Government, Legislative

Legislative power resides with the parliament, called the Storting. It consists of 165 members elected by a system of proportional representation to four-year terms. Citizens aged 18 and older may vote in elections. At its first meeting Storting elects one-quarter of its members to an upper house, the 41-member Lagting; the remainder constitute the lower house, the 124-member Odelsting. The two chambers are chosen so that the same party strength is maintained in each chamber, preserving representation of all parties based on their electoral performance.

All new bills, usually part of the cabinet’s program, are presented by a member of the Odelsting. If passed by the Odelsting, the bill is then considered by the Lagting. If the Lagting rejects the bill, the Odelsting may press for passage a second time. If the two houses still disagree, the full Storting meets and a two-thirds vote is required to pass the bill. The Storting also considers budget proposals, constitutional amendments, and important financial and political questions that are not new bills. Amendments to the constitution require approval by a two-thirds majority of the Storting in two successive sittings.