Asbjørn Wahl

A red-green new deal in transport: Workers' Power and renewable electrification of the whole economy

2020-05-13

The transport sector represents one of the biggest challenges when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. They are increasing faster than from any other sector in society -- and at an ever-increasing pace (over 120% globally over the last 30 years -- and still increasing in all parts of the world). In Europe, transport is the largest climate problem accounting for 27% of its green-house gas emissions (GHGs) in 2017. It is also the only sector which emissions are above 1990 levels (Transport & Environment, 2018).

The Crisis of Social Democracy | Asbjørn Wahl

Asbjørn Wahl

2018-02-09

All over Europe the crisis of social democracy is being debated. Given a situation in which several of these traditionally strong parties have almost been wiped out at particular elections or on a permanent basis, this should not surprise anybody. Although the situation is not as dramatic in Norway/Scandinavia, the crisis is discussed also here. After all, during the last two decades, the Norwegian Labour Party has experienced two of its worst elections (2001 and 2017) since the 1920s. Further, it is widely perceived, at least in large parts of the trade union movement, that the Labour Party messed up something, which should have been an easy victory at last year's parliamentary elections, precisely because of circumstances that can easily be interpreted into a crisis scenario.

Norwegian elections: Another right-wing victory & a serious Labour defeat | Asbjørn Wahl

Asbjørn Wahl

2017-09-20

The centre-left failed in getting rid of the so-called blue-blue government at the parliamentary elections in Norway on 11 September. The Labour Party was the main loser, while small parties on the centre-left advanced slightly. However, the parliamentary basis of the right-wing government has started to unravel. A deeper political crisis may be looming in the background, while social contradictions are on the raise. Social Democracy followed the general European downward tendency (except Britain).