Storting

The Storting is the main law-making body in Norway. It was created in 1814 when Norway wrote its constitution. Today, it meets in the city of Oslo. The Storting has 169 members who are chosen by voters every four years. These members come from different areas across Norway and are elected through a system that helps make sure many different voices are heard.

The Storting is led by a president and several vice presidents. Its members work in special groups called committees to discuss and decide on laws and important issues. These committees help organize the work of the parliament and make sure everything runs smoothly.

For many years, the Storting had a special way of working that made it seem like it had two parts, even though it was one group. This changed in 2009, after a change to the constitution. Now, the Storting works as a single group. After the most recent election in 2025, nine different parties have members in the Storting, each bringing their ideas and plans to help shape Norway’s future. Since 2021, Masud Gharahkhani has served as the President of the Storting.

History

The Storting, Norway's main parliament, was first created in 1814 at Eidsvoll. Its roots go back much further, to old meetings called alltings where free men would gather to discuss laws and important decisions. Over time, these meetings became more organized and were approved by kings.

For many years, the Storting had two parts, called the Odelsting and the Lagting. But in 2009, this changed, and the Storting became a single group. Today, it has 169 members who are chosen every four years by the people of Norway.

Procedure

The legislative procedure in Norway has five main steps. First, a bill is presented to parliament by a government member or any representative. The bill is then sent to a special committee for careful review. During the first reading, parliament discusses the committee’s recommendations and votes. If the bill is rejected, the process ends. The second reading happens at least three days later, where parliament talks about the bill again and votes once more. If the bill passes, it is sent to the King in Council for approval. If parliament disagrees during the second reading, a third reading is held after three more days, where they discuss and vote again, possibly making changes or rejecting the bill.

Once the bill reaches the King in Council, the monarch and the prime minister must sign it. After signing, it becomes Norwegian law on the date stated in the bill or decided by the government. The Norwegian constitution allows the King to refuse approval of a bill, but this power has not been used since Sweden ruled Norway before Norway became fully independent in 1905. If the King refuses, the Storting can pass the same bill after new elections, and it will become law even without the King’s approval.

Organisation

Presidium

Main article: List of presidents of the Storting

The presidium is led by the president of the Storting and includes the president and five vice presidents. This system started in 2009. Before that, there was only one vice president.

Standing committees

Members of parliament are divided into twelve standing committees. Eleven of these focus on specific topics, and the last one is the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs. These committees work on areas that match one or more government ministers.

Other committees

There are four additional committees that work alongside the standing committees. The Enlarged Committee on Foreign Affairs includes members from the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, the presidium, and party leaders. It talks about important foreign affairs, trade, and national safety with the government in private discussions. The European Committee has members from the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence and deals with discussions about rules from the European Economic Area (EEA) and the European Free Trade Area (EFTA). It talks with the government about directions from the European Union.

The Election Committee has 37 members and handles elections inside the parliament and decides on party and representative roles. The Preparatory Credentials Committee has 16 members and checks the election results.

Appointed agencies

Parliament chooses five public agencies instead of the government. The Office of the Auditor General checks all public money use. The Parliamentary Ombudsman looks into public matters not handled by elected groups, courts, or the military. The Ombudsman for the Armed Forces focuses on the military. There is also an Ombudsman for Civilian National Servicemen and the Parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Committee, which watches over intelligence and security services. Parliament also picks the five members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee that gives out the Nobel Peace Prize.

Administration

The parliament has an office with about 450 people, led by Director of the Storting Marianne Andreassen, who started in 2018. She also helps the presidium with its work.

Party groups

Each party in parliament has its own group, led by a board and a leader. Usually, the party leader is also the group's leader, but when parties are in government, they often choose another member to lead inside parliament.

Elections

Main article: Elections in Norway

Main article: 2025 Norwegian parliamentary election

People in Norway vote for members of the Storting by choosing political parties instead of individuals. There are 19 areas, called constituencies, where voters pick from lists of candidates made by each party. These lists can include people who live outside their area or even outside of Norway.

The way seats are given out makes sure that the number of representatives a party gets is close to the number of votes they receive nationwide. However, if a party gets many votes in just one area, they can still win a seat there even if they didn’t get many votes overall. Sometimes, parties that didn’t get enough votes nationwide can still get extra seats if their share of votes is above a certain limit. These extra seats are called leveling seats.

Elections happen every four years, usually on the second Monday in September. Unlike many other countries, Norway’s parliament always serves the full four years without early elections. Back in 1919, Norway changed how it elects its parliament members from a system where only one person could win in each area to the current system where many people can be elected from each area.

Historical composition of the Storting

Norway parliamentary election (since 1921 - proportional election)

The Storting of Norway has changed over time, especially since 1921 when elections started using a system called proportional representation. This system helps make sure that the number of seats a party gets in the Storting matches how many votes they receive from the people.

The Storting has 169 members who are elected every four years from different areas of Norway. This way, people from all over the country have a say in how their country is run.

Members

The parliament has 169 members. If a member cannot serve, a deputy from the same party steps in. Deputies are chosen from the same party list as the elected members.

The seats in the plenary chamber are arranged in a semicircle. Cabinet members sit in the front row, and members of parliament are seated by county rather than party.

Building

Since March 5, 1866, the parliament has met in the Parliament of Norway Building located at Karl Johans gate 22 in Oslo. The building was designed by Swedish architect Emil Victor Langlet and is made of yellow brick with light gray granite details. It mixes several styles, including ideas from France and Italy. Besides the main building, parliament also uses nearby offices and meeting rooms because the main building is too small for all its staff.