Big poll lead over Solberg shrinks

The Labor Party's leader Jonas Gahr and Prime Minister Erna SolbergOslo.The Labor Party's leader Jonas Gahr and Prime Minister Erna Solberg.Photo : Heiko Junge / NTB scanpix

Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) remains more popular than Erna Solberg (H) as a prime ministerial choice, but the distance between them has diminished.

In a poll taken by Ipsos for Dagbladet, 29 percent of respondents said they believe Støre is best suited to lead the country. 25 percent prefer the incumbent Prime Minister Solberg.

3 percent chose Siv Jensen (FRP), and 1 percent answered Knut Arild Hareide (Chr).

A total of 27 percent were undecided, but if forced to choose between Støre and Solberg, 50 percent chose the AP leader, while 45 percent want the Høyres leader.

‘It is very nice feedback for me, but politics is teamwork; I lead a very good team’, said Støre, commenting on the poll.

Although Støre is ahead of Solberg, the distance between them has dropped to 4 percent from 7 percent a month ago (with Støre then at 32 percent against 25 percent for Solberg).

Election researcher Toril Aalberg at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) said she’d have expected a greater decline, and signs of government wear and tear for Solberg.

‘I think she’s surprisingly strong for having led for three years’, said Aalberg.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today