Conservatives with a new idea for Norway. They want to privatize part of state-owned companies

The proposals are to be presented during the party's national convention, which runs from February 14. The initiative comes from the Akershus and Agder districts as well as the Young Conservatives. Politicians point to the need to allow private capital and diversify risk. They want the state to retain some shares, but not necessarily the majority.

Vy, Norway Post, and Statkraft are 100% state-owned. They belong to so-called category 1, where the goal is the highest possible long-term return. The Akershus branch believes that the current model does not fully utilize the companies' potential. According to the applicants, listing on the stock exchange will provide access to capital and expertise.

Håkon Snortheim from the Akershus district told E24 about previous examples such as Telenor, DNB, Kongsberg Gruppen, and Equinor. After allowing private investors, these companies saw growth. In his view, private and professional owners make business decisions. The proposal assumes that the state will retain some shares, but no specific ownership level has been set.

The second proposal concerns reducing shares in Equinor, Telenor, DNB, and Yara. Currently, the state owns 67% of Equinor shares. In Telenor, the share is 53.97%. In DNB, it is 34%, and in Yara 36.21%. All these companies belong to category 1, where the goal is to maximize returns.

In 2024, total dividends from companies in this category exceeded NOK 90 billion, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. This year, the state will receive over NOK 8 billion in dividends from Statkraft. Supporters of the changes point to long-term value growth after allowing private capital. They also emphasize that more and more Norwegians are investing in stocks and funds.

The draft resolutions do not include proposals for new levels of state ownership. The applicants announce that details would be determined after possible approval by the convention. They also point to the need for a separate assessment of companies related to security. The issue of state ownership will be discussed during the convention.