Headline: Jonas Gahr Støre: A Steady Hand in Turbulent Times
In the cosy confines of Norwegian living rooms, Jonas Gahr Støre delivered the New Year’s address, a tradition he has now owned for two years. The stirrings of discontent within the Labour Party (Ap) seemed to quiet down as Christmas approached, but they certainly didn’t disappear. The stage-managed appearance of ‘Team A’ on NRK over the Christmas break was a textbook example of political manoeuvering: the aloof, distant Prime Minister was replaced by a warm, likable family man, a tactic to counter those who question Støre’s connect with the common folk.
But as we stand on the cusp of 2025, a year predicted to be uncertain and potentially dangerous, perhaps it’s not such a bad thing to have a seasoned politician at the helm. The rebellion that stirred before Christmas could end up being a blessing in disguise, reminding us that while Støre might not be perfect, the alternative – ex-MP Tonje Brenna, or worse, Kari Nessa Nordtun – is a scenario we’d rather not entertain.
Støre’s New Year’s speech didn’t promise grand political shifts, but rather a return to normality and the status quo. The Prime Minister continues to grapple with the ‘loser’ label, and his government with the legacy of nearly three years in power – steady on smaller issues, but adrift when it comes to the big ones. They’ve got a handle on ferry timetables, but not electricity prices. They’re hard-pressed by trends driving inequality and centralisation.
As we step into 2025, this image haunts the government. But switching ‘Cautious Støre’ for ‘Feisty Brenna’ won’t solve anything. It’s more of the same: sticking plasters over problems that demand surgical intervention – a new political approach.
Also Read: Hell to Pay: A Good New Year
The Elites Have Taken the Wheel
Those seeking proof of the need for change need look no further than what’s happening in Norway‘s districts, as aptly described in this paper by Arne Sandnes, former Senterpartiet (Sp) mayor of Norddal municipality on Sunnmøre: "I haven’t met a single voter who wants Swedish conditions on the Norwegian countryside, or schools and shops to close. Yet, politicians sit silently in the boat, letting this happen." Nationally, the same phenomenon is reflected in the words of political scientist Asle Toje: "Has democracy been reduced to legitimising a system politicians can barely influence?"
Many of us would answer ‘yes’ to that question. So, who’s steering the ship now? Partly, familiar forces like ‘market pressures and globalisation’. But increasingly, it’s concrete, living individuals – our era’s globetrotting oligarchs and Norwegian tax dodgers.
Voting in Protest
This year’s municipal elections won’tjust be about choosing who to vote for, but also whether voting makes a difference. Will we see ‘realities’ – ‘other forces’ – steering the ship, regardless of who’s in government?
Will Frp’s grand promises be whittled down like Sp’s have been? Will Erna Solberg be back, telling us electricity prices are still market-driven, and thus, sky-high? Will we be left with politicians content to ‘sit silently in the boat, letting this happen’?
Yes, that’s how it could turn out. We’ve seen it before. It’s tempting to stay home in September or vote in protest – perhaps for extremists or quick fixes, to kick the establishment.
But many of us refuse to give up hope. Hope that one day, responsible politicians will stand up, take the wheel, and navigate us through life’s storms. The question is, what can we – the grassroots – do to make that happen? To make ‘those up there’ listen?
Engage, as best we can. That’s all we can do. But we must do it. Because at the start of 2025, that dream hasn’t died yet.
