Accessibility links

Breaking News

Norway's Prime Minister Pretends to be Taxi Driver


Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and two passengers laugh, after they realize he was driving a taxi in Oslo, Aug. 11, 2013.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and two passengers laugh, after they realize he was driving a taxi in Oslo, Aug. 11, 2013.
Norway's prime minister says the best place to find out what people are thinking is in a taxi. So Jens Stoltenberg disguised himself as a taxi driver one day and transported passengers around Oslo.

Footage from the prime-minister-as-taxi-driver scheme in June was posted Sunday on a daily newspaper's web site and the prime minister's Facebook page.

The stunt, planned by an advertising agency as part of Stoltenberg's re-election campaign, was taped with hidden cameras to catch Norwegians' views on politics and their reactions when they realized their driver was their prime minister.

The hidden cameras also caught a confession from the prime minister - he has not driven a car in eight years. One passenger was not impressed with Stoltenberg's driving skills, saying "this driving is not exactly the best I have seen."

Stoltenberg's Labour party is trailing in the polls against the opposition Conservatives for the September election.

Watch related video:

Norway's Prime Minister Pretends to be Taxi Driver
please wait

No media source currently available

0:00 0:00:57 0:00
  • 16x9 Image

    VOA News

    The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people. Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA journalists and may contain information from wire service reports.

XS
SM
MD
LG