Norway’s eurskeptic Centre Party is set to resign from the government on Thursday over disagreements with its coalition partner, Labour, regarding EU energy policies. This move follows reports from public broadcaster NRK and daily VG, citing anonymous sources.
The Centre Party, part of the government since 2021, holds eight of Norway’s 20 cabinet seats, including key positions like finance, defence, and justice ministers. Labour controls the remaining 12 seats. If the Centre Party follows through with its resignation, Labour will be left to govern alone in a minority capacity until the September elections.
Labour has argued that Norway must maintain strong relations with the EU, particularly due to the looming risk of a trade war between Europe and the United States. However, the Centre Party disagrees with Labour’s push to adopt EU energy directives. These include regulations on renewable energy, energy efficiency in buildings, and overall energy consumption. The Centre Party believes these directives would undermine Norway’s independence and opposes EU influence over domestic energy policies.
As the parliamentary elections approach, Norway’s government faces a tough challenge, with right-wing parties gaining ground in opinion polls.
