Norway's left-leaning opposition was on course for an absolute majority in Monday's parliamentary elections, which would allow it to squeeze the ruling centre-right coalition out of power. After 80.7% of the votes had been counted, the opposition parties were projected to win a combined 88 of the 169 seats in parliament, against 81 seats for Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik and his allies. The leftist coalition, comprising Labour, the Socialist Left Party and the agrarian Centre Party, thereby appeared to have won the absolute majority they have said they needed to form a new government. "We promised an absolute majority and that's what we're going to give the country," Labour leader Jens Stoltenberg told reporters, adding however that he was still waiting for the final results before claiming victory.