February 2019
Nordic Countries Project Norway
First conservative-lead majority government since 1985
Christian Democrats join the centre-right coalition in Norway Elisabeth Bauer, Elīna Grīnhofa, Eirik Sætre
Norway's right-wing government on Thursday January 17th reached a deal to bring the country's small Christian-Democratic party into its ruling coalition to form a parliamentary majority. It is the first time since 1985 thatNorway has a majority non-socialist government.
On Thursday January 17th, the four non-socialist In 2018, after a disappointing 2017 election parties in parliament presented a new result, Christian Democratic Party leader Knut government platform, the Granavolden Platform, Arild Hareide announced that the Christian having reached agreement on a political basis. Democrats should enter government, after 13 On Tuesday January 22nd, the four parties years in opposition. At the time, Hareide did not announced the new government, the first non- disclose which or what sort of government he socialist majority government in Norway since wanted his party to enter. 1985. In late September 2018, as Hareide presented his The government now consists of the new book and personal vision for the Christian Conservative Party (45 seats in parliament), the Democrats, he announced that he would seek to Progress Party (27 seats in parliament), the enter government with the Labour Party (49 seats Liberal Party (8 seats in parliament) and the in parliament) and the Center (agrarian) Party (19 Christian Democrats (8 seats in Parliament). seats in parliament), supported by the Socialist Together, the four parties hold 88 seats in Left Party (11 seats in parliament). Hareides parliament, three more than the majority decision sent the Christian Democrats into a threshold of 85 seats. difficult process throughout October, during which all regional chapters of the party would The long way to a majority vote on whether they preferred a non-socialist government coalition or a coalition with the The process to include the Christian Democrats in Labor Party and Center Party, supported by the the government coalition has been lengthy and Socialist Left. On November 2nd, the Christian systematic. Prior to the inclusion of the Christian Democrats convened a national party Democrats, the four parties had negotiated and convention, and the question was sent to a vote. agreed on six state budgets from 2014-2019. As Of a total of 190 delegates, 98 voted to enter the such, all four parties had extensive experience in current non-socialist government. 90 voted in cooperating in budgetary issues. Particularly the favor of the other alternative, while 2 delegates Progress Party and Conservative Party have abstained from voting. extensive experience in cooperating, having held office together since October 2013. In January In the aftermath of the national congress, 2018, the Liberal Party also entered government, informal talks were arranged between the four after the adaptation of the Jeløya Platform the parties, laying a foundation for government same month. platform negotiations in January. On January 2nd, the four parties convened at Granavolden north of Oslo. The new platform was presented on Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V. country report January 2019 2
January 17th. Knut Arild Hareide stepped down as The move to tighten abortion laws in Norway, Christian Democratic Party leader the same one of Europe's most liberal societies, goes evening. against a wider trend in the region.
The abortion law as a political gambit Further new policies in the expanded government platform Reacting to the announcement of Heraide and the turbulences that it caused within the The discussions over the abortion law turned out Christian Democratic Party, Erna Solberg to be the most publicly discussed point of intervened offering to discuss tightening abortion negotiations for building a majority government. 1 rules. Her idea was to amend paragraph 2c in The government parties have agreed to Norway's Abortion Act - also known as the Downs aggravate the law in prohibiting selective Paragraph, by reference to Downs Syndrome, a reduction of fetuses and no longer funding NIPT genetic disorder. The paragraph allows abortion testing. even after 12 weeks if the child was to be "seriously ill" without further defining those Alongside the change of abortion law the illnesses in the law and leaving it up for expanded government platform presents a range interpretation of the medical panel in each case. of new policies like stricter immigration policies Solberg’s proposal was widely seen as an act to (meaning a variety of tightened regulations win the support of the Christian Democrats, without withdrawing from common approaches potentially securing Solberg a majority in on a European level but rather connecting 2 Norway stronger to the European efforts for a parliament until the next election in 2021. At the 3 same time it drew thousands of Norwegians to common European system) , increased funding demonstrations in cities around the country for the defense sector, increased funding for protesting against restricting women’s access to elementary schools, reduced road tolls and abortion and misusing women’s rights as a reduced taxes. political negotiation card.
Minister Name Party
Prime Minister Ms. Erna Solberg Convervative Party (leader)
Minister of Agriculture Ms. Olaug Vervik Christian Democrats and Food Bollestad
Minister of Children and Mr. Kjell Ingolf Christian Democrats Equality Ropstad
Minister of Climate and Mr. Ola Liberal Party Environment Elvestuen
Minister of Culture Ms. Trine Skei Liberal Party (leader) Grande
Minister of Defence Mr. Frank Bakke- Conservative Party Jensen
Minister of Education Mr. Jan Tore Conservative Party Sanner
Minister of Research and Ms. Iselin Nybø Liberal Party Higher Education
Minister of Finance Ms. Siv Jensen Progress Party
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V. country report January 2019 3
Minister of Foreign Ms. Ine Eriksen Conservative Party Affairs Søreide
Minister of International Mr. Dag Inge Christian Democrats Development Ulstein
Minister of Health and Mr. Bent Høie Conservative Party Care Services
Minister for the Elderly Ms. Åse Progress Party Michaelsen
Minister of Justice and Mr. Tor Mikkel Progress Party Immigration Wara
Minister of Public Ms. Ingvil Progress Party Security Smines Tybring- Gjedde
Minister of Labour and Ms. Anniken Conservative Party Social Affairs Hauglie
Minister of Local Ms. Monica Conservative Party Government and Mæland Modernisation
Minister of Digitization Mr. Nikolai Conservative Party Astrup
Minister of Petroleum Mr. Kjell-Børge Progress Party and Energy Freiberg
Minister of Trade and Mr. Torbjørn Røe Conservative Party Industry Isaksen
Minister of Fisheries Mr. Harald T. Progress Party Nesvik
Minister of Transport and Mr. Jon Georg Progress Party Communications Dale
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V. country report February 2019 4
1 https://www.thelocal.no/20190118/norways-government-expands-coalition-with-christian-
democrats
2 https://euobserver.com/news/143242 3 https://www.venstre.no/assets/krf-v-h-frp-politisk-plattform-2019.pdf
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V.
Elisabeth Bauer Resident Representative Nordic Countries Project Department for European and International Cooperation www.kas.de/nordische
The text of this publication is published under a Creative Commons license: “Creative Commons Attribution- Share Alike 4.0 international” (CC BY-SA 4.0), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode www.kas.de