Two center-left governments in Australia and Norway were likely to get defeated in polls scheduled this month. Reuters reported that Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg were probably going to lose power even if they led their respective countries to commodity-fueled booms. Australia is holding elections today, September 7 while elections for Norway is set on September 9.
According to Reuters, voters were already tired with the blunders and scandals that plagued both administrations. Voters were also worried that the wealth generated by rising prices of commodity resources had not been properly spent. Moreover, they were also concerned that the economic boom times were nearing its end. Both governments did not adequately prepare both countries for what would happen after the economic miracles faded, opinion polls conducted by Reuters revealed.
Peter Isaksen, a lawyer in Oslo, said Stoltenberg deserved no credit for the resources boom in Norway. "The government doesn't set the oil price, so that's not their merit, and we have become dangerously dependent on oil. And I'm really tired of them," he told Reuters.
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