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Norway’s victorious Red-Green alliance to up welfare

 
 
Reply Mon 12 Sep, 2005 11:21 pm
[Although there are reports about this already in the "European Union thread", I'd like to open a new one - especially, since the 'norwegian way' seems to be different, IMHO.]



Quote:
Norway votes to spend oil riches on welfare state

By Stephen Castle, Europe Correspondent
Published: 13 September 2005

The Norwegian opposition party regained power in the oil-rich country's general election yesterday, according to exit polls, after wooing voters with pledges to plough cash into their already generous welfare state system.

Even before the latest surge in oil prices, Norway was ranked for five consecutive years by the United Nations as the best place to live in the world. Yet its low unemployment and a much-envied social security system have not stopped the issue of how much the government spends from dominating debate in the world's third-largest oil exporter.

The Labour Party leader, Jens Stoltenberg, a 46-year-old economist who briefly served as Prime Minster between 2000 and 2001, looked set to regain power in a narrow victory, having fought a campaign which held that more could be done to eliminate the country's remaining social problems.

With 90 per cent of the vote counted last night, the indications were that the Labour party had won 88 seats of the 169 seat parliament, Mr Stoltenberg fell short of declaring a victory, but he said that should his party win, he would form a "red-green" alliance with the Green Party and Socialist Left and Centre Party.

The alliance wants to spend more oil cash on jobs, care for the elderly and education and a key plank of the parties campaign was that the tax cuts introduced by Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik have served only to help the rich.

In contrast, the centre-right governing coalition, led by Mr Bondevik, a 58-year-old Lutheran clergyman, had fought on a platform of lowering taxes.

Speaking from his party campaign headquarters in Oslo, Mr Stoltenber said last night: "In this campaign we had two goals: a strong election for Labour and a chance to form a majority government. The one goal has been reached, the other is with in reach." He is likely to form a " Red-Green" coalition with the Socialist Left and Centre party.

Mr Bondevik, whose alliance comprises his Christian People's Party, the Conservatives and Liberals, said he would stand down if the near-complete results proved to be the final outcome, but planned to stay on until parliament opened in mid-October. "If the forecasts are correct and this is the final result I will take the consequences," he said in a televised debate with other party leaders.

Should he have survived the election, he would have faced calls for his resignation from the anti-immigration Progress Party, part of the centre-right coalition which had been denied cabinet posts, and had demanded a change of Prime Minister as the price of its support for any new administration.

The Labour Party dominated Norwegian politics for nearly four decades after the Second World War, but no single party has commanded a majority since the early 1990s.

The outgoing centre-right government has presided over four years of unprecedented prosperity in the country of 4.6 million, and unemployment in August was just 3.7 per cent, which compares favourably with 5.8 per cent in Denmark and 5.5 per cent in Sweden.

Luxembourg is the only European country that can claim to be richer per head than Norway. And, as the biggest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia, the nation's wealth has been boosted by a windfall from record high energy prices.

Norway's indigenous Sami people were also voting yesterday in elections for their own parliament, the Sametinget, a political contest given added significance by laws passed earlier this year extending the assembly's powers over the Arctic lands.

The Norwegian opposition party regained power in the oil-rich country's general election yesterday, according to exit polls, after wooing voters with pledges to plough cash into their already generous welfare state system.

Even before the latest surge in oil prices, Norway was ranked for five consecutive years by the United Nations as the best place to live in the world. Yet its low unemployment and a much-envied social security system have not stopped the issue of how much the government spends from dominating debate in the world's third-largest oil exporter.

The Labour Party leader, Jens Stoltenberg, a 46-year-old economist who briefly served as Prime Minster between 2000 and 2001, looked set to regain power in a narrow victory, having fought a campaign which held that more could be done to eliminate the country's remaining social problems.

With 90 per cent of the vote counted last night, the indications were that the Labour party had won 88 seats of the 169 seat parliament, Mr Stoltenberg fell short of declaring a victory, but he said that should his party win, he would form a "red-green" alliance with the Green Party and Socialist Left and Centre Party.

The alliance wants to spend more oil cash on jobs, care for the elderly and education and a key plank of the parties campaign was that the tax cuts introduced by Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik have served only to help the rich.

