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Norwegians vote in tight election Norway government 'wins' election
(about 2 hours later)
Norwegians are voting in what is expected to be a closely fought poll between the prime minister's Labour Party and the centre-right opposition. Norway's centre-left coalition government looked set for a narrow victory in the general election.
Jens Stoltenberg, in power since 2005, has emphasised his success in guiding Norway through the economic crisis. Two exit polls and official projections suggested PM Jens Stoltenberg's Labour-led coalition would win about 86 seats in the 169-seat parliament.
The world's fifth biggest exporter of crude oil experienced only a brief recession and has Europe's lowest unemployment rate. Mr Stoltenberg, in power since 2005, has emphasised his success in guiding Norway through the economic crisis.
His main challenger is Siv Jensen, who leads the right-wing Progress Party. His main challenger Siv Jensen, of the right-wing Progress Party, campaigned on a platform of lower taxes.
She has campaigned on a platform of lower taxes and tightening immigration. She has stoked controversy by claiming Norway is being "Islamified". She also wants to see tighter immigration, and stoked controversy by claiming Norway is being "Islamified".
Currently, more than 10% of Norway's population is of foreign origin with the largest groups of asylum seekers coming from Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Eritrea. More than 10% of Norway's residents have foreign origins. They include many asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Eritrea.
'Safe hands''Safe hands'
Mr Stoltenberg's government is hoping to the be the first to be re-elected in 16 years. Mr Stoltenberg's government is hoping to be the first to be re-elected in 16 years.
Polls show a very tight race, but one published on Monday suggested the government might even increase its vote slightly. Two exit polls published on television, after voting ended at 2100 (1900 GMT), predicted a slim victory for the government.
Norwegians - who pay some of the highest taxes on the planet - have high demands of their public services and often complain about long hospital waiting lists for non-emergency operations and bad roads. Siv Jensen's party want to broaden privatisation in health and education
But the prime minister claimed the government is a safe pair of hands in difficult times, stating after casting his vote that: "The Labour Party has the best policies for stabilising the economy and protecting jobs, and also for care for the elderly, education and transport." A projection on public broadcaster NRK forecast Mr Stoltenberg's coalition would garner 85 seats to the opposition's 84 seats.
The Progress Party has pledged to spend more of the country's vast oil wealth at home and to broaden privatisation in both the health and education sectors. But an exit poll on commercial TV2 station showed the government with 87 seats with 82 for the opposition.
But analysts say it is not certain that her party would be in a position to govern even if centre-right parties won a majority of the votes because of a lack of unity between them. An official projection by the Ministry of Local and Regional Government, based on 24% of votes counted, indicated the governing coalition would get 86 seats, compared with the opposition's 83.
"I hope for a majority for the non-socialist parties, and I hope that we can all sit down after the election and try to figure out what to do with that majority," Ms Jensen said after casting her vote. The prime minister had said voting for the government was the safest option.
Exit polls are due to be published after voting ends at 2100(1900 GMT). "The Labour Party has the best policies for stabilising the economy and protecting jobs," he said after casting his vote.
The world's fifth-largest exporter of oil experienced only a brief recession and has Europe's lowest unemployment rate.
The Progress Party pledged to spend more of the country's vast oil wealth at home and to broaden privatisation in both the health and education sectors.