Norway’s government loses control as fuel price crisis splits ruling coalition

The opposition in Norway’s parliament has accused Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s government of losing control over soaring fuel prices, with the Liberal Party demanding a confidence vote, Dagbladet reports.

The ruling “tutti frutti” coalition—comprising Labour, the Centre Party, and the Socialist Left—is fracturing after the Centre Party broke ranks, signalling willingness to work with the right-wing opposition to cut fuel taxes. The move follows a sharp rise in pump prices triggered by the outbreak of war in the Middle East.

Labour, the Greens, the Red Party, and the Socialist Left accuse the Centre Party of violating the coalition’s budget agreement. Opposition parties have seized on the dispute, with Liberal Party leader Guri Melby arguing the government has lost its grip on fiscal policy.

Liberals demand confidence vote

Melby told Dagbladet that a finance minister losing majority support for their own budget would normally trigger a confidence vote—a step she believes Labour should now take.

“When the government, within days, commits to billions in unplanned spending without internal agreement or funding, the situation is so serious that it should pose a cabinet question,” Melby said. She criticised the rushed adoption of a multi-billion-krone proposal without proper assessment, warning that untargeted fuel tax cuts may miss their mark.

“We need targeted support for businesses. When the government fails to lead and lets parliament scramble for cross-party deals, it creates chaos—exactly what we don’t need in uncertain times,” she added.

Conservatives accuse Labour of “arrogance”

The Conservative Party’s deputy leader, Henrik Asheim, called Labour’s handling of the crisis “arrogance at its worst,” accusing the government of refusing to act on public hardship.

“First, Labour tried to block parliamentary proposals, then labelled parties irresponsible, and now they won’t follow through. This government has lost control,” Asheim said. He dismissed concerns over the opposition’s €400 million emergency fuel tax cut, stating, “The irresponsible choice is doing nothing. We’ll cover the costs.”

Far-right pushes for deeper cuts

The Progress Party (FrP) announced it would back any measure reducing fuel taxes but urged parties to support its broader proposal: scrapping the entire CO₂ tax on industrial and marine diesel for the rest of the year.

FrP leader Sylvi Listhaug argued the Centre Party’s planned 2.50 NOK cut was insufficient compared to her party’s 4.42 NOK reduction. “Farmers, shipping, and construction—those hit hardest—need real relief,” she said, calling on the Conservatives, Centre Party, and Christian Democrats to join FrP’s plan.

Listhaug also demanded Labour implement all parliamentary decisions, warning, “We expect the government to act on every vote passed.”