itution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884

Legal system: mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common
law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent
Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17 March
2000)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
the Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the
approval of the Parliament

Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting which,
for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165 seats;
members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held NA September
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 35%, Center
Party 7.9%, Conservative Party 14.3%, Christian People's Party 13.7%,
Socialist Left Party 6%, Progress Party 15.3%, Liberal Party 4.4%,
other parties 1.6%; seats by party - Labor Party 65, Center Party 11,
Conservative Party 23, Christian People's Party 25, Socialist Left
Party 9, Progress Party 25, Liberal Party 6, other parties 1
note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two
chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or
Lagting

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed by
the monarch

Political parties and leaders: Center Party ;
Christian People's Party ; Conservative Party [Jan
PETERSEN]; Labor Party ; Liberal Party [Lars
SPONHEIM]; Norwegian Communist Party ; Progress
Party ; Red Electoral Alliance ;
Socialist Left Party

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTS