowing out the tax system to the point where the wealthiest contribute little or nothing.
As Norwegians cast their ballots, the choice is stark: a government that emphasizes redistribution and public investment, or a conservative turn that promises lighter taxes and a new economic direction.