Norway's ruling coalition stays on, exit poll shows

Prime Minister Jens StoltenbergOslo  - Norway's ruling red-green coalition was set to continue for another four years in office, according to an exit poll published Monday.

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and his coalition were forecast to win 86 seats, a loss of a seat but sufficient for a majority in the 169-seat legislature, the exit poll said.

The premier's Labour Party is the main force in the coalition that has ruled for the past four years with the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party.

Despite dropping five seats, the Labour Party remained the strongest force in parliament with 56 seats, the poll said. The poll suggested gains for the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party, junior partners in the red-green coalition.

The main challengers to the Stoltenberg-led coalition are the Progress Party of right-wing populist Siv Jensen and the conservative party led by Erna Solberg, both parties gained according to the exit poll.

The exit survey of some 3,00 voters was conducted by the Synovate polling institute for public broadcaster NRK and Oslo daily Dagbladet.  dpa