Who decides what in Norway?

In Norway there are a lot of people who make decisions. However, who really decides on what? The referee in a football game makes decisions, and the judge in a courtroom makes decisions. The king makes decisions on some things. The Storting makes decisions on many things. At school, the headmaster makes decisions and you can make many decisions about your own life.

Accessibility icon Who decides what in Norway?

Who decides on what in Norway?

In Norway there are many people who make decisions. We have something called popular sovereignty, and that means that the people elect those who will make the decisions. Another word for this is democracy. 

Every four years, everyone who is over the age of 18 is able to vote on which parties and politicians sit in the Storting. The Storting is the name of the Norwegian Parliament. These politicians are called elected representatives, and to a large extent, they determine and decide what living in Norway will be like.

Why do you think the voting age is set at 18? Should children also be able to vote?

Norge med små mennesker
Lys varm bakgrunn
Lys varm bakgrunn

The king at the top, me at the bottom

Look at Norway as a ladder. At the top of the ladder we find the king. He is the head of state, but he doesn’t really decide on very much. On the step below the king, there is the Parliamentary President. The Storting is on the next level, and below that we have the government.

Further down the ladder, there are lots of different people who make decisions on various things.

At the bottom of the ladder we find ourselves. We can make quite a lot of decisions about our own life, but to make bigger decisions, we need to climb up the ladder.

Karrierestige
Karrierestige

What decisions does the king actually make?

The king doesn’t make many decisions when it comes to politics, but there is one exception. Every Friday at 11 am, the king and the reigning government meet at the castle. This is called the cabinet. Here, the government presents the laws that the Storting has decided on. In principle, the king only has to sign these, but he can refuse if he disagrees with the decisions made.

Illulstrert tradisjonell konge
Lys varm bakgrunn
Lys varm bakgrunn

Take a moment to think about this…

  • Doesn’t the king actually have quite a lot of power if he is able to refuse to pass a law? What will happen if he does this?
Lys varm bakgrunn
Lys varm bakgrunn

What about the Storting and the government?

By the state, we mean the Storting and the government.The people’s representatives and the government make up the Storting and they make the majority of decisions affecting the country. Considering all that they decide, the Storting should really be at the top of the ladder, but the king is already there.

It is the government, or representatives in the Storting, who come up with proposals for new laws. The Storting votes on the proposals, and the majority decides whether or not that particular law will be adopted.

Among other things, the Storting makes the decisions about the police, the defence, and the hospitals. They are also responsible for making sure that our national roads are in good shape. Why do traffic accidents happen? Why don’t the police solve even more criminal cases? Why are there patient queues at hospitals? Is there anything that you can do about this?

The Storting also assigns money to the counties and the councils. They decide how much of the joint moneybox can be used in different parts of the country. A lot of people think the distribution of these funds is unfair. Why don’t all counties and councils receive exactly what they want? Wouldn’t that be best for everyone?

Let’s not forget the President of Parliament. This is the person who leads the Storting, and who makes sure that all the rules are followed to the letter. Why doesn’t the Prime Minister do this, do you think?

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Stortinget på lys bakgrunn
Stortinget på lys bakgrunn

What does the county council decide?

First you’ll need to know what a county council is. The country is divided into eleven counties. Each county has a County Council holding its own area of responsibility. The County Council is responsible for secondary schools, the dental health service and county roads among other things.

When you choose a secondary school, it is the County Council that you send your application to. Up to the age of 18, you also get free dental service from the County Council.

Who do you complain to if your school bus has to drive on bumpy or potholed roads? Or if the cultural centre where you live is going to be closed down?

Atlanterhavsveien
Lys varm bakgrunn
Lys varm bakgrunn

What does the municipality decide?

In Norway we have 356 communes, and these communes make the decisions on a lot of the things that are important to you and your family. The commune board is responsible for nurseries and primary schools, free-time clubs, waste disposal and local roads, among other things.

What can you do if the free-time club you normally go to closes down, or the roads have not been snow-ploughed in winter? What if your household waste is not collected, or the school doesn’t have enough supply teachers? Can we really influence those who make these decisions?

Bakgrunn med nordnorsk idyll
Bakgrunn med nordnorsk idyll

What does the Mayor decide?

A lot of people probably think that the Mayor makes a lot of decisions in a commune. He or she is involved in most things and holds the top position. The Mayor leads the meetings of the council and signs many case papers. But it is the majority rule that goes and influences decisions that are made.

What is actually the point of having a Major?

Ordfører på lys bakgrunn
Ordfører på lys bakgrunn
Read more about student councils in the UK

What does the student council decide?

What exactly does the student council in your school make decisions on? All students have the right to be heard, and they have the right to be a part of making the school the best it can possibly be for everyone. But does the student council actually achieve very much beyond having a lot of opinions and making decisions on the purchase of the school jumpers?

Tegnet klasserom
Tegnet klasserom

What does the family decide?

In a family there are many wants and needs. This is because of different ages, interests and life situations. A lot of children go through the divorce of their parents, and then you have two families to deal with. Everyone in the family should have the right to be heard, and be a part of everyone’s well-being. We must adapt to each other’s needs. The latter is not always that easy for example when a family is looking to plan a summer holiday. Or what about a birthday or Christmas? Do we always get exactly what we want?

Grown-ups make a lot of decisions within a family, but children and young people should have the right to make decisions, too. What decisions do you make?

Illustrert familie
Lys varm bakgrunn
Lys varm bakgrunn

What do you decide on?

You are able to make a lot of decisions about your own life. What you wear, what activities you want to do, or which friends you want to hang out with. But it can be difficult to make the right decisions all the time. The grown-ups in your life will make a lot of decisions until you become a grown-up yourself.

If you want to contribute to making decisions in society, you’ll have to get involved in an association, a political party, or an organisation. It could be the scouts, Red Cross or a nature conservation group. You decide! 

Gutt med solbriller
Gutt med solbriller

Sources:

  • Thorsnæs, Geir; Berg, Ole T.: kommune i Store norske leksikon på snl.no.
    Hentet 2021 M08 13 fra https://snl.no/kommune

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