Norway's anti-immigrant party set for worst election result in 22 years

[GennGreymane]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/0...0RE25620150914

An anti-immigration party in Norway's coalition government headed for its worst election result in 22 years in a local vote on Monday after its opposition to Syrian refugees put it out of step with many voters.

The right-wing Progress Party had 9.7 percent with 87 percent of the votes counted, against 16.3 percent in a parliamentary vote in 2013. It was Progress' worst election since receiving 6.3 percent of the vote in 1993.

The election was also a blow to the Conservative Party, the senior partner in the two-party government which came to office in 2013 and has struggled with falling prices of oil, Norway's main export, and rising unemployment.

The Conservatives' share fell to 22.4 percent, down 5.6 percentage points from four years ago as voters swung left.

Progress had sought to turn the municipal election into a vote on a Norwegian plan it opposes to take in 8,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2017, arguing locally elected politicians could refuse to accept them.

"Normally the immigration debate would have been a good thing for the Progress Party, but this is not a normal debate because the catastrophe is so huge and the scenes we see unfolding so terrible," said political scientist Svein Tore Marthinsen.

Many Norwegians swung to a more welcoming mood towards refugees, especially after the body of drowned Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi was pictured washed up on a beach in Turkey this month.

Many other parties argued that Norway, one of the richest nations in the world thanks to its income from offshore oil and gas, should allow refugees to settle in the country.

The main opposition Labour Party, which favours letting in refugees, was the big winner on Monday with 33.4 percent, its best result in a local election since 1987.

"Norway will help, receive and give protection to those who are fleeing from war and terror," party leader Jonas Gahr Stoere told supporters.

"The majority that gave Norway a government of the Conservatives and Progress (in 2013) is gone," he said.

On Monday night, Progress Party leader and Finance Minister Siv Jensen reaffirmed the party's policy of helping refugees in the region around Syria, rather than letting them come to Norway.

"That's the only way we'll manage to do something about the flows we're seeing," she said.

Both Progress and the Conservatives have also been under pressure from voter perceptions that tax cuts since they took power in 2013 have mainly favoured the rich. Their bad result could strain their coalition.

Still, Prime Minister Erna Solberg expressed confidence of compromises with Progress and that the party would be able to say "I'll be back" at the next election.

On Syria, her Conservatives in June teamed up with opposition parties led by Labour to agree on the plan to accept 8,000 Syrians, overruling the Progress Party.

[Baracuda]

Didn't they lose like 1,5 percentage points? Comparing local votes and parliamentary votes is kind of dishonest. Meanwhile the "anti-immigrant party" in Sweden has almost doubled in the opinion polls 1 year after the Swedish election. Norway ain't got shit on Swedish immigration

[Blade Wolf]

Didn't they lose like 1,5 percentage points? Comparing local votes and parliamentary votes is kind of dishonest. Meanwhile the "anti-immigrant party" in Sweden has almost doubled in the opinion polls 1 year after the Swedish election. Norway ain't got shit on Swedish immigration

Problem with SD is that they are the only ones talking about it which is probably the reason they are getting votes. Personally i find SD to be a bunch of assholes but they are the only ones actually talking about it since the other parties in sweden basically stick their heads into the sand like an ostrich.

[Baracuda]

Problem with SD is that they are the only ones talking about it which is probably the reason they are getting votes. Personally i find SD to be a bunch of assholes but they are the only ones actually talking about it since the other parties in sweden basically stick their heads into the sand like an ostrich.

If you think only one side is a bunch of assholes in any country with political parties... you've fallen for their trap

[Deleted]

Scandinavia should welcome immigrants.

Immigrants are hard working people who will better the economy of the country in which they live.

Norway has far too many native people.

Now is the perfect time for Norway to become more multi-cultural like Sweden.

Scandinavia are showing the world that they will take part in global affairs (especially after they pussied out of WW2)

[Revi]

Most voters aren't very engaged here, very few people look into politics further than news headlines. With the constant negative press on the party and support of increased refugee acceptance in every major newspaper, it's surprising they did as well as they have.

The picture of that dead boy was the best campaign their opposition could ever dream of.

[haaku]

Scandinavia should welcome immigrants.

Immigrants are hard working people who will better the economy of the country in which they live.

Norway has far too many native people.

Now is the perfect time for Norway to become more multi-cultural like Sweden.

Scandinavia are showing the world that they will take part in global affairs (especially after they pussied out of WW2)

Take a history lesson please.

[Baracuda]

Most voters aren't very engaged here, very few people look into politics further than news headlines. With the constant negative press on the party and support of increased refugee acceptance in every major newspaper, it's surprising they did as well as they have.

The picture of that dead boy was the best campaign their opposition could ever dream of.

Opposite effect in Sweden... We take in many more though. The thing Norweigans don't seem to get is that Syrian refugees are only a fraction of all that come, so they might get more than what they wished for.

[seta-san]

Scandinavia should welcome immigrants.

Immigrants are hard working people who will better the economy of the country in which they live.

Norway has far too many native people.

Now is the perfect time for Norway to become more multi-cultural like Sweden.

Scandinavia are showing the world that they will take part in global affairs (especially after they pussied out of WW2)

that's funny... because in WW2 they were simply rolled over. you seem to be suggesting that they just throw out the welcome mat for the invading army this time. Europe is lost.

[Deleted]

So... Norway likes immigrants? Quick, someone phone Merkel, she can give Norway a quota of immigrants to take! Romania will happily not receive any refugees so they can live a better life in Norway.

[Vapo]

Norway isnt part of EU so Merkel cant do jackshit.

[Hengwulf]

Norway isnt part of EU so Merkel cant do jackshit.

But they could volunteer! Maybe Merkel would leave us poor xenophobic Poles alone. Them refugees don't want to have anything to do with us anyway, maybe because we don't give anyone lot of money for just existing.

[Baracuda]

So... Norway likes immigrants? Quick, someone phone Merkel, she can give Norway a quota of immigrants to take! Romania will happily not receive any refugees so they can live a better life in Norway.

Well Bulgaria is next to Romania and they take in just about anybody, problem is no one wants to stay there because they're not really refugees.