The political situation in Norway

 

Solberg and Finnes. Rodrigo Freitas / NTB  

 

The political situation in Norway 

Trustee: I am shocked - now Solberg must resign 

 

Several experts react with dismay to the information that Sindre Finnes carried out 3,640 stock transactions while his wife Erna Solberg was Prime Minister of Norway. 

 

- I am completely shocked by the extent. Something must be crazy [...] when they adopt the world's strictest rules for the financial industry, but cannot keep track of their own house and regulations, says fund manager Jan Petter Sissener to Dagens Næringsliv.  

 

He believes that Erna Solberg must now resign as party leader for the conservative Høyre.  

 

Finance professor Morten Kinander describes the affair as a "total disaster" for the public's trust in politicians. 

 

- Part of the disaster is due to a lack of regulations and a lack of understanding of the explosive in creating strict rules for others, he tells Finansavisen.  

 

Solberg and Finnes.Archive image. Javad Parsa / NTB  

Analysis: Solberg sacrifices her husband to save her job  

 

Opposition leader Erna Solberg's political career is in turmoil after the revelation that husband Sindre Finnes made thousands of stock deals when she was prime minister. In the hope of being allowed to stay, she throws Finnes to the wolves and talks openly about the betrayal, writes Norwegian TV2's commentator Aslak Matre Eriksrud. 

 

However, there are question marks in Solberg's story, writes Matre Eriksrud. Why didn't she ask more questions when it was revealed two weeks before the election that Finnes continued to trade shares when she was prime minister?  

 

And how could he earn almost two million kroner without her becoming suspicious when the couple have joint finances? "Solberg is dependent on party members, the Storting's control committee and perhaps even the ecocrime authority believing that she is an innocent victim," he writes.  

 

NRK's commentator Cecilie Langum Becker also thinks there are reasons to ask Solberg questions. She had many chances to dig deeper into her husband's affairs but waited until the site E24 made an exposé.  

"Only a week later, many days after the local elections on Monday, she presented the list," writes Langum Becker. 

 

Solberg at the press conference. Heiko Junge / NTB  

 

Solberg in tears - her husband's share purchase upset her  

 

Norway's former Prime Minister Erna Solberg was stubborn in several decisions she made during her time as head of government, without knowing it herself. This is because of husband Sindre Finne's stock trading. Solberg told that himself at a press conference on Friday.  

 

Recently, the site E24 revealed that Finnes made several deals on the stock exchange, even though he promised the government office to cut back on share trading when his wife took office. Solberg has now asked her husband to make a list showing that he made over 3,500 stock deals when she was prime minister between 2013 and 2021, writes VG. 

 

- The list shows that Sindre has not been honest with me when I was prime minister, a breach of trust in our marriage. It hurts me to be as hard on Sindre as I am today, said a teary-eyed Solberg at the press conference.