Centre Party breaks ranks with budget allies to fast-track fuel tax cuts

The Centre Party (Sp) has defied its coalition partners by backing a Conservative Party proposal to expedite cuts to fuel taxes, Dagbladet reports. The move, announced Wednesday, could see road usage fees slashed from April 1 if Labour (Ap) agrees to fast-track the measure.

Centre Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum confirmed his party would support the Conservatives’ push for urgent parliamentary processing of the tax reduction. Sp also tabled its own proposal calling for even deeper cuts to fuel levies.

“Today’s fuel prices are hitting ordinary people and businesses hard,” Vedum told reporters. “When workers who rely on their cars to get to jobs, drop children at daycare, or run small businesses face such high costs, the state must act.”

The party framed the decision as standing “on the side of working people,” but faced immediate backlash from its Green Party (MDG) allies, who called the move “unacceptable.” Vedum dismissed the criticism, stating his priority was “the public, not other politicians.”

With Sp’s support secured, the Conservatives’ proposal now hinges on Labour’s response. Vedum said he expected dialogue with Ap “throughout the evening” to finalise the plan, following a brief meeting with Labour leaders after Wednesday’s parliamentary session.

Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Ap) later told reporters his party was “taking people’s concerns seriously” but declined to comment on specific tax measures. “We’ve been clear that we’re open to evaluating new steps as part of budget work,” Stoltenberg said, adding that any relief must not “undermine long-term economic stability.”