It is very interesting to see which way - right or left - Norwegians will go in Monday's tight election.

Most voters, according to local political pundits, will opt for the typical "Norwegian Way", in which voters never reward politicians for their achievements but punish harshly when they fail to fulfill their promises.

The election race is going to be too tight and the result may certainly be even.

"The race between the two coalitions is too close. Anything could happen, but our party's chances are much higher," Anne Lise, a staunch supporter of the ruling Labor Party, told The Jakarta Post while campaigning for her party near the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) building in Oslo on Thursday.

Polling begun on Aug.10 and will continue until Monday. The results are expected to be released by Monday evening.

In an alliance with the small Social Left Party and Center Party, the Labor Party, the biggest in the present parliament, with 61 seats, has formed the present so-called Red-Green coalition. Its popular leader and current Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg is aiming to become Norway's first prime minister re-elected in 16 years.

On the right, Progress Party leader Siv Jensen, an ambitious lady who is sometimes referred to as Norway's Margaret Thatcher, wants to become prime minister with the support of the Christian Democratic Party (KrF) and Conservative Party. But the 40-year-old iron lady has to fight against not only her main rival, Stoltenberg, but also her possible partner, Erna Solberg, the leader of the Conservative Party. Solberg is also eying the country's top post.

Why it is so difficult to have a single-party-ruled government in Norway, one of the most peaceful, prosperous and tolerant nations in the world?

This may be something to do with the electoral system in Norway. Members of the Storting are elected through a proportional representation system from multi-seat constituencies for a four-year period. It is this system that has resulted in a multi-party set up, which makes single-party rule virtually impossible.

So coalition governments have become a part and parcel of Norwegian politics. But bitter divisions on many issues among its parties lead to a strange situation that is unimaginable in most democracies.

"After Monday's elections, we will most probably have a minority government formed by either the center-right or center-left, like in the past," KrF leader Dagfinn Hoeybraaten told foreign media, including the Post, at the International Press Center in Oslo.

KrF, a small party that currently holds 11 seats in the 169-member parliament, is planning to join a coalition with the right-wing Progress Party, on its own terms.

Perhaps, Norway, a major oil-producing country, is one of the few countries that has had minority governments ruling for several terms, because the Norwegian Constitution does not allow for early parliamentary elections

Had it been in any other country in the world, Prime Minister Stoltenberg, a journalist-turned politician, would have been reelected with a bumper majority for his achievements during the last four years.

One of the biggest achievements of the ruling coalition was to sail Norway out of the present global economic downturn, through massive investments in the energy sector and job creation. Around 250,000 new jobs, mainly in the private sector, have been created during the last four years.

"The creation of 250,000 jobs in a small country like Norway, which has just 4.8 million people, is a remarkable achievement," Lise said.

The Red-Green coalition is now proposing tax cuts in a bid to win the elections.

But the tough talking Jensen wants to dismantle the image of Norway as a socialist paradise that has a so-called cradle-to grave welfare system, by removing government controls.

"The Progress Party is an advocate of free-market economics. Economic growth is brought about through a solid financial framework and free competition," Jensen said in one of her party documents.

"Norway has one of the largest public sectors in Europe. This sector must be downsized and made more efficient to give the population better and more affordable services."

But Jensen's anti-immigrant platform became a burden as well as an asset for the party.

"People *immigrants* who take up residence in Norway do not automatically receive welfare rights, which burdens Norwegian taxpayers," Jensen said.

"The Progress Party stands for a restrictive and responsible immigration policy where taking up residency is made subject to obligations".

Several members in her own coalition strongly oppose this anti immigration policy.

"We will not support all Progress Party's policies if we join a coalition with them. It would be better if we *decline*. We will not compromise our own ideals," Hoeybraaten said.

But on the other side of it is this tough anti-immigration stand that earned a strong support for the Progress Party from certain sections of Norwegian society.

There are around 480,000 immigrants, 10 percent of the total population, living in Norway. Their numbers are much higher, 25 percent, in Oslo - which has half a million inhabitants.

Surprisingly, Islam is the second-biggest religion after Christianity in Norway. There are around 150,000 Muslims, mainly people from Pakistan, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Eritrea, living in Norway. Thousands of Muslims, some wearing headscarves, are visible on Oslo's streets. But in recent years, there is a growing anti-Islam sentiment among some small right-wing groups.

"Muslims are not discriminated against here. Even Prime Minister Stoltenberg sometimes attends Friday prayer meetings," said an Asian man who has been living in Norway for two years.

What are the main issues in the election campaigns?

"The economy, health, environment, education and social welfare are some of the main issues in the election campaign," said Kjell Dragnes, foreign desk editor of Norway's leading daily Aftenposten.

On foreign policy matters, most of the parties, except the left-wing Social Left Party, support Norway's close ties with the European Union and NATO. They also agree on using the UN as a tool to resolve conflicts and international problems.

The present government under Stoltenberg is seeking close ties with Indonesia in areas such as energy, tourism, shipping, the environment and maritime and fisheries.

Popular

Volcano erupts in North Sulawesi, hundreds evacuated

Dubai roads, airport reel from floods after record rains

Ramadan boosts consumer confidence, retail sales