MPs in the Storting Chamber, October 1965. Elisabeth Schweigaard Selmer, Norway’s first female Minister of Justice is sitting in the front row. Photo: Johan Brun / Norsk Folkemuseum.
The story of female representation in the Storting is about small steps on the road to major change. At the 2021 parliamentary election, 76 women were elected to the Storting. This equates to almost 45% of the total, a historic high in this country.
Anna Rogstad first appeared in the Storting as a Substitute MP for the Liberal Left Party in 1911. This was two years before the introduction of universal female suffrage. Rogstad thus became the first woman to take her seat in the Storting.
In 1921, Karen Platou was the first woman to be elected to the Storting as a regular MP. She represented the Conservative Party and was a member of the Justice Committee. Platou first took her seat in the Storting as a Substitute MP in 1920.
The first female cabinet minister was appointed in 1945. Kirsten Hansteen from the Norwegian Communist Party (NKP) was part of Einar Gerhardsen’s coalition government. It was only now, in the post-war years, that there was a real increase in women’s representation in the Storting.
In 1945, Claudia Olsen (Conservative Party) became the first female chair of one of the Storting’s standing committees. She was chair (or “chairman”, as was then the form of address) of the Health Committee until 1949, before becoming the vice chair of the Social Affairs Committee for three parliamentary terms.
In 1961, Magnhild Hagelia (Labour Party) was the first woman to be elected as a Vice President of the Storting. In this connection, a letter from the Presidium stated that she, and other female Presidents, should be addressed as “Honourable President”.
Aase Lionæs (Labour Party) was elected as Vice President of the Lagting in 1965. She consequently became the first female member of the Storting’s Presidium.
From 1973 to 1977, Torild Skard (Socialist Electoral League) was the President of the Lagting. This made her the first female President of any of the Storting’s chambers.
Eva Kolstad (Liberal Party) was elected as the first female leader of an established political party in 1974.
In 1977, Hanna Kvanmo (Socialist Left Party) became Norway’s first female parliamentary leader.
Gro Harlem Brundtland (Labour Party) became Norway’s first female Prime Minister when she formed her government in 1981.
Åshild Hauan (Labour Party) was elected as the first female President of the Odelsting in 1985.
In 1993, Kirsti Kolle Grøndahl (Labour Party) was elected as the first female President of the Storting.