Norway’s conservative-led government avoided crisis on Friday after the Christian Democratic Party (KrF) voted to join its ranks rather than switch to a center-left alternative.
The KrF is currently not part of Prime Minister Erna Solberg’s minority administration but backed the government in key parliamentary votes. The party was thrown into turmoil when leader Knut Arild Hareide called for it to switch sides and install a center-left government while KrF vice-presidents advocated the opposite course — becoming a fully-fledged member of Solberg’s coalition of conservatives, right-wing populists and liberals.
“This has been a long journey, but now KrF has spoken,” Hareide said after the vote, according to public broadcaster NRK. “The party has pointed one direction: It is to seek government power with the Solberg government.”
The vote concluded with 98 delegates in favor of ruling with the government and 90 delegates opting to join a center-left administration.
“There has been little sleep, but I enjoyed the process. It has shown Norwegian party democracy at its best,” Hareide said.
