“Goodbye, Jens!”

As was expected, a center right coalition won the parliamentary election in Norway on Monday. In particular, Erna Solberg’s right-wing Conservative Party of Norway gained 48 seats in the Storting, up 18 on the present number. The Progress Party, also led by a woman, Siv Jensen, won 29 seats, down 12 on the present number. The left-wing Liberal Party, with Trine Skei Grande, also representative of the fairer sex, at the head, will have 9 seats in parliament, and the Christian Democratic Party of Knut Arild Hareide won 10 seats. The Right coalition has a total 96 seats, an absolute majority, in a 169-seat parliament.

Interestingly, the Labor Party led by the current Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, won the largest number of popular votes, 55 percent, but lost 9 seats in comparison with the 2009 elections. Now it has – together with its Left coalition partners – only 72 seats in the Storting.

Incidentally, in the years of Stoltenberg’s premiership, Norway has seen good economic results, economic growth, and a low unemployment rate. Besides, he himself is rather popular and knows how to debate.

But the impression is that most Norwegians have got tired of Stoltenberg in the eight years of him being in power.

On the other hand, people have believed in the promises of right-wingers who are not so conservative in that country – on the contrary, they have rather liberal views. Particularly, the Conservative Party’s slogans are “New ideas and better solutions” and “Opportunities for all” written against a blue background. These slogans adorned the assembly hall of the Radisson Blue Scandinavia hotel in downtown Oslo, where this party’s supporters celebrated a victory an hour after the end of voting.

By the way, in contrast to similar celebrations in Ukraine, guests take alcoholic drinks, including beer and wine, at their own expense. The celebrants hugged one another, and there were a lot people of other nationalities among the followers of this party.

Everybody could see on big screens what was going on in the other parties. First television showed live the speech of Siv Jensen to her supporters in a restaurant. Jensen wore a dress that depicted red apples, the symbol of her party which calls itself champion of freedom. She said: “I have long waited to say this: goodbye, Jens!” to the thunderous applause in the Radisson Blue Scandinavia.

They listened to the speech of Stoltenberg in a tenser mood. He said: “I am disappointed, but my party has won most of all votes, and it perhaps has never occurred in history that one party won elections three times in a row.” And when he said that his party would be a responsible opposition party, this drew applause.

And, naturally, the audience sent most of their congratulations to their leader, chanting “Erna, Erna!” for a long time. Her almost 15-minute-long speech won applause and the cries “Erna” after almost every sentence. “Today, voters have secured a historic and great victory for the Center Right, and we will give this country a new government,” said Solberg who was dubbed as “Iron Erna” for her tough stand in the 2001-05 government. She gave Stoltenberg credit for the way he managed the crisis-hit economy. At the same time, Solberg pointed out that there was plenty of work to do in the next four years from now.

It should be noted that it is her third attempt to win the premier’s chair. Besides, when she was a girl-scout, she overcame such a serious disease as dyslexia.

Now the 52-year-old Solberg will be Norway’s second female premier and first Conservative Party premier since 1990. Two, if not three, women are going to hold top offices in this government. Incidentally, the leader of the Center Party is also a woman, Liv Signe Navarsete. This shows that women are really influential in politics, not only in everyday life.

It will be recalled that the Conservatives promised to diversify the economy so that it does not depend on oil, privatize state-run companies, and slash some of the world’s highest taxes in order to give the private sector more freedom.

However, observers believe that the most challenging task for Solberg will be to appease the Progress Party which opposes immigration and taxes. Experts think that the first ever induction of the Progress Party into the government will force Solberg to make some concessions, as far as expenses and taxes are concerned, and is a symbolic gesture with respect to immigration. As for the latter issue – immigration – Norway is bound by international commitments, so the government cannot do much in this field. On the other hand, the country’s economy needs new workers because the unemployment rate is fewer than three percent.

The right-wing parties will find a common language about privatization, for they believe that the public sector has blown itself out of proportion. Solberg has already said Norway will sell a part of its shares to Statoil and Telenor.

Besides, she announced that her party would gather on Friday to appoint official negotiators and the new cabinet would begin work after the outgoing government presented the 2014 budget on October 14.

The Norway elections somewhat eclipsed the referendum on application for hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. As the electoral commissions were busy counting the parliamentary election results, nothing was heard said about the referendum. It only became known in the small hours that 55 percent of the Norwegians who took part in the referendum supported the Oslo city authorities’ decision to bid for hosting the games. Many were surprised with this result because, earlier, most of the city residents had been opposing the bid due to high expenses involved. But, shortly before the referendum, the government explained that this would not in fact cost too much, and residents opted for making a bid – all the more so that there is a ski jump almost in the city center which one can reach by subway.

Incidentally, it is so far only Alma-Ata that has formally applied for hosting the 2022 Olympics. It was also reported that the authorities of Barcelona also intend to send an application to the IOC. The Ukrainian government has also said it is going to suggest that the 2002 games be held in the Carpathians. But now that such an affluent county as Norway has announced the intention to host the Olympics, Ukraine’s chances look much slimmer. But one who does not fight will have no chances.