Vertical Accountability
#1Key Findings
Norway is the SGI 2024’s top performer (rank 1) in the category of vertical accountability.
Forming a political party requires 5,000 petition signatures from eligible voters. Donations are registered and transparent, and parties receiving sufficient votes receive state funding. Elections are considered fair and transparent, with few disputes over voting rights or outcomes, and vote counting is typically uncontested.
The national electoral system is based on proportional representation, with 19 election districts. The party system is tripolar, with three parties on the left, two on the right and several centrist parties. Polarization is modest, and governments are normally formed by center-left or center-right coalitions. Antidemocratic sentiments are rare and condemned by all political parties.
A Freedom of Information Act was introduced in 1970, and citizens’ right to access information on public decision-making was enshrined in the constitution in 2004. Most documents are public unless restricted for privacy or national security reasons. These restrictions are generally seen as legitimate.
Forming a political party requires 5,000 petition signatures from eligible voters. Donations are registered and transparent, and parties receiving sufficient votes receive state funding. Elections are considered fair and transparent, with few disputes over voting rights or outcomes, and vote counting is typically uncontested.
The national electoral system is based on proportional representation, with 19 election districts. The party system is tripolar, with three parties on the left, two on the right and several centrist parties. Polarization is modest, and governments are normally formed by center-left or center-right coalitions. Antidemocratic sentiments are rare and condemned by all political parties.
A Freedom of Information Act was introduced in 1970, and citizens’ right to access information on public decision-making was enshrined in the constitution in 2004. Most documents are public unless restricted for privacy or national security reasons. These restrictions are generally seen as legitimate.
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To what extent is political competition among candidates and political parties free and fair?
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There are no barriers, by law or in practice, to effective political competition.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose no significant obstacles to effective political competition.
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3
Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose some significant obstacles to effective political competition.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose various significant obstacles to effective political competition.
Any person or group able to mobilize 5,000 petition signatures from eligible voters is entitled to form a political party. The party is registered in a national register and may receive donations from private citizens. All donations and donors are registered and transparent to the public. Any political party that receives at least 500 votes in a single district or more than 5,000 votes nationally will receive economic support from the state. The support level is determined by parliament and is proportionate to the number of votes. Party representatives may run for office in national and local elections with no specific qualifying conditions if they have the right to vote. All members of parliament and government are required to report any economic interest they may have as owners or shareholders.
Citations:
https://www.regjeringen.no/en/dokumenter/political-parties-act/id440680/
Citations:
https://www.regjeringen.no/en/dokumenter/political-parties-act/id440680/
To what extent can all citizens, both in legal terms (de jure) and in practice (de facto), exercise their right to vote?
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There are no significant barriers, by law or in practice, that hinder citizens or specific groups in society from exercising their right to vote.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose no significant obstacles to voting.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose some significant obstacles to voting.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose various significant obstacles that substantially hinder voting.
All Norwegian citizens over the age of 18 have the right to vote in national elections. In local elections, individuals over 18 with at least three years of legal residence in Norway or those who are citizens of another Nordic country also have the right to vote. Elections are held every four years for both the national parliament (the Storting) and the municipal and county councils. Voting rights are generally based on objective criteria, with few disputes over individual voting rights. Municipal electoral committees, appointed by the democratically elected municipal councils (kommunestyrer), are responsible for the practical organization and administration of municipal and national parliamentary elections in Norway (Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, 2017).
Electoral campaigns and the voting process are generally considered fair and transparent. Polling stations are traditionally located in primary schools, but other locations – such as old-age care institutions and kiosks in public spaces – are increasingly used. Political parties typically provide transportation to polling stations for those in need. Early voting has become popular; in the 2023 local elections, 42% of all votes were cast early. All voting requires personal attendance. Polling stations are plentiful, and queues are not a problem. The counting of votes is peaceful and typically uncontested. The distribution of seats in municipal and county councils, as well as in the national parliament, follows clearly defined and transparent rules, and electoral outcomes are typically undisputed.
In cases of reported misconduct, mistakes, or other irregularities, the Ministry of Interior may decide to repeal the original result and hold a new election. This rarely happens, but in the local elections in 2023, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (2023) nullified the county council election results in one municipality due to an inadvertent error in the availability of ballot papers at one polling station.
Citations:
https://www.valg.no/en/
Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. 2023. October 4.
Departementet påbyr omvalg i fylkestingsvalget i Moss kommune. https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/departementet-pabyr-omvalg-i-fylkestingsvalget-i-moss-kommune/id2997404/
Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. 2017. “Main Features of the Norwegian Electoral System.” https://www.regjeringen.no/en/topics/elections-and-democracy/den-norske-valgordningen/the-norwegian-electoral-system/id456636/#fire
Electoral campaigns and the voting process are generally considered fair and transparent. Polling stations are traditionally located in primary schools, but other locations – such as old-age care institutions and kiosks in public spaces – are increasingly used. Political parties typically provide transportation to polling stations for those in need. Early voting has become popular; in the 2023 local elections, 42% of all votes were cast early. All voting requires personal attendance. Polling stations are plentiful, and queues are not a problem. The counting of votes is peaceful and typically uncontested. The distribution of seats in municipal and county councils, as well as in the national parliament, follