Number of jobless Norwegians rising

Oslo

SOCIAL harmony is at risk in the land of egalitarianism. Burnt by the recent oil glut, more and more Norwegians are pulling out of the labour force. Left unchecked, it could be detrimental for one of the world's most generous welfare states.

According to Statistics Norway, the percentage of people of working age in employment fell to 70.6 per cent in 2016, a 21-year low. The decline started with the financial crisis of 2008 and has hardly stopped since.