Labor Governments, Declining Support for Labor

The parliamentary elections held in September 1961 resulted in the failure of the Labor Party to win a majority of seats for the first time since World War II, although it kept its place as the leading party. Gerhardsen, who had been prime minister since the end of the war, except for an interval from 1951 to 1955, was designated once again to head the cabinet. In 1965 the Labor Party was defeated in general elections, ending a 30-year period of rule. King Olaf V, who had succeeded Hakon VII on the latter’s death in 1957, then asked Per Borten, leader of the Center Party, to form a government as head of a coalition of nonsocialist parties. Norway’s economic policies, however, did not markedly change. Norway instituted a comprehensive social security program in 1967.

Although it was not obvious at the time, the Labor Party’s defeat in 1965 had closed an era in Norwegian history. The dominance of the Labor Party was at an end. Although it would continue to be Norway’s largest party, Labor would no longer be able to achieve majority status on its own. The succeeding decades of the 20th century would be characterized by coalition governments and conflict over Norway’s place within Europe.