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6. In Parliament however, the Government has so far been
under little pressure and has been helped by the Opposition's lack of aggression, although press allegations in September of irregularities in the Prime Minister's personal financial affairs involving a property company of which he was head, promoted calls for his resignation. An independent investigation into Syse's personal financial affairs revealed some minor infringements of tax legislation (interpreted by the media as carelessness through bad
professional advice, to deliberate tax avoidance bordering on evasion). The coalition's support for Syse was open and vigorous throughout the crisis. But his personal authority and standing within the Government have inevitably been
weakened. The Opposition Labour Party were clearly reluctant to press too had for Syse's fall, fearing they
would be forced to resume Government in a minority. The next General Election is due in September 1993 and cannot be
held before.
X
7.
-
thus
Meanwhile, the Government has pursued through necessity, and indeed conviction, a middle of the road programme which
reinforces the sense of continuity from the previous Labour
administration. The Government's survival can be attributed
to its avoiding controversial (and imaginative) policies as well as a split on the question of EC membership: the
coalition parties' "agreement to disagree" has held
far. The Conservative Party is enthusiastic: Foreign
Minister Bondevik has spoken of a possible application for
membership in 1993 and the Norwegian Government announced on
19 October the unilateral allignment of the Kroner with the
ECU. They emphasised however that this does not mean
joining EMS or ERM which are still open to debate. Its
Centre and Christian People's Party coalition partners are opposed. The Opposition Labour and right wing Progress Parties both support EC membership. Public opinion is evenly divided. The coalition's prospects are uncertain:
progress (or otherwise) of the EC/EFTA negotiations for a European Economic Area to produce an agreement with which
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