Determination of results and credentials

Parliamentary elections in Norway are carried out in the municipalities, with the results being determined by the county electoral committees and ultimately by the National Electoral Committee. The National Electoral Committee also allocates seats at large to the parties whose total national vote exceeded the minimum threshold of 4 per cent. The election process is the responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, and the Norwegian Directorate of Elections. The electoral committees approve and issue credentials to the candidates authorized to sit in the Storting.

When the election results and credentials arrive from the county electoral committees, it is the job of the Preparatory Credentials Committee – appointed by the previous Storting – to examine the credentials and review any reports of errors or complaints received from the counties and the National Electoral Committee. This work is facilitated by a secretariat, which goes through the material in advance.

Until their credentials have been approved, the Members of Parliament (MPs)^[1] have a temporary right to sit and vote.

The new Storting is thus in the position of approving itself, but only on the basis of preliminary work done by MPs from the previous Storting.

The new Storting begins

When the new Storting convenes on Wednesday 1^st October, the credentials are distributed to the first MP from each county, and a list is made of the MPs for roll call by the President. At this sitting, the position of President is assumed by the highest-ranking member of the Presidium from the previous Storting who is present. If no one from the previous Presidium has been re-elected, the MP who has served longest shall preside. The election of the (final) Credentials Committee occurs at this sitting.

A week later, on 8^th October, the Credentials Committee’s recommendations will be considered by the new Storting. The new Storting’s constituent sitting, at which the new Presidium will be elected, is set for 9^th October.

The Election Committee’s 37 members will be elected immediately after the Storting has been constituted. To the degree possible, the parliamentary party groups are proportionally represented on the committee. Geographical distribution by constituency is also taken into account. The Election Committee prepares and issues recommendations on any election the Storting may wish to hold, including elective appointments to commissions, committees and councils, such as the Norwegian Nobel Committee. These recommendations are considered by the Storting as a whole.

State opening on 11^th October

On Saturday 11^th October, the King is due to perform the State Opening of the new Storting.

As prescribed in the Constitution, the King delivers the Speech from the Throne during the State Opening. These days the speech is written by the Government rather than by the King himself. The King is presented with the speech by the Prime Minister during the ceremony. In the Speech from the Throne, the King reads out the Government’s policy plans for the coming year.

The State of the Realm Address is then read by the most junior member of the Government, usually also the youngest minister. By tradition this address is delivered in Nynorsk, one of the two official forms of Norwegian.

[1] Formally, Members of the Storting.