Politics

The politics of Norway takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the prime minister is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the King and his Council. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Storting. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Executive Branch

Norwegian politics officially have the structure of a constitutional monarchy, giving the King mainly symbolic power while maintaining a stable Western democracy. The Royal House is a branch of the princely family of Glücksburg, originally from Schleswig-Holstein in Germany. The functions of the King, Harald V, are mainly ceremonial, but he has influence as the symbol of national unity. Although the constitution of 1814 grants important executive powers to the King, these are always exercised by the Council of State in the name of the King (King's Council, or cabinet). The King is also High Protector of the Church of Norway (the state church), Grand Master of The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, and symbolically Supreme Commander of the Norwegian armed forces.

The Council of State is formally convened by the reigning monarch. The Council of State consists of a Prime Minister and his council, formally appointed by the King. Parliamentarism has evolved since 1884 and entails that the cabinet must not have the parliament against it, and that the appointment by the King is a formality. The council must have the confidence of the Norwegian legislative body, known as the Storting. In practice, the monarch will ask the leader of a parliamentary block that has a majority in the Storting to form a government. Since World War II, non-Socialist governments have been coalitions, and Labour Party governments have relied on the support of other parties to retain the necessary parliamentary votes.

Legislative Branch

Norway has a modified unicameral Parliament or Storting ("Great Council") with members, elected by popular vote for a four year term (during which it may not be dissolved) by the proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies. Suffrage is obtained by 18 years of age; voting rights are granted in the same year as one's 18th birthday.

The Norwegian parliament, Stortinget, currently has 169 members (increased from 165, effective from the elections of 12 September 2005). The members are elected from the 19 counties for 4-year terms according to a system of proportional representation. The Storting divides itself into two chambers, the Odelsting and the Lagting when voting on legislation. Laws are proposed by the government through a Member of the Council of State or by a member of the Odelsting and decided on by the Odelsting and Lagting, in case of repeated disagreement by the joint Storting. However, in modern time the Lagting rarely disagrees and mainly just rubber-stamps the Odelsting's decision. However, it is considered a unicameral parliament. Before the present Storting is a proposed constitutional amendment which would repeal the division. This division will be abolished following the 2009 general election.

Judicial Branch

The Norwegian legal system is a mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; the Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations.

The regular courts include the Supreme Court (Høyesterett) with 18 permanent judges and a president, courts of appeal (court of second instance in most cases), city and county courts (court of first instance in most cases), and conciliation councils (court of first instance in most civil-code cases). Judges attached to the regular courts are appointed by the King in council after nomination by the Ministry of Justice.

The special High Court of the Realm (Riksrett) hears impeachment cases against members of the Government, Parliament, or Supreme Court. Following an amendment to the Norwegian constitution in February 2007, impeachment cases will heard by the five highest ranking Supreme Court justices and six lay members in one of the Supreme Court courtrooms The High Court of the Realm had generally lost most of its significance after 1884, and this institution has been passive ever since 1927. The new system is meant to vivify the Riksrett.

Foreign Relations

Norway pursues an active foreign policy based on cooperation on several fronts, including membership in NATO, active involvement in the work of the United Nations, close regional cooperation through the Nordic Council, and its membership in the European Economic Area. Its foreign ministry includes both the minister of foreign affairs and minister of international development.

Norway has played an active role as a third party mediator in a number of international conflicts. The late foreign minister Johan Jørgen Holst was instrumental in forging the Oslo Accords between Israel and the PLO. Thorvald Stoltenberg was part of the mediation team in seeking an end to the war in Bosnia. Norway has contributed both mediation services and financial assistance in Guatemala.

As of 2005, Norwegian diplomats are acting as mediators in Sudan, Bosnia, Sri Lanka, and Colombia.

Every year since 1947 Norway gives a large Christmas tree to London as a symbol of the friendship forged between the two nations during World War II.

Norway currently has territorial claims in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and Peter I Island) and a border dispute with Russia over the Barents Sea.

Military

Norway has compulsory military service for men. Conscripts are drafted at age 18 for initial service (førstegangstjeneste) of between six to twelve months. (Service may begin at age 17 with parental consent.) After completion of the initial service period, personnel are transferred to reserve units, which may be called up for periodic training (repetisjonstjeneste) until age 44. Conscientious objectors serve twelve months in an alternative civilian national service. If a candidate refuses to attend the assessment of fitness (sesjon), where any objections to future military service are to be stated, they are liable to prosecution. A person who is deemed fit for service and who is not a conscientious objector, but still refuses military service is also liable to prosecution. Changes to the structure of the armed forces has resulted in a lower demand for conscripts, and the number of males needing to serve is decreasing.

Individual Human Rights

Norway is the current top-ranked nation in the UN Human Development Index.

Freedom of expression is enshrined in Article 100 of the Constitution of Norway. Freedom of religion is enshrined in Article 2 of the Constitution, which also establishes the state religion as "Evangelical Lutheran". The press is not censored, but most editors adhere to self-imposed commandments of caution ("Vær Varsom-plakaten").

Public radio and TV broadcast mostly without interference from the government, although permission to broadcast depends on the programme spectrum. Broadcast advertisement is regulated, with particular restrictions on paid political messages and advertising directed at children.

The constitution forbids retroactive laws, punishment not based on laws and court decisions, and the use of torture. Capital punishment for high crime during wartime was abolished in 1979. In 1999, the Human Right conventions of the United Nations and the Council of Europe were constituted as law in Norway (Menneskerettsloven) and given superiority to all laws after the constitution. However, Norwegian lawyers have joined the Council of Europe's Committee Against Torture to express their concern about the long-term detention of criminal defendants and the use of solitary confinement in Norway, deeming it to be torture. The use of leg-irons and handcuffs on a group of robbers who, armed with AG3s, shot and killed a police officer in 2004, was deemed to be torture. Long processing times for asylum seekers and the treatment of those arriving without identity papers has also been under discussion.

In 2005, the international conventions against discrimination of women and race discrimination were incorporated in to (but not made superior to) Norwegian law. Amnesty International has recently focused on violence against women in Norway and a shortage of public services to victims of violence.

Homosexuality was officially decriminalized in 1972 and homosexual partnerships legalised in 1993. According to Statistics Norway (SSB), 192 homosexual partnerships were recorded in 2004. Since 2002, it has become possible for homosexual partners to adopt each other's children from previous relationships, although joint adoption is yet to be allowed.