Based on a fictional scenario, “Exercise Reloc” gave Members of Parliament (MPs) and staff the chance to practise holding a sitting of the Storting and conducting a press conference if this were not possible in the Storting itself.

See photos from the exercise. All photos may be freely used on accreditation.

“In a crisis situation, our society would be reliant on the Storting to make crucial decisions. We must be prepared for events where we are unable to carry out our business in the Storting in person, while still being able to conduct parliamentary sittings and maintain democracy,” said President of the Storting Masud Gharahkhani. The President was one of those who took part in the exercise on 15^th September.

Safeguarding democracy in times of national crisis

“On the very day German troops invaded Norway in 1940, MPs signed an authorization which transferred responsibility for the Storting’s duties to the Government. After that, the Storting was unable to convene for more than five years. The government in Ukraine has had emergency powers ever since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, but throughout this time, parliament has been in session, passed legislation and controlled the work of the government. This lends an entirely different legitimacy to the decisions being made. One of the aims of our exercise was to make sure that our democracy can be sustained even in times of national crisis,” added the President of the Storting.

Two-day exercise

The exercise as a whole took place over two days. On Monday 14^th September, parts of the Storting administration rehearsed setting up a crisis management team, making decisions, and moving equipment and staff to the Scandic Ambassadeur Hotel in Drammen, around 40 kilometres southwest of Oslo. The following day, approximately 40 MPs practised conducting a sitting in the hotel.

The exercise included simulating a meeting of the Enlarged Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence in order to practice maintaining communication between the Storting and the Government from an alternative location. A mock press conference was also arranged.

“In times of crisis, it’s absolutely critical that the Storting, Norway’s elected assembly, can continue to function and make important decisions for the nation. We are therefore working systematically to ensure that the Storting can operate under any circumstances. We must be prepared for different scenarios. Today’s exercise has been to practise holding a sitting of the Storting at an alternative location. This kind of scenario is complex. This is why it’s crucial that what we do is as realistic as possible so that we can learn and be even better prepared if we actually do have to move,” said Kyrre Grimstad, Secretary General of the Storting.

In search of mistakes

One of the key objectives of the exercise was to identify challenges and areas for improvement.

“Naturally, our hope is that we will never have to use such alternative arrangements to hold Storting sittings. But we must be ready if society comes under pressure. Which is why it’s so important to practise. The aim is to learn, identify areas for improvement, and build up the Storting’s preparedness,” Grimstad added.

The exercise formed part of more wide-ranging efforts to strengthen the Storting’s resilience in times of crisis and war.

Part of Total Defence Year 2026

“Exercise Reloc” was carried out as part of Total Defence Year 2026. Lessons learned from the exercise will be used to further develop the Storting’s crisis management plans; strengthen expertise in security and preparedness; and help ensure that the Storting can perform its critical societal and constitutional responsibilities even in extraordinary circumstances.