FrP leader Sylvi Listhaug accuses Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of deceiving the Norwegian population when he boasts of improved purchasing power.

The background is that Støre on 21 May told Aftenposten that purchasing power has improved more under his government than under Erna Solberg’s eight years. This is not true, according to the FrP leader.

– The truth is that what he says is wrong. It is a bluff. The government cherry-picks figures, which for example exclude interest rate increases, which have had a major impact on people’s finances and purchasing power, says Listhaug to VG.

FrP has gone through SSB’s figures for households’ disposable real income – what people actually have left after interest, tax, pension contributions, benefits and price increases. The conclusion is disappointing for the government.
Under the Solberg government, from 2013 to 2021, purchasing power increased by around 12 per cent, or 7,329 kroner. Under Støre, from the first quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of 2026, it increased by 0.43 per cent – i.e. 306 kroner over four years. That corresponds to 77 kroner per year.
SSB has been presented with the calculations and vouches for them.

– As far as we can see, FrP has summarised the actual development in disposable real income in a correct way, says head of the national accounts section at SSB, Pål Sletten, to the newspaper.

Finance policy spokesperson Hans Andreas Limi, who led the review, believes the figures expose the government.

– SSB’s figures for disposable real income per inhabitant in the period 2022–2026 are among the weakest four-year periods since 1999, he says.

Listhaug believes that the government should rather spend time improving people’s finances than embellishing reality.

– Many Norwegians have no experience that things are going better economically, she says.

Støre rejects the criticism and points out that the central bank governor on Thursday signalled that Norwegians can expect improved purchasing power, despite the current interest rate level. He also highlights Norgespris and lower kindergarten prices as reliefs in everyday finances.

– This is wording and use of figures that the FrP people come with, says the Prime Minister about the bluff accusation.