Democracy and rights

Democracy in Norway

Norway is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. This means that the king is the head of state, but the political power lies with elected bodies. The Constitution from 1814 is the foundation of the form of government and establishes the division of power.

The Parliament

The Parliament (Storting) is Norway’s national assembly and the country’s legislative authority. It has 169 representatives who are elected every four years through parliamentary elections. The Parliament passes laws, the state budget, and controls the government.

This division of power is called the principle of separation of powers and ensures that no single institution gets too much power.## Municipalities and County Municipalities

Norway is divided into 356 municipalities and 15 county municipalities. The municipalities are responsible for primary schools, kindergartens, elder care, and local planning. Municipal elections are held every four years, two years after the parliamentary elections.

The county municipalities are responsible for upper secondary education, public transport, and regional development.

Human Rights

Human rights are a central part of Norwegian law. The most important rights include:

• Freedom of expression and press freedom
• Freedom of religion and belief
• Right to education
• Prohibition against discrimination
• Right to privacy and family life
• Right to a fair trial

Norway has incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into Norwegian law, which gives it precedence in case of conflict with other legislation.

Voting Rights

All Norwegian citizens over 18 years of age have the right to vote in parliamentary elections. In municipal elections, foreign citizens also have the right to vote if they have lived in Norway for at least three years.

Democracy and rights are central subjects for the social studies test . Also read about geography and history and family and equality . Test yourself with a free theory test .