Norwegian red‑green parties clinch revised national budget

revised national budget minimum pension increase public transport subsidy construction package red‑green coalition

After more than 40 hours of overtime negotiations, Norway’s red‑green coalition (Labour, Centre, Socialist Left, Green Party and Red) reached a deal on a revised national budget. The agreement cuts the monthly public‑transport ticket by 160 kr, lowering the price to 499 kr in Oslo and similar reductions nationwide, and earmarks 495 million kr for cheaper and improved transport services.

The budget adds a historic 8 000 kr annual increase to the minimum pension for all recipients, the first such raise in a revised budget. It also provides a 3.6 billion‑kr construction and infrastructure package, including 1 billion kr for county roads, 300 million kr for rail, 150 million kr for the Stad skip tunnel and a 2 billion‑kr boost to the housing loan fund.

Additional measures include 350 million kr for expanded staffing in kindergartens, 600 million kr for rail upgrades, and a strong climate package funded through ENOVA. The plan maintains oil‑fund withdrawals at 2.7 % of the fund, within the fiscal rule, and avoids new fuel taxes.