Norway's ruling Labour Party won 33.1 per cent of the vote in yesterday's general elections, below the "magic" figure of 36.9 per cent it wanted to remain in office, according to results available early today.
The most dramatic result was by the extreme right populist Progressive Party and its charismatic leader, Mr Carl Hagen, which more than doubling its vote to 15.3 per cent with 608 out of 629 municipalities counted.
The Labour Prime Minister, Mr Thorbjoern Jagland, had stressed that his party would resign if it did not win the 36.9 per cent of votes it won in the last elections in 1993. It got 35.2 per cent.
Speaking after the results were known, Mr Jagland reiterated that "if we do not get 36.9 per cent of the vote, then I will resign".
A centrist coalition, consisting of the Christian People's Party, the Liberals and the Centre Party, won 26.2 per cent. The coalition is led by Christian People's Party parliamentary leader, Mr Kjell Magne Bondevik, whom Mr Jagland is likely to recommend to King Herald V to ask to form the next government if he resigns.
The Conservative Party, traditionally the second-largest party, took 14.2 per cent. The election was fought over how best to use Norway's vast oil revenues to bolster hospitals and care for the elderly.