Jonas Gahr Store speaks during the Labor Party's election vigil at the People's House during the 2025 general election, in Oslo, September 8, 2025. JAVAD PARSA / AP
Norway's left-wing bloc led by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store won the legislative elections on Monday, September 8, which also saw a record surge in support for the anti-immigration Progress Party. In power since 2021, Store is expected to continue to head a minority Labor government, backed up by the other four left-wing parties. The election campaign in the wealthy nation of 5.6 million people had centered largely on domestic issues but was also influenced by geopolitics, including US President Donald Trump's policies and the war in Ukraine.
Norway's five-party left-wing bloc won a narrow majority of 87 of the 169 seats in parliament, compared to 82 for the right-wing bloc, results showed with almost all ballots counted. "We knew it would be close, and it was. We knew we'd have to give it our all, and we gave it our all... We did it," the 65-year-old leader exclaimed at an election night rally after his Labor Party came out on top with around 28% of the vote.
The election also saw a record surge in support for the anti-immigration, anti-establishment Progress Party, which doubled its score from the 2021 election. Boosted by younger voters, in particular men, it became the leading opposition force with some 24% of votes, overtaking former prime minister Erna Solberg's Conservative Party, which registered its worst election score in 20 years at 14.6%.
