His Majesty King Harald prepares to approve changes in the government. This happens following the announcement from the government recently which declared that they are close to presenting a new government to the Norwegian people. Last autumn, the Christian People’s Party had an intern referendum where they decided to join the current government and then create a centrum-right majority government in Norway.
For twelve days, since 2 January, the Conservative Party, the Progress Party, the Liberal Party and Christian People’s Party have been in negotiations. Once they have agreed, key politicians in all four parties should physically gather to review the platform and provide their advice. According to plan, this was to happen by the government’s meeting on Monday, but this is now postponed.
Friday afternoon, the national TV channel NRK reported that the government platform would probably be presented on Monday, but the Norwegian news agency reported Monday morning that this might take some time, and will probably not be submitted until Tuesday or Wednesday. The four parties that are negotiating to form a majority government are struggling to agree on the new government’s policy on refugees, abortion and alcohol.
Soldiers from His Majesty The King’s Guard guard the Palace in Oslo where the Council of State is conducted. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen.
When all of this is confirmed, the politicians need the approval of the King to form a new government. This will most likely happen in the regular Council of State on Friday or in an extraordinary council of state Wednesday or Thursday. It is also expected that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will attend the Council of State.
The Council of State in Norway is a formal body composed of the most senior government ministers chosen by the Prime Minister, and it functions as the collective decision-making organ constituting the executive branch of the Kingdom of Norway.
With the exception of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who retain their ministerial ranking in their own right, all the other members of the Cabinet concurrently hold the position of “statsråd”, meaning Councillor of State, and that of Chief of the various departments. They are not formally considered ‘ministers’, although they are commonly addressed as such. The Cabinet normally convenes every week, usually on Fridays at 11:00 a.m. at the Royal Palace, Oslo, and is presided over by the monarch.
