Norwegian Progress Party moves to restrict local election voting to citizens only

The Progress Party (FrP) in Norway has announced plans to amend election law so that only Norwegian citizens may vote in municipal and county elections. Currently, foreign residents who have been registered in Norway for at least three years – about 360,000 people in the 2023 local elections, including 70,000 from Poland – are eligible to vote. FrP MP Erlend Wiborg argued, "We must ensure that those who influence politics are actually Norwegian citizens," citing security concerns and alleged foreign influence, such as claims that Eritrean authorities try to steer their diaspora.

The proposal is expected to face parliamentary opposition; parties including the Conservative Party, Labour Party and the Christian Democratic Party have said they will not support the change. While the measure is unlikely to secure a majority, FrP intends to bring it to the Storting in the autumn session.