Norway’s political landscape appears to be shifting as the ruling Labor Party, led by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, has narrowed the gap with its main rival, the opposition Progress Party, Bloomberg reports, citing the latest poll released by public broadcaster NRK.
The survey, conducted by Norstat, indicates a potentially tighter contest in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for September.
Labor experienced a notable surge in support this month, climbing 3.4 percentage points to reach 20.2%. This marks a significant recovery for the party, which has recently faced historically low approval ratings. Meanwhile, the anti-immigration Progress Party, under the leadership of former energy minister Sylvi Listhaug, saw its support decline to 23.7%.
The Conservative Party, led by former Prime Minister Erna Solberg and traditionally Labor’s primary competitor, also saw a slight dip in support, falling to 19.8%.
The shift in polling numbers comes at a critical time for the Labor Party. Recent months have seen the party struggling, with its support plummeting to record lows. This slump has fueled internal pressure on Prime Minister Støre, with local media reporting calls from within the party and the powerful trade union lobby, LO, for his replacement. Støre, however, has publicly dismissed these speculations.
The latest poll results suggest a potential comeback for Labor and a more closely contested election in September.
