Over 30 percent of respondents in a new nationwide survey think Norwegian politicians speak a language that is obscure or very indistinct.
Only 3.8 percent believe that Norwegian politicians express themselves very clearly, while 15.3 percent believe the elected speaks fairly clearly.
A whopping 40.3 percent answered no to the question whether there are any party leaders that excel by using a clear and precise language. The Prime Minister, Erna Solberg (Conservatives), is however praised by 16.3 percent of respondents.
– This is depressing news for us politicians. The danger is that we use a tribal language that other people really cannot relate to, or at best a very stilted language, Solberg told Dagbladet.
She says she tries to use common words and that she tries to talk the same way as a politician as she does privately.
Labour leader Jonas Gahr Støre has by several been dubbed the “fog prince” but comes in second among party leaders that people think is using clear language at 11.5 percent.
At the Bottom of the list we find the Socialist Left’s (SV) leader, Audun Lysbakken, Only 2.9 percent of those surveyed has a clue as to what he says.
The survey was conducted by Infact on behalf of Ordnett.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
