Several from the working class turn to the Conservatives and Progress Party

Labour Party Party Leader Jonas Gahr Støre (Left) and former Financial Spokesperson Trond Giske. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB scanpix

In 1965, two thirds of Aps voters stated that they belonged to the working class. By 2017 it is one third. Amongst the Concervative voters, the proportion has increased.

In 1965, 64 percent of both AP and SF voters answered that they were part of the working class. Only 5 percent of Conservative voters said the same. But now in 2017, 32 percent of Ap’s and 19 percent of SV’s voters say they belong to the working class.

Among the conservative voters it is 14 per cent, and among Frp’s voters it is 20 per cent, writes Klassekampen.

This is evident in a survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Tor Bjørklund, supported by the Department of Political Science at the University of Oslo, writes Klassekampen.

Bjørklund has been researching elections and parties for many years, and is currently Professor emeritus at the University of Oslo. This year is the first time in 16 years that such a survey is being conducted.

At the same time, fewer are defined as working class. In 1965, 40 percent of the entire population stated that they believed they belonged to the working class. By 2017, only 20 percent answer the same.

In addition, there is a change in the age profile. In previous surveys, there was a much larger proportion of the elderlyvoters who claimed to belong to the working class. In this survey, there are no major generational differences.

“The loosening of class ties is a good explanation for major electoral movements, and why social democratic parties find that loss of voters is increasing,” says Tor Bjørklund.

 

©  NTB Scanpix / Norway Today

 

———-