Norway

V

Government

Norway is a constitutional and parliamentary monarchy that is hereditary. The constitution was enacted on May 17, 1814. Although this document has been amended many times, the principal features remain unchanged.

A

Executive and Legislature

Executive power is vested in the king. The king’s powers, however, are nominal, and administrative duties are carried out by the Cabinet of ministers, which is headed by the prime minister. The king makes all governmental appointments on the recommendation of the party in power.

Legislative authority is vested in the parliament, called the Storting. It consists of 169 members popularly elected every four years by all citizens over the age of 18. The parliament may not be dissolved by the executive. The Storting elects one quarter of its members to an upper house, the Lagting; the remainder constitute the lower house, the Odelsting.

B

Political Parties

The moderate, left-of-centre Labour Party is traditionally the strongest of Norway’s political parties and has governed almost continuously since 1935, except for short periods when a Conservative-led coalition held power (1981-1986; 1989-1990). The other major parties are the progressive, right-of-centre Conservative Party; the left-of-centre Centre Party, which favours the decentralization of decision-making; the centre-left Christian People’s Party; the right-wing Progress Party; and the Socialist Left Party. The Christian People’s Party headed the government from 1997 to 2000, and again from 2001 to 2005. Minority parties include the Liberal Party, the Coastal Party, the Pensioners’ Party; the Sami People Party, and the Norwegian Green Party.

C

Judiciary

Norway’s highest court is the supreme court, or Høyesterett, consisting of a president and 17 judges. Below this are five (regional) Courts of Appeal, which hear both civil and criminal cases. In addition, conciliation courts handle civil suits, and district and town courts hear criminal cases. Except in the case of conciliation courts, whose board members are locally elected, all judges are appointed by the monarch, following recommendation by the Ministry of Justice and consultation with an advisory body.

D

Local Government

Norway is divided into 19 counties (fylker): Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, Møre og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trøndelag, Oppland, Oslo, Østfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sør-Trøndelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold. The counties are divided into rural and urban municipalities, each of which has a governing council, elected every four years.