Norwegian Justice Minister rejects call from own party for a Swiss-like immigration referendum.
Norwegian Justice Minister Anders Anundsen on Wednesday ruled out holding a referendum on immigration, rejecting a request by a fellow member of his populist party to follow in the footsteps of Switzerland.
"For many years, the (populist) Progress Party has claimed that more influence should be granted to the citizens. This proposition shouldn't shock anybody," Anundsen, a Progress Party minister was quoted by Norwegian news agency NTB during parliamentary question time.
"But within the government coalition, the Progress Party is sticking to our cooperation agreement (with the other right and centre-right parties) and does not plan a referendum on this matter."
Norway is not a member of the EU but is included in the European Economic Area and the Schengen Area which allow relatively unrestricted movement of citizens.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/140212/norway-rules-out-referendum-immigration
This is good news. Apparently the Norwegian government understands the danger coddling the anti-immigrant far-right. And this rejection came from a minister that is a member of the Norwegian right-wing populist party. Perhaps something good and lasting came out of far-right terrorist Anders Behring Breivik's attack 3 years ago.