Erna Solberg Credits God for Falling Electricity Prices

Right-wing leader Erna Solberg prefers that God was more responsible than the government for electricity prices falling this winter. The statement came in a duel with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) in the Storting’s impromptu question hour on Wednesday.

Solberg confronted Støre that the government is now dissolving and spending more money on parts of the public sector than they put on the table in the national budget last autumn.

Part of the debate was about responsibility for falling electricity prices during the winter:

– We have had a mild winter. I will give credit to the fact that the mild winter means that the electricity price was not so high. Then the government can think about whether they are responsible for it, or whether God or others, such as the weather gods, are responsible for it.

Støre answered Solberg’s question as follows:

– I actually believe that God is responsible for a number of relationships in life, but I believe that it is politics and the economy that have led to our having the strongest growth in investments last year, since 2007. And I believe that it is politics that led to that there were more than 20,000 more companies last year, said Støre.

Read more about Norwegian politics her

Open eyes?

Erna Solberg also referred to a VG interview with Støre and Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) from January. There, the two party leaders in the government promised that they would bring down the price of electricity, and stabilize prices and interest rates.

– After that, interest rates have continued to rise, and the price increase is higher. 5.9 per cent in January and 6.4 per cent now, said Solberg.

– Is it with open eyes that the government still wants to spend more money, she asked the Prime Minister.

Støre replied:

– The eyes are wide open, and it was a grippingly good interview.

– It is true that interest rates have increased and that prices are rising. But there are imported prices, including food prices. But far less than in Sweden and Denmark, which have up to 20 per cent price increases, said Støre.

– Reversed national budget

Erna Solberg pointed out that the government will present the revised national budget on Thursday, which will adjust the national budget a few months into the budget year.

– Reversed national budget, said Solberg.

– Now we see that they are reversing their own policy from last autumn. Where the government cut sharply last year, increases and more use of oil money have now been introduced, said Solberg.

She wanted to know which positive changes in the economy now justify more use of oil money, when both interest rates and prices have risen even more than expected when the government cut the budget precisely to prevent increased interest rates and prices.

– What we are adding to the increased use of oil money now are expenses that Norway must cover, and which it is absolutely necessary to do. It is for more refugees, support for Ukraine with the Nansen program and compensation for increased prices and wages to maintain activity, said Støre.