Confessions of a taxicab driver, who just also happens to be Norway's PM (VIDEO)

GlobalPost

Is your cab driver overly curious about your political opinions? It could be your elected leader trying to find out more about the average voter.

Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has announced that he recently spent an afternoon posing as an Oslo taxi driver in order to hear from Norwegian voters.

"It is important for me to hear what people really think," he said.

"And if there is one place people really say what they think about most things, it's in the taxi."

Wearing a disguise, the PM only revealed himself once passengers recognized him.

The exchanges were captured on film and posted to the PM's website to be used as part of his re-election campaign.

Most of the conversations quickly turned to politics — but were brief as passengers realized that something was amiss.

"So, you have begun driving a taxi," one passenger says after realizing who is driving.

"Have you quit as prime minister?" another passenger asked.

At one point the car jolts as Stoltenberg thinks he's pressing the clutch, which turns out to be the brake on the automatic car.

The stunt was set-up by an ad agency and the prime minister's re-election campaign. None of the passengers were charged for the ride.

Stoltenberg has ruled Norway for eight years but his party is currently trailing in the polls.

Nordic politicians are famous for their accessibility. The Guardian reported that "one can often bump into Stoltenberg at the weekends walking in the woods surrounding Oslo."

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