Last year, Norway got a new prime minister after parliamentary elections. The Conservatives lost power after eight years and the Social Democrats gained the post of Prime Minister. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has now requested an assessment of impartiality due to his relationship with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. In this connection, he gives a description of his contact with the royals since 2010.
The new Prime Minister has fielded many questions from the press about his relationship with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess in connection with his appointment as Prime Minister in 2021. His assessment is that, for the sake of order, requested an updated impartiality review in light of how much contact he has had with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess since the previous assessment in 2010.
As a basis for a new impartiality assessment, Prime Minister Støre refer to the description of the private relationship between him and the Crown Prince and Crown Princess that was given in 2010. In addition, Støre provides a new description of the private relationship in the period after 2010.
He writes: “After 2010, the scope of the private interaction has decreased. I mean to remember that my wife and I have been to two private dinners at the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’ house since 2010. We have also spent one night at their cabin in Uvdal, and have on another occasion had lunch there. I believe that this was in 2013 and 2018 respectively. Beyond this, we only have occasional contact via SMS, mainly on special occasions when we send each other congratulations and similar. I believe that my relationship with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess cannot be described as a close personal relationship, as it was in 2010”.
The reason why an assessment of impartiality has been requested is because the government will soon have the annual discussion of the apanage to the royal family and if it is to be increased. If the Prime Minister is declared to have too close a friendship with them, he will be deprived of the right to discuss the royal family’s apanage.
