Two exit polls published minutes after polling stations closed Monday suggested Norway's red-green coalition would remain in office, while a third poll suggested a tie between the two rival political blocs, according to dpa. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's red-green coalition was on 86 seats, including one seat for the socialist Red party, according to an exit poll of some 3,000 voters by the Synovate polling institute commissioned by Oslo daily Dagbladet and public broadcaster NRK. That would be sufficient for a majority in the 169-seat legislature. Broadcaster TV2 had the red-green coalition with 87 seats, the same result as in 2005, while tabloid Verdens Gang had the two political blocs tied on 84 seats each and one seat for the socialist Red party that lacked representation in the former parliament. Stoltenberg's Labour Party had 31.8 per cent, according to the Synovate poll resulting in 56 seats, down five seats from 2005. The populist Progress Party was the second strongest party according to the surveys, polling some 21.5 per cent. "This will be an exciting night, a thriller," Socialist Left Party leader Kristin Halvorsen, finance minister since 2005, said as she addressed party members. Some 3.5 million voters were eligible to vote. The main challengers to the Stoltenberg-led coalition were the Progress Party of right-wing populist Siv Jensen and the conservative party led by Erna Solberg. Solberg has been credited with running a strong campaign. Both Solberg's and Jensen's chances likely hinge on how the smaller Christian Democrats and Liberal Party fair. Both parties have expressed reservations against the Progress Party's calls for tighter immigration rules. Main issues included the size of welfare expenditure, especially on education, and whether oil and gas drilling should be allowed in sensitive areas off the north-western coast.
