Norwegian Minister of Agriculture and Food Olaug Vervik Bollestad (center) listens to a Norwegian exhibitor introducing the products at the second CIIE. Photo: Courtesy of the Consulate General of Norway in Shanghai

A day after winning Norway's general election, left-wing parties on Tuesday kicked off thorny talks to form a government replacing the center-right party that was in power for eight years.

Jonas Gahr Store, who is set to become the next prime minister, is expected to try to build a three-party coalition with his Labor Party, the Center Party and Socialist Left.

The trio won an absolute majority with 89 of 169 seats in parliament, unseating a center-right coalition headed by Conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg.

But the path to form a government was not simple for Store. 

"Our Plan A is still the same," he told reporters on Tuesday. 

"It's a majority government with the Center and Socialist Left parties."

The 61-year-old multimillionaire, who campaigned against social inequalities, said he had initial contacts with the leaders of the two parties on Tuesday.

But while the three have previously governed together in a coalition with Labor, the Center and Socialist Left are at loggerheads on several issues, including taxes and the oil industry in Norway, western Europe's biggest producer.

"There are more things that unite us than divide us," Store said afterwards.

The Center party platform has largely focused on the interests of its rural base, while the Socialist Left advocates for social justice and environmental protection. 

Center said throughout the election campaign it would not govern together with the Socialist Left, though it has softened its tone in recent days.

"We are going to take part in the talks to which Jonas Gahr Store has invited us, and we'll see what comes out of it," the Center Party's No.2, Marit Arnstad, told public broadcaster NRK.

"But for now, our preferred [coalition] alternative is one with the Center and Labor."

Store said he would also meet other members of the current opposition, the Greens, who won three seats, and the communist Red Party, which took eight seats.

A new government coalition is not expected to be presented before several weeks.

AFP