Center-Right Coalition Takes Lead in Norwegian Elections

Labor-led current government on the outs

A partial count of Monday's parliamentary election indicates a center-right coalition led by the Conservative Party will take power in Norway for the first time since 2005, ousting the current Labor-led government.

The forecast by Statistics Norway, based on a quarter of the vote, indicates Conservative Party leader Erna Solberg will become the new prime minister of the oil-rich Nordic country, replacing Jens Stoltenberg of the Labor Party.

The Conservative Party has seen a surge in support amid pledges to increase the availability of private health care and cut taxes on assets over $140,000.