The Stoltenberg Government lost its parliamentary majority after the Parliamentary Election on 9th September. As a result, Jens Stoltenberg tendered his Government’s resignation to the King, and a new coalition Government between the Conservative Party and the Progress Party was appointed.

Changes in the Storting

The appointment of a new Government leads to a series of changes in the composition of the Storting. Article 62 of the Constitution states that “Members of the Council of State may not attend meetings of the Storting as representatives while holding a seat in the Council of State.” This means that those Members who held the post of Government Minister when they were elected to the Storting in September will now take their seats in the Storting. Conversely, Members of the Storting who have now been appointed as Government Ministers will step down during their term in office.

In addition, the Substitute Members who had been deputizing permanently for the previous Government’s Ministers in their absence have now left the Storting. The new Government Ministers’ permanent Substitute Members will also now take their seats in the Storting.

One State Secretary from the Storting

One Member of the Storting, Bård Hoksrud (FrP, Telemark), has been appointed as a State Secretary. This means that he will also leave the Storting, and will be replaced by his permanent Substitute Member, Kristian Kåsastul Norheim.

A constitutional amendment has been tabled that would prohibit serving Members from accepting the post of State Secretary. This will be considered during the 2013-2017 parliamentary term.