A racism scandal has erupted in Norway after a political adviser linked to the country’s right-wing Progress Party (FRP) said people of Pakistani background "should preferably not" have more children, triggering widespread backlash and putting party leader Sylvi Listhaug on the defensive.
The controversy began after Norwegian broadcaster TV2 aired a recording of Harek Hansen, an adviser to Progress Party MP Simen Velle, making the remarks during a conversation in an Oslo bar.
In the recording, Hansen said "successful white people" should have more children, while Pakistanis were "measurably below average" and should not expand their families.
The comments drew swift condemnation across Norway's political establishment, with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre calling them "pure racism" and demanding a clear response from the party.
Listhaug, whose party has been gaining ground in opinion polls and positioning itself as a leading force on the right, initially avoided addressing the remarks directly.
By Sunday, mounting pressure forced her to distance the party from Hansen's comments, saying they violated both its policies and "basic human values".
"There is no room for this type of racist expression," she said, adding that the matter would be handled internally.
Hansen later apologised, describing the comments as "vulgar and stupid drunkenness", but the explanation has done little to contain the fallout, particularly given that the remarks were made in front of journalists and recorded.
The episode has exposed a gap between the party's mainstream positioning and the language used by figures within its orbit. The Progress Party has sought to broaden its appeal in recent years while maintaining a hardline approach to immigration.
Listhaug herself has previously drawn scrutiny over her rhetoric on integration, including remarks as a minister telling Muslim immigrants they must "adapt" to Norwegian norms such as drinking alcohol and eating pork.
The party has built much of its support on stricter immigration policies, including limits on arrivals from parts of the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and debates around immigration and Islam have remained a central feature of Norwegian politics.
The timing is particularly sensitive, with the Progress Party performing strongly in polls and seeking to expand its electoral base.
Norway has a population of around 5.6 million people, with Muslims making up about 3.4%, including roughly 40,000 to 48,000 people of Pakistani background.