Resistance to EU membership has weakened, but two out of three Norwegians still say no

The Norwegian flag and the EU flagThe Norwegian flag and the EU flag.Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB scanpix

 A new measurement shows that resistance to EU  membership is at its weakest point in five years, but it is far from a crisis for the ‘no’ camp.

 

Almost two out of three Norwegians, 65% of those questioned in a June survey of Nationen newspaper, took a clear position opposed to EU membership, while 24%  responded  ‘yes’.
The figures are both the lowest, and highest in five years, according to the newspaper. This may indicate that in 2012, the 25.7% of respondents who answered ‘yes’ to Norwegian membership of the EU represented the whole of that group.
The ‘no’ share was significantly lower about ten years ago, when it was at 55%. Then the financial crisis, and the uncertainty it created, affected people’s outlook believes electoral researcher, Bernt Aardal.
Today, most uncertainty surrounds Donald Trump’s foreign and trade policies, and the challenges to EU cooperation when the UK leaves.
In all political parties, with the exception of Høyre, more than 50% responded that they oppose  EU membership. 87% of Senterpartiet (Sp) voters responded with a ‘no’. The Christian Democratic Party (KrF), and Sosialistisk Venstreparti (SV) followed on their heels with 83%, and 82% answering ‘no’ respectively.
Only two parties had less than 60% answering  no. In Venstre (V), 58% of election age voters said no, and in Høyre, 49%.  Høyre had  the highest ‘yes’ share with 41%.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today