The politics of Norway take place in the framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic constitutional monarchy. Executive power is exercised by the Council of State, the cabinet, led by the prime minister of Norway. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the legislature, the Storting, elected within a multi-party system. The judiciary is independent of the executive branch and the legislature.
The Constitution of Norway was adopted on 16 May and signed on 17 May 1814 by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll. The latter date is the National Day of Norway; it marks the establishment of the constitution.
The Storting is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years based on party-list proportional representation in nineteen multi-seat constituencies. A member of Stortinget is known in Norwegian as a stortingsrepresentant, literally "Storting representative".
Sweden and Norway or Sweden–Norway, officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, and known as the United Kingdoms, was a personal union of the separate kingdoms of Sweden and Norway under a common monarch and common foreign policy that lasted from 1814 until its peaceful dissolution in 1905.
The prime minister of Norway is the head of government and chief executive of Norway. The prime minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the monarch, to the Storting, to their political party, and ultimately the electorate. In practice, since it is nearly impossible for a government to stay in office against the will of the Storting, the prime minister is primarily answerable to the Storting. The prime minister is almost always the leader of the majority party in the Storting, or the leader of the senior partner in the governing coalition.
The dissolution of the union between the kingdoms of Norway and Sweden under the House of Bernadotte, was set in motion by a resolution of the Storting on 7 June 1905. Following some months of tension and fear of an outbreak of war between the neighbouring kingdoms – and a Norwegian plebiscite held on 13 August which overwhelmingly backed dissolution – negotiations between the two governments led to Sweden's recognition of Norway as an independent constitutional monarchy on 26 October 1905. On that date, King Oscar II renounced his claim to the Norwegian throne, effectively dissolving the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, and this event was swiftly followed, on 18 November, by the accession to the Norwegian throne of Prince Carl of Denmark, taking the name of Haakon VII.
A referendum on dissolving the union with Sweden was held in Norway on 13 August 1905. Dissolving the union, which had been in place since 1814, was approved by almost 100% of voters, with just 184 voting against the proposal out of over 371,000 votes cast.
The Norwegian monarch is the head of state of Norway, which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. The Norwegian monarchy can trace its line back to the reign of Harald Fairhair and the previous petty kingdoms which were united to form Norway; it has been in unions with both Sweden and Denmark for long periods.
In Norway, a state secretary is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government. Contrary to the position secretary of state in many other countries, a Norwegian state secretary does not head his or her ministry, rather, they are second in rank to a minister. Resembling a de facto vice minister, the state secretary, however, cannot attend a Council of State, and does not act as a temporary minister in case of illness or other leave of absence.
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway in 1832. As political parties were not officially established until 1884, all those elected were independents. The number of seats in the Storting was increased from 81 to 95. Voter turnout was 48%, although only 5.6% of the country's population was eligible to vote.
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway in 1835. As political parties were not officially established until 1884, all those elected were independents. The number of seats in the Storting was increased from 95 to 96. Voter turnout was 52.3%, although only 5.6% of the country's population was eligible to vote.
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway in 1841. As political parties were not officially established until 1884, all those elected were independents. The number of seats in the Storting was increased from 99 to 100. Voter turnout was 51%, although only 5.5% of the country's population was eligible to vote.
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway in 1844. As political parties were not officially established until 1884, all those elected were independents. The number of seats in the Storting was increased from 100 to 102. Voter turnout was 49.4%, although only 5.3% of the country's population was eligible to vote.
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway in 1850. As political parties were not officially established until 1884, all those elected were independents. The number of seats in the Storting was increased from 105 to 106. Voter turnout was 50.3%, although only 5.2% of the country's population was eligible to vote.
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway in 1853. As political parties were not officially established until 1884, all those elected were independents. The number of seats in the Storting was increased from 106 to 107. Voter turnout was 45.4%, although only 5.1% of the country's population was eligible to vote.
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway in 1856. As political parties were not officially established until 1884, all those elected were independents. The number of seats in the Storting was increased from 107 to 111. Voter turnout was 44.1%, although only 5% of the country's population was eligible to vote.
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway in 1859. As political parties were not officially established until 1884, all those elected were independents. The number of seats in the Storting was increased from 111 to 117. Voter turnout was 47.7%, although only 4.9% of the country's population was eligible to vote.
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway in 1862. As political parties were not officially established until 1884, all those elected were independents. The number of seats in the Storting was reduced from 117 to 111. Voter turnout was 44.6%, although only 4.8% of the country's population was eligible to vote.
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway in 1865. As political parties were not officially established until 1884, all those elected were independents. The number of seats in the Storting remained at 111, the first time it had been unchanged since 1823. Voter turnout was 41.8%, although only 4.8% of the country's population was eligible to vote.
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