Priest takes charge in Norway

Priest takes charge in Norway

Kjell Magne Bondevik, a teetotaller and ordained priest, took charge of Norway's first centrist government for quarter of a century with an appeal to opposition parties to co-operate responsibly with his three- party minority coalition. The coalition which has taken over after seven years of Labour rule has just 42 seats in the 165-member parliament. Its first major task will be pushing next year's budget through the legislature.