Stoltenberg streaks ahead of Bondevik (Dagsavisen)

For the first time since he became a prime ministerial candidate, Jens Stoltenberg has pulled ahead of Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik in our popularity poll. Support for Mr Bondevik has dropped sharply to hit its lowest point ever. According to a poll carried out almost exactly a year ago, as many as 45 per cent of those questioned said that he was the person most suited to being the country’s Prime Minister. In a poll from December 2000, Jens Stoltenberg was only half as popular as Mr Bondevik: only 26 per cent said that he was best suited to be Prime Minister. Today, 31 per cent feel that Mr Stoltenberg is the best person to lead the country, while 22 per cent prefer Mr Bondevik, according to the opinion poll that AC Nielsen has carried out on behalf of the Newspapers’ News Agency (ANB).

Government scores low with special interest groups (Aftenposten)

Aftenposten has asked a wide selection of organizations to judge the Government’s performance on a scale of one to six. With few exceptions the Government gets a low score. Respondents were also asked which ministers have impressed the most and the least. Local Government and Regional Affairs Minister Erna Solberg and Environment Minister Børge Brende, both from the Conservative Party, have impressed both supporters and opponents among the country’s various special interest groups. Fisheries Minister Svein Ludvigsen (Con) heads the list of the least impressive ministerial performers.

Foreign Minister dissatisfied with Iraqi declaration (Aftenposten)

Foreign Minister Jan Petersen is extremely unhappy about the fact that Norway, as a member of the UN Security Council, has only been given extracts of Iraq’s declaration of its weapons programmes, weapons arsenals and possession of or ability to produce weapons of mass destruction. He has nevertheless chosen to listen to Hans Blix, leader of the UN weapons inspectors, who has said that the declaration contains little that is new, and that it leaves a large number of questions unanswered. Mr Blix believes the declaration is not conclusive proof that Iraq does not possess weapons of mass destruction. Mr Petersen initially demanded full access to the Iraqi declaration, which could prove the final justification for an allied war against Saddam Hussein – something which US President George W. Bush has been pressing for.

Supporters of EU membership most active (Nationen)

Despite the fact that the Government has declared EU membership a non-issue, the Norwegian people are still preoccupied with the question. And the most active participants in the debate are EU membership supporters. A substantial 76 per cent of those polled said that the issue of EU membership is important. Supporters are far more actively engaged in the debate than opponents. Interest in the issue is greater in Oslo than in the traditionally anti-EU counties of the north. "Those who want a change have the greatest reason to become involved in the debate," says political scientist Jo Saglie at the Institute for Social Research in Oslo. Nevertheless, he thinks it is surprising, given the enormous mobilization of feeling on the part of EU membership opponents at the last referendum on the issue in 1994.

Half of Norwegians fear immigrants (Dagbladet)

Astonishing figures detailing Norwegians’ attitudes to immigrants have been published by Statistics Norway. 45 per cent of the population feels that immigrants are a source of insecurity in Norway. 53 per cent say it should be more difficult to gain a residence permit in Norway than today. Only five per cent are in favour of a relaxation of the country’s immigration policy. 41 per cent believe most immigrants are fleecing the country’s social security system. The survey shows clearly that those who actually know one or more immigrants have a more positive attitude. But over 30 per cent of the population have no contact with immigrants at all. This group is also the most negative.

Electricity price hike puts a damper on spending spree (Verdens Gang)

Sky-high electricity prices have made Norwegians moderate their Christmas spending, according to the experts. Nevertheless, this year’s spending spree will still outstrip last year’s. Last week consumers at 87 of the country’s shopping centres spent NOK 1.87 billion, an increase of 40 per cent compared with the week before. The Christmas rush has not increased quite as much as the Federation of Norwegian Commercial and Service Enterprises (HSH) had expected. Lars E. Haartveit of the HSH has three possible explanations: the recent electricity price hike, fewer Sunday-open shops and an extra shopping day before Christmas compared with last year. "There is absolutely no doubt that the announcement of a sharp increase in electricity prices has had a certain negative effect on spending. The cut in interest rates will probably not have any impact before next year," said Mr Haartveit.

1. Worth Noting

• Kjell Engebretsen, Labour’s chief spokesman on the Storting’s Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs Committee, is demanding that Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik provide more answers in relation to a series of controversial decisions taken in his last administration to grant asylum to individuals whose applications had originally been turned down. Between 1998 and 2000 the Justice Ministers in Mr Bondevik’s previous government overturned a series of asylum rejections, granting the applicants the right to stay in Norway. A unanimous Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs Committee is supporting a third round of correspondence with new questions for Mr Bondevik.
  (Verdens Gang)
• The upturn in share prices during the past few months has not changed public scepticism with regard to unit trusts. People are just as dubious about the stock market as they were in August. A recent survey carried out by Fokus Bank shows that one in two of those questioned was totally uninterested in investing in shares or unit trusts.
  (Aftenposten)
• Trade and Industry Minister Ansgar Gabrielsen is not averse to the idea of letting private firms commercialize computer software products developed for the public sector. He wants the development of broadband services in Norway to be speeded up.
  (Aftenposten)
• Oslo’s MPs have not given up the battle to save 900 central government jobs, which it has been announced are to be relocated outside the capital. Oslo’s 16 MPs are banking on mobilizing a parliamentary majority to defeat Labour and Government Administration Minister Victor D. Norman’s decision to move eight public watchdogs out of the city. In theory the matter has already been decided in cabinet, but the Storting can raise the issue on its own account. There are strong indications that it will do just that.
  (Dagsavisen)
• Olympic sports supremo Bjørge Stensbøl should not make statements on matters he knows absolutely nothing about – like children’s sports, for example. So says Kjetil Haugersveen, leader of the Telemark Sports Education Association, which provides courses for coaches and club leaders. The Norwegian Confederation of Sports spent the whole of Thursday trying to mend fences after Mr Stensbøl, in an interview with NRK on Thursday morning, had said that children should begin to specialize in one sporting event as early as the age of nine. Mr Stensbøl’s comments provoked a storm of protest in sporting circles up and down the country.
  (Dagsavisen)
• Investor Øystein Stray Spetalen is offering to buy out the small investors who hold shares in the company Media Holding. Shareholders can choose to be paid in cash or receive Flax lottery scratch tickets. "That way they can scratch their way to a million kroner prize. I think that is the only hope they have of getting back the money they have invested," said Mr Stray Spetalen in an interview with Dagens Næringsliv.
  (Aftenposten)
• TV2 is refusing to air a commercial on behalf of the Gay Youth Helpline. The TV channel says that homosexuality is such a controversial issue that it could upset viewers during the Christmas holiday period. On Christmas Day TV2 provides free airtime for commercials on behalf of humanitarian organizations, in its regular commercial breaks. However, the application from the National Association for Lesbian and Homosexual Liberation (LLH) to show its commercial for the Gay Youth Helpline was turned down flat. The TV channel says that homosexuality is a subject too controversial for Norwegians full of Christmas cheer.
  (Dagbladet)
• A holiday trip to Thailand turned into a nightmare for a 31-year-old single father from Grimstad and his four-year-old son. When the father was arrested for possession of narcotics while on holiday, he was put in jail. And his son had to go to with him. "It has been a very traumatic experience for the boy. An experience like that does something to a child, and it would never have happened in Norway, that is for sure," said Vidar Gabrielsen, head of Grimstad’s Social Security Office.
  (Dagbladet)

2. Today’s comment from Dagbladet

At the end of this year Norway leaves the UN Security Council after a period of two years. It could be 25 years until the next time it is Norway’s turn. The Norwegian authorities mounted an intense lobby campaign to win this seat, and succeeded after a dramatically close-run vote after Italy had made a surprise entry to the contest. Norwegian membership of the Security Council was met with high expectations, and a great deal of the Foreign Ministry’s resources have been concentrated on this task over the past two years. At the end of Norway’s term it is reasonable to evaluate if the Security Council seat was a platform the country could use to mark autonomous foreign policy positions. The answer must be, no. Norway has acted with loyalty and has played a constructive role as one of the ten Council members who are elected for two years at a time, and do not have a veto like its five permanent members. This provides the opportunity to make a contribution to the issues dealt with by the Security Council, but is not a platform for the country’s own views. Foreign Minister Jan Petersen says that the Security Council is one of the most important bodies in international politics. There is an intrinsic value to being a participant in this arena, and it is particularly important for a small independent country like Norway. Chairmanship of the Security Council rotates between all the members, and our turn came in March this year, right in the middle of the latest crisis in relations between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Norway’s UN Ambassador and the Foreign Ministry demonstrated solid diplomatic craftsmanship when the Council voted, with the support of the USA, that the UN’s objective is the creation of a Palestinian state. Norwegian security policy experts have said in this newspaper that Norway did not get much out of its two-year stint. Those comments are a direct reflection of the unrealistic expectations that were created beforehand. Our impression is that Norway’s performance on the UN Security Council was both competent and constructive within the limitations that membership entails. Given that Norway is a small country, our influence has probably been greater than we realistically could have expected, particularly in the treatment of the Middle East conflict.