Close shave

The left-leaning government has narrowly won reelection in Norway, official results show. The three-party coalition led by Labor Party Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg became the first sitting government to be re-elected in Norway in 16 years.

With 99.9 percent of votes counted, Stoltenberg's bloc had taken 86 of the 169 seats. The final tally is expected to be announced later this week.

"We have campaigned and we have won the election. It looks like the red-green government can stay in power," Stoltenberg said on Norwegian TV.

Populists get 'best ever' result

Partial results gave the right-wing opposition 83 seats, including 38 for the right-wing populist Progress Party, effectively repeating the results of the last election four years ago.

"I'm very happy, we're headed for the best result ever for the Progress Party," said leader Siv Jensen.

The Labor Party was to remain the largest in parliament, taking 64 seats, up three seats from 2005.

The tallies suggested the Center Party had gained one seat increasing its numbers to 12 while the Socialist Left Party dropped four seats to 11.

Voter turnout in the oil-rich nation was estimated at about 69 percent among the some 3.5 million eligible voters, around 9 percent lower than in 2005.

No tax cuts expected

Stoltenberg's government, which has been in power since 2005, had campaigned against tax cuts and privatization proposals made by the center-right parties, arguing that such measures would be detrimental to healthcare, education and care for the elderly.

The right-wing opposition, dominated by the populist Progress Party, had vowed to cut taxes and launch a privatization program. Norway's taxes are among the highest in the world.

Stoltenberg's center-left government has resorted to tapping a multibillion-euro oil fund to cushion the blow of the global economic downturn.

Norway's oil fund, designed to finance the social welfare state, was worth 277 billion euros ($395 billion) at the end of June.

nk/AFP/AP/Reuters/dpa
Editor: Nancy Isenson