FROM OSLO WITH LOVE

It is perhaps the ultimate irony that a bipartisan group of Norwegians would award the Nobel Peace Prize to the EU, since Norwegians have themselves rejected membership in the EU twice, in 1972 and 1994. Recent public opinion polls have shown that opposition to joining the EU is stronger than ever before. 

EU membership has been one of Norway’s most hotly debated issues, so hot that Norway’s current left-center government coalition had to put the matter on ice when they took over in 2005 for the sake of government unity, because the three parties making up the coalition disagree among themselves. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and his supporters within the Labour Party  favour EU membership, but others on the left side of the party are skeptical and Labour’s two coalition partners are firmly opposed to EU membership. 

Norwegians, otherwise known for trying to play a major role on the world stage, often explain their refusal to join the EU by the threat they see it could have on their sovereignty, highly regulated economy and controlled markets.