Oslo tops list for voters and candidates with foreign names

Parliamentary electionsParliamentary elections.Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB scanpix

During this year’s election, the capital’s electorate voted for politicians in the major parties, and candidates with foreign names, to a greater extent than other areas of the country.

 

It is apparent from the final election results for Oslo. Many of those who stood further down the lists had foreign names, according to Aftenposten newspaper.

‘There are obviously some voters who don’t want to have candidates with foreign backgrounds in parliament,’ said researcher, Jo Saglie, at the Department of Social Research.

High profile politicians such as Jonas Gahr Støre of Arbeiderpartiet (Ap), Trine Skei Grande of Venstre (V), Siv Jensen of Fremskrittspartiet (Frp), and Ine Eriksen Søreide of Høyre (H) are traditionally those who are most often eliminated in parliamentary elections.

‘It makes sense to delete a known candidate, but when it comes to candidates with non-Norwegian names, it seems that people make an exception’, Saglie said.

The Senter party’s first candidate in Oslo, Aisha Naz Bhatti, was the biggest candidate from Oslo, who won the largest number of elimination strikes at the year’s election.

It’s not surprising that those with minority backgrounds who are most frequently eliminated from the lists, Saglie believes.

‘I think there are other options for giving voters a real impact on politics than by giving them the opportunity to eliminate candidates,’ said Bhatti.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today