In contrast, the centre-right governing coalition, led by Mr Bondevik, a 58-year-old Lutheran clergyman, had fought on a platform of lowering taxes.

Speaking from his party campaign headquarters in Oslo, Mr Stoltenber said last night: "In this campaign we had two goals: a strong election for Labour and a chance to form a majority government. The one goal has been reached, the other is with in reach." He is likely to form a " Red-Green" coalition with the Socialist Left and Centre party.
Mr Bondevik, whose alliance comprises his Christian People's Party, the Conservatives and Liberals, said he would stand down if the near-complete results proved to be the final outcome, but planned to stay on until parliament opened in mid-October. "If the forecasts are correct and this is the final result I will take the consequences," he said in a televised debate with other party leaders.

Should he have survived the election, he would have faced calls for his resignation from the anti-immigration Progress Party, part of the centre-right coalition which had been denied cabinet posts, and had demanded a change of Prime Minister as the price of its support for any new administration.

The Labour Party dominated Norwegian politics for nearly four decades after the Second World War, but no single party has commanded a majority since the early 1990s.

The outgoing centre-right government has presided over four years of unprecedented prosperity in the country of 4.6 million, and unemployment in August was just 3.7 per cent, which compares favourably with 5.8 per cent in Denmark and 5.5 per cent in Sweden.

Luxembourg is the only European country that can claim to be richer per head than Norway. And, as the biggest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia, the nation's wealth has been boosted by a windfall from record high energy prices.

Norway's indigenous Sami people were also voting yesterday in elections for their own parliament, the Sametinget, a political contest given added significance by laws passed earlier this year extending the assembly's powers over the Arctic lands.
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 995 • Replies: 13
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Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Tue 13 Sep, 2005 09:52 am
http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/1381/norwaywinners8mn.jpg

source: pages 2 and 3, Aftenposten, 13 Sep 2005
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Tue 13 Sep, 2005 09:54 am
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7272/norwaystimmbezirke7eu.jpg

source: page 11, Aftenposten Evening, 13 Sep 2005
0 Replies
 
farmerman
 
  1  
Reply Tue 13 Sep, 2005 10:38 am
my skills in Norsk are very limited. Why are the people in the first picture screaming with apparent joy? Did someone bring in anew keg?

The map of Norway is something about who voted for Bush and who didnt, Outside of that Im a bit uninformed.
I must say however, the popular Red -Green will make a fine Prime Minister and Harold, his nephew , should be made a cabinet leader.
0 Replies
 
nimh
 
  1  
Reply Tue 13 Sep, 2005 10:52 am
OK, sort - you're right, better have a specific thread.

These were the Norway items on the Following the EU thread:

18 August:

Norway - Red-Green Alliance maintains the lead

Repost of article that has some general introductory info about Norwegian politics and the issues/style of the election campaign.

12 September:

Norway's opposition left appears slightly ahead in cliffhanger election

Repost of news report on election results and reactions of 'people in the street'

13 September:

Norway's Left-Leaning Opposition to Meet

Summary quote from newspaper article: the losing right had campaigned on tax cuts, the victorious left on investing in the welfare state

Hagen savours major victory / Challenges abound for Jens

Commented collage of excerpts from different articles. The far-right Progress Party scored major, even spectacular gains after a campaign that included blatant foreigner-baiting. The new leftwing government is a pioneer effort, the first time the Labour brings in the smaller Center Party and Socialist Left into actual government positions; excerpt lists points of probable tension.

Includes picture! Razz
0 Replies
 
nimh
 
  1  
Reply Tue 13 Sep, 2005 10:57 am
I must admit the map kinda mystifies me too. Red = Labour districts? But if thats Oslo, I mean - Norway isnt shaped like that, is it?
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Tue 13 Sep, 2005 12:43 pm
Right, these were the Oslo (district) results.
0 Replies
 
nimh
 
  1  
Reply Tue 13 Sep, 2005 04:10 pm
But whats what, red, blue?
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Wed 14 Sep, 2005 12:38 am
nimh wrote:
But whats what, red, blue?


This from today's (page 12) Aftenposten might explain it :wink:

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/3594/norwaymandate9fm.jpg
0 Replies
 
Instigate
 
  1  
Reply Wed 14 Sep, 2005 02:10 am
It is my opinion that these pseudo-socialist states do their people a grave disservice, They distribute reources as if they are inexhaustible. Like they will always be able to maintain the government mandated standard of existance.

Its something akin to the classical Prisoners Dillema: If you spend to much time having The State secure your welfare, you eventually forget how to do it yourself.

When the State runs out of plentiful, easily exploitable resources, they can no longer provide your basic needs, and the people dont know how because its always been done for them.

Norway is toast, Venenzuala will follow. And once they realize it, they will still cry for more socialism.


Will they manufacture value?
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Wed 14 Sep, 2005 02:26 am
Instigate wrote:
It is my opinion that these pseudo-socialist states do their people a grave disservice,


What exactly is a "pseudo-socialistic state"? (You certainly noticed that Norway was ruled by conservatives until now.)

Instigate wrote:
When the State runs out of plentiful, easily exploitable resources, they can no longer provide your basic needs, and the people dont know how because its always been done for them.


Considering, how the USA deal with its - and those of others - resources, how do you call them?
0 Replies
 
nimh
 
  1  
Reply Wed 14 Sep, 2005 04:29 am
Instigate wrote:
They distribute reources as if they are inexhaustible. Like they will always be able to maintain the government mandated standard of existance.

Fact check: "The Norwegian government controls the oil industry, and the Great Diet [=Parliament] maintains a "petroleum fund" estimated at $43 billion U.S., in order to safeguard the economy in case reserves are eventually depleted."

Ironically, its only the right-wing Progress Party that was arguing these extensive saved-up resources should already be dipped into for extra expenditures now.

Does America, that capitalist richest country of the world, keep the equivalent of Norway's $43 billion saving fund just in case currently plentiful resources run out? Which country is being the more prudent, which the more spendthrifty?

Instigate wrote:
Norway is toast

In as far as having been at the very top of the world's living standards for many years, this year again being number one on the world's Human Development Index, equates with "being toast".
0 Replies
 
Einherjar
 
  1  
Reply Tue 4 Oct, 2005 03:24 am
nimh wrote:
I must admit the map kinda mystifies me too. Red = Labour districts? But if thats Oslo, I mean - Norway isnt shaped like that, is it?

Those are the results for one small part of the country. It is the segment second furthest to the south east on this map.

nimh wrote:
But whats what, red, blue?

Red would be anything left of centre, blue anything not.



Instigate wrote:
It is my opinion that these pseudo-socialist states do their people a grave disservice, They distribute reources as if they are inexhaustible. Like they will always be able to maintain the government mandated standard of existance.

Actually all oil revenue is saved in the petroleum fund and invested in stocks and bonds. The money is then spent at a rate equal to the expected real return on these assets, according to a policy which, as nimh states, only the populist right wishes to do away with.

I'd have preferred additional savings myself as well, but compared to other countries in the western world, Norway has done very well in this department.

Instigate wrote:
Its something akin to the classical Prisoners Dillema: If you spend to much time having The State secure your welfare, you eventually forget how to do it yourself.

When the State runs out of plentiful, easily exploitable resources, they can no longer provide your basic needs, and the people dont know how because its always been done for them.

Are you insinuating that we don't have industries other than oil? You'd be wrong you know, until recent developments in the oil market, oil exports accounted for less than half of our foreign exchange earnings.

Instigate wrote:
Norway is toast, Venenzuala will follow. And once they realize it, they will still cry for more socialism.

How exactly is Norway toast? Care to elaborate?

I thought Venezuela was spending their oil wealth as fast as they could pump it out of the ground, how does that amount to following Norway which has done the exact opposite?

Instigate wrote:
Will they manufacture value?

Who, the Norwegians? We're already doing it, so yeah.



Walter Hinteler wrote:
What exactly is a "pseudo-socialistic state"?

Don't bother Walter, several threads have been devoted to pinning down the definition of socialist, and they have all failed miserably. I do not believe that adding "pseudo" makes the term any easier to define.
0 Replies
 
yankeecat
 
  1  
Reply Sat 5 Nov, 2005 06:45 pm
Well, of course, this will work as long as NATO exists and as long as the oil lasts.

After either ends, le deluge.
0 Replies
 
 

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