The Local Norway

OPINION: This is a 1938 moment for Europe, but the war will be a trade war

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:46:19 +0100

European leaders sending their troops to Greenland has - writes political columnist John Lichfield - called Donald Trump's bluff when it comes to military conflict. Instead the continent faces the prospect of a long and brutal trade war.

Five things the election result tells us about Norway in 2025

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 18:20:32 +0200

Norway’s parliamentary election saw an overall win for the left bloc of parties, while the far right Progress Party surged. What does the result reveal about the situation in the country?

Joint statement: A Nordic call for immediate and decisive action on Gaza

Sat, 24 May 2025 21:59:55 +0200

A group of thirteen former Nordic foreign and defence ministers has issued a joint letter to European leaders, urging immediate action to prevent war crimes and avert a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

'Brexit reset': Why majority of EU citizens want closer ties with the UK

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 15:02:13 +0100

More than eight years after the UK's Brexit vote, a majority of EU citizens would like a closer relationship with Britain and many Brits are now prepared to ditch their Brexit red lines, a new survey has revealed.

OPINION: Trump's win spells crisis for Europe, but it could save the EU

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:06:36 +0100

The return of Donald Trump to the White House may be catastrophic for US democracy. It could be even more destructive for Europe, writes John Lichfield.

OPINION: Europe's open borders are precious, but they are under threat

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 11:48:49 +0200

As countries within the EU reintroduce checks on their Schengen zone borders, columnist John Lichfield looks at why this threat to the 'invisible achievement' of open borders matters to the whole of Europe.

OPINION: Moving to Norway for the high wages comes with drawbacks

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:04:09 +0200

Many people move to Norway to take advantage of higher wages so they can send money to family back home. But Robin-Ivan Capar explains that the decision is more complex that it seems.

OPINION: Norway, it's time to accept cabin trips are more stressful than we let on

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 16:44:56 +0200

Cabin trips are fantastic, but they come with more stress and effort than we'd all like to admit, writes Frazer Norwell.

OPINION: Why you should get involved with 'dugnad' instead of skiving off

Tue, 10 May 2022 18:36:30 +0200

Unpaid and voluntary labour in the spirit of 'dugnad' may not seem appealing, but it certainly has its benefits and own unique charm, writes The Local Norway's editor Frazer Norwell.

'International school funding cuts will hurt Norway's ability to attract foreign talent'

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 13:21:59 +0200

The Norwegian government's plan to cut subsidies to certain private and international schools will hurt pupils and ultimately make it harder for Norway to attract foreign talent , argues Thale Herbertson, the acting head of Trondheim International School.

OPINION: Please stop turning Scandi words like 'friluftsliv' into viral trends

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 17:31:47 +0200

Originally a Norwegian invention, 'friluftsliv' is popular across Scandinavia and is one of many exported words which portrays the locals as special mythical beings when, in reality, they are much more like the rest of us than the online trends suggest.

Why don't Scandinavians try harder to understand each other?

Thu, 04 May 2023 17:37:03 +0200

At a conference in Sweden attended by Deputy Editor Becky Waterton this week, the Danish presenters were asked to switch to English for their Swedish audience. Why don't Scandinavians make more effort to understand each other, and what are they missing out on?

OPINION: Trains are in fashion so why is rail travel across Europe still so difficult?

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 14:42:58 +0200

Would you prefer to travel across Europe by train rather than plane this summer? It’s not nearly as simple as it should be, especially given the urgency of the climate crisis, explains specialist Jon Worth.

OPINION: This is Russia’s war, but we Europeans need to learn fast from our mistakes

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 17:45:12 +0100

For those of us living in Europe now, this is a scary and dangerous time, writes The Local's James Savage. The threat from Russia leaves European leaders with no easy choices, but peace and democracy in Europe depend on what they do next.

OPINION: Please don't let 'mys' be the next Scandinavian lifestyle trend

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 11:45:48 +0100

Swedish 'mys' looks next in the chain of untranslatable word-based Scandinavian lifestyle trends. If only those writing about it knew that it very often means little more than binging on dreadful tacos and Netflix.

OPINION: European governments were cautious on AstraZeneca vaccines but they were neither stupid nor 'political'

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 13:09:29 +0100

It is the best of decisions and the worst of decisions. Everyone can claim to be right. Everyone is partly wrong, writes John Lichfield on the pausing of the AstraZeneca vaccination campaign across Europe.

Opinion: What has changed in Norway since the start of the pandemic?

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 17:13:39 +0100

It is almost one year since Norway closed its borders to the world in the light of a mysterious new virus outbreak known as Covid-19.

WHO interview: 'If our behaviour returns to normal Europe risks new waves of Covid-19'

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 18:07:05 +0200

The Local sat down with the man at the forefront of the World Health Organisation's quest for a coronavirus treatment to ask whether reopening our societies will create a second wave and what happens when populism meets science.

What can Scandinavia learn from Canada on immigration?

Tue, 27 Feb 2018 09:40:55 +0100

What can Scandinavia learn from Canada when it comes to immigration and integration, asks Trygve Ugland of Bishop's University in this analysis first published by The Conversation.

Irish border after Brexit? How Sweden-Norway keep things smooth

Tue, 13 Feb 2018 08:20:49 +0100

Can the Sweden-Norway border serve as a model for the post-Brexit Irish border? Henrik Wenander of Lund University explains.