KrF says no to coalition
Norway’s Christian Dems won’t work with Progress Party, quit negotiations
The Local
The Christian Democrat Party (Kristelig Folkeparti, KrF) will no longer participate in multilateral discussions about the new government with Norway’s other conservative parties after declining to support the populist Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet, FrP).
“We are aware that the Christian Democrats do not want to be part of discussions on a government collaboration or agreement from this point onwards,” Prime Minister Erna Solberg told NRK.
KrF was still planning to meet with Solberg’s Conservative Party (Høyre, H), the Liberal Party (Venstre, V) and Progress at the beginning of October to discuss the coming budget and new speaker of parliament, according to the report.
“The Liberals … are interested in political discussion, so we will see where that takes us,” Solberg said.
Both KrF and the Liberal Party entered the post-election negotiations over the make-up of Norway’s new government with the aim of forming a “blue-green” government that excluded the Progress Party, according to NRK’s report. The parties have now rejected this as an unrealistic option.
“The alternatives for this government are to continue with the current government or an expansion to three or four parties,” KrF leader Knut Aril Hareide told NRK.
“We wish to work together constructively … We want good solutions and for our policies to have impact,” Hareide added.
Liberal leader Trine Skei Grande meanwhile told the broadcaster that her party had yet to make a final decision on partnering the Conservatives and Progress in coalition.
Without either one of the two smaller conservative parties, the Solberg-led government will not have a parliamentary majority and will depend on cross-floor votes to pass proposals on an issue-by-issue basis.
This article was originally published on The Local.
It also appeared in the Oct. 6, 2017, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
