Geopolitics looms large in Norway election

Norwegians head to the polls on Sept 7 and 8 to elect a new Parliament, in what is a close race between a left-wing bloc led by the incumbent Labour Party and a right-wing bloc dominated by the anti-immigration Progress Party and the Conservatives.

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Centre-left parties - Labour, the Socialist Left, the Communists, the Centre Party and the Greens - are currently seen winning 87 seats, just two more than needed to secure a majority, according to an average of polls conducted in September by pollofpolls.no.

Key issues in the election campaign have included the cost of living, taxation and public services, and the outcome could have an impact on energy and power supplies to Europe and the management of Norway's US$2 trillion (S$2.6 trillion) sovereign wealth fund.

But geopolitics has also loomed unusually large with voters this time round, and analysts said this could benefit Labour and its leader, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre - a former foreign minister who presents himself as a safe pair of hands.