Norway’s 12% sick leave rate in the public sector has ignited a rebellion within the governing Conservative Party. Senior Høyre figures are now demanding their party reverse its longstanding protection of the nation's generous sick pay system, warning of unsustainable costs. Party deputy leader Henrik Asheim and parliamentary colleague Anna Molberg have tabled a motion calling for a political compromise to significantly cut absence, marking a direct challenge to the legacy of former Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
"If we continue as now, where the social partners manage ever-increasing costs without politicians engaging in it, this will not last in the long run," Asheim said in an interview. This intervention breaks a years-long political truce on the issue. During Solberg's tenure as party leader, the sick pay arrangement was largely shielded from major reform, governed through collective agreements between employer and employee organizations. The push for a "line shift" ahead of Høyre's crucial national meeting in February signals deep internal tensions over welfare spending and economic competitiveness.
A System Under Strain
The Norwegian sick pay system, known as sykelønnsordningen, is a cornerstone of the welfare state. It provides employees with full income coverage from the first day of illness, initially funded by the employer before the state social security system takes over. While praised for worker security, the scheme faces criticism for contributing to one of the highest sick leave rates in Europe. The debate is not merely technical; it strikes at the heart of Norway's social contract. Business groups argue high absenteeism burdens companies and hampers productivity, while trade unions fiercely defend the system as a fundamental workers' right.
Asheim and Molberg's proposed motion seeks a majority at the national meeting to "invite the parties in the Storting to a settlement on the sick pay scheme to reduce sick leave significantly." This wording is a deliberate political strategy. It frames the issue as a national challenge requiring cross-party consensus, moving it beyond internal party dogma. The move reflects growing concern among center-right politicians that the state's financial exposure must be reined in, especially with an aging population pressuring future budgets.
Challenging the Solberg Legacy
This public call for change represents a notable departure from the Solberg era's approach. For over a decade, the Conservative Party leadership treated the sick pay model as a settled matter. The policy was delegated to the so-called "working life partners"—the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO). Politicians avoided deep involvement, fearing a backlash from either businesses or the powerful union movement. Asheim's critique targets this exact hands-off tradition, suggesting that political abdication has led to a fiscal blind spot.
The rebellion indicates that Solberg's continued influence as party leader is facing new tests. While still a respected figure, her policy legacy is now openly debated by her successors. The national meeting in February will serve as a key indicator of whether the party's grassroots and regional chapters align with this new assertive stance or prefer the older, more cautious model. A vote in favor of the motion would mandate the party's parliamentary group to actively pursue negotiations with Labour, the Centre Party, and others, a complex endeavor in a fragmented Storting.
Economic Pressures and Political Calculus
The push for reform is underpinned by stark economic realities. High sick leave imposes direct costs on employers and the state treasury, but also creates indirect costs through lost output and workforce instability. In sectors like healthcare and municipal services, absence rates are particularly acute, threatening service delivery. The Conservatives likely see an opportunity to draw a clear line between their vision of a sustainable, efficient welfare state and the left's emphasis on entitlement protection. It is a risky strategy that could alienate some voters but may attract others worried about public finance discipline.
Analysts suggest the party is also positioning itself for the next electoral cycle. By championing sick pay reform, Høyre can present itself as the responsible actor willing to tackle difficult, long-term challenges. The question is whether the electorate will view this as prudent stewardship or an attack on hard-won worker benefits. The party will need to craft a proposal that clearly demonstrates how reductions in absence will be achieved—whether through stricter certification, incentives for early return-to-work, or alterations to the compensation structure—without being perceived as punitive.
The Road to February and Beyond
The upcoming national meeting in Oslo will be a defining moment for Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre's government as well. A strong Conservative mandate for reform will place immediate pressure on the Labour-led administration to respond. Støre has previously advocated for dialogue between the social partners, but political consensus on this issue has been elusive. If Høyre formally adopts this aggressive stance, it could force sick pay onto the front burner of national politics, potentially creating strange bedfellows if some centrist or right-leaning parties see common cause.
For the Norwegian welfare model, this debate is critical. It tests whether the famous "Norwegian model" of tripartite cooperation can adapt to new economic pressures. Can politicians, employers, and unions collaboratively redesign a system to preserve its core protections while ensuring its viability? The outcome will signal whether Norway’s political culture can still produce pragmatic compromises on deeply felt social issues. The rebellion inside Høyre is not just about sick pay; it is about who governs the fundamentals of the working life and who bears the cost of a generous society in an uncertain economic time.
Will the Conservative Party’s rank-and-file support this bold call for a political takeover of sick pay policy, or will they uphold the traditional arm's-length approach? The answer in February will reshape Norway's political landscape for years to come.