Bergen City Council will try out the basic income

The politicians in Bergen are ready to test out the basic income (borgerlønn), that secure citizens money, without the state demanding anything back.

When and how they don’t know yet, Bergens Tidende reports.

This is stated in the city council platform for Ap, Venstre, KrF and MDG, which was presented two weeks ago:

“The City Council will take initiative against state authorities that any probation project on basic income in Norway should include Bergen,” it says.

Basic income means that money is paid out by the authorities without any requirement for reuse. It is usually assumed that the citizen’s salary should produce an income that is large enough to survive.

It was MDG who struggled with citizen pay in the platform. MDG’s Mona Høgli sat in the negotiations herself and she thinks this is a good and green measure.

Whether that becomes relevant during this city council term, she is not sure. Høgli recognizes that today’s government is unlikely to take the initiative immediately.

– But we believe in a new government in two years, and we want to stay ahead. Bergen is a forward-looking city, and the Bergeners are curious about new things, she says.

Lubna Jaffery (Ap), Bergen’s new labor, social and housing council, emphasizes that the city council has not decided whether basic income y is good or bad, but whether this will be relevant in Norway, she thinks it is natural for Bergen to join.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today