No one is asking Jagland to stay (Aftenposten)

Thorbjørn Jagland and Jens Stoltenberg’s candour has pushed the Labour Party’s leadership debate into high gear. But none of the people Aftenposten spoke to yesterday, including branch chairmen and other party officials, were calling on Mr Jagland to stay, though they were not asking him to go either. "For a party leader to say that it is up to his party to decide if he is to be re-elected should be a matter of course. But when Thorbjørn Jagland says it about the Labour Party it is big news – which says a lot about the party’s situation," writes Aftenposten in its leader column.

Divided over split leadership (Dagsavisen)

The Labour Party’s branch chairmen are increasingly critical of the party’s split leadership. Almost half of them are now opposed to Thorbjørn Jagland and Jens Stoltenberg’s power sharing. Several of the branch chairmen have chosen not to take sides until closer to the party’s annual conference next November, and underline that they have a pragmatic approach to how the leadership should be organized.

Battle of the sexes in Labour leadership (Verdens Gang)

The Labour leadership quartet, made up of three men and a woman, cannot be re-elected at next year’s party conference, according to a number of branch chairmen. The Labour leadership row has therefore been given another twist. "That the party leadership should consist of at least 40 per cent women is so obvious that it is not even a matter for discussion," said Ranveig Frøiland, leader of the Labour Party’s Hordaland branch.

Leadership fight in the offing (Dagbladet)

Thorbjørn Jagland wants the Labour Party to continue having two leaders. It is the only possibility he has of surviving as party leader, since he has told Dagbladet that it would be out of the question for him to stand as a prime ministerial candidate. But opposition to split leadership is growing within the Labour Party. This strengthens Jens Stoltenberg’s chances of winning Labour’s internal power struggle.

Labour and Socialist Left Party larger than government coalition (Dagsavisen)

The Labour Party and the Socialist Left Party combined have more support than the three governing coalition partners, the Conservatives, Christian Democrats and Liberals. Together, Labour and the Socialist Left Party have the support of 40.9 per cent of the voters, while the coalition parties are backed by 35.9 per cent, according to an opinion poll carried out by AC Nielsen.

Teachers less computer literate than their pupils (Aftenposten)

Norwegian schools are dunces when it comes to IT skills. Both Sweden and Denmark rank higher than us, as do several of the poorest countries in Europe, according to a recent survey. More than 80 per cent of schoolchildren agree or partly agree that they know more about IT than their teachers. A large number of teenagers believe that their teachers’ lack of IT skills reduces their authority in the classroom.

Norway behind rise in oil prices (Aftenposten)

Petroleum and Energy Minister Einar Steensnæs was the oil market’s man yesterday. The decision to cut Norwegian oil production by 150,000 barrels a day from 1 January sent oil prices up by USD 0.50. The decision to cut production was unilateral. The measures are not part of a formalized agreement with Opec or other non-Opec oil producers, according to the Government’s announcement. Norway’s oil production is now worth NOK 15 million per day more than before the decision was announced.

New crisis for Kværner (Dagens Næringsliv)

At a highly charged meeting yesterday Kværner’s bondholders refused to approve the company’s proposed refinancing package. The crisis was prompted by a dispute over a measly NOK 20 million. Kværner’s chief financial officer, Finn Berg-Jacobsen, says it is not clear whether the changes demanded by the bondholders will have to be approved by all Kværner’s banks in a new round of talks.

Worth Noting

• The National Police Security Service (POT) is to be reorganized as part of the battle against terrorism and espionage. Justice Minister Odd Einar Dørum plans to split the POT into two departments with equal status. His aim is to improve analysis and surveillance. (Aftenposten)
• Jens Stoltenberg has accepted the need for a debate on the Labour Party leadership situation, but will himself be keeping quiet on the issue - for a year. (Verdens Gang)
• Uncertainty regarding the real effects of breast cancer screening is growing in medical circles. The Research Ethics Committee has gone so far as to ask the Health Minister to reconsider before screening is offered nationwide. This advice has made the Norwegian Cancer Register see red. (Aftenposten)
• Yes to EU membership, no to the euro. This could be at the heart of a new EU debate in Norway, according to Labour leader Jens Stoltenberg. Mr Stoltenberg believes the disadvantage for Norway of introducing the euro is that interest rates would be too low. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• The environmental foundation Bellona would prefer the coal-fired power station on Svalbard to be closed down. "Invest in wind-power in Longyearbyen," is the message. Power generator, Longyearbyen Energiverk, is considering alternative energy sources. (Aftenposten)
• So far this year 38 people have died in work-related accidents. This is 19 fewer than last year. The most positive development has been in the building and construction industry, where four people have been killed in accidents. (Nationen)
• The National Insurance Fund, led by chief executive Tore Lindholdt, has bought Statoil shares to the tune of NOK 600 million since the company was launched on the stock exchange in June this year. The Fund is now Statoil’s largest Norwegian shareholder. (Dagens Næringsliv)

Today’s comment from Vårt Land

Labour’s party secretary from 1945 to 1969 was Haakon Lie, a hot war warrior with whom his successors find it uncomfortable to be compared. But times have changed, and there is no going back to the days when Labour ruled the country without taking much notice of anyone else. Things go up and down in Norwegian politics, but for years the Labour Party has been experiencing a long slide down. The party is, at least to some extent, out of step with developments in the people, and might benefit from a lengthy period wandering in the desert – or from a garage clear-out, to quote the title of one of Haakon Lie’s books. The party must choose its leaders, but perhaps they could think about finding some new faces and new names in addition to new thoughts. In some respects the party today resembles a hereditary fiefdom where the most important objective is to secure good jobs for the founders’ children and grandchildren.