Pure Tactics From Store and Stoltenberg
Labour’s management of the Norwegian budget negotiations underscores the new and assertive line Jens Stoltenberg has introduced as Finance Minister. The government shows no intention of stepping down, but is employing calculated methods that challenge the democratic process and stir concern about its governance.
Desember 1, 2025 | NORWEGIAN POLITICS
Image: finansdepartementet. no
Anyone who has not yet noticed that the Labour Party has shifted strategies since Jens Stoltenberg returned as Finance Minister can see it unfolding now. Stoltenberg keeps a seemingly low profile, as he has throughout this turbulent year, but he is clearly operating behind the scenes. It is poor political conduct to avoid interviews during such a chaotic process he is responsible for. Even more troubling is that Prime Minister Store did not speak publicly until today.
Labour’s negotiation strategy—ending talks on Saturday in order to present a budget deal with the Red Party and the Centre Party—failed. They simply expected the Green Party (MDG) and the Socialist Left Party (SV) to give in so the government could secure a majority for the budget.
The opposite happened. On Sunday evening, MDG reaffirmed that they would not support the budget. Later that night, more than 24 hours after leaving the negotiations, SV confirmed for the first time that they would also vote against it.
Store confirms there were talks on Sunday. On Monday morning, Labour met with SV, which signalled a more positive tone. The party is scheduled to meet MDG later today.
Despite the highly chaotic process, Labour has no intention of leaving government. Too much is at stake personally for both Store and Stoltenberg. They have EU ambitions and do not want to damage their standing among European counterparts. Read more about this and the budget process here.
If it seems as though Labour shows little understanding of how its new negotiation style fuels polarization and unrest, it is simply because the party itself is not concerned — the approach is entirely calculated. They are testing the limits. What they overlook is that many voters do not view this as democratic or responsible governance.
Updated at 6:30 pm
Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg appears to be in Munich today at a meeting of the Munich Security Conference, where he has a job waiting. He appears in a group photo dated today, find it here.
After Jens Stoltenberg presented the aforementioned national budget in October, it emerged that the Labour Party had broken election promises in the budget, read more about the case here. The Finance Minister was unavailable to the press, and it turned out that he was on tour promoting his new book “On My Watch”, find it here.
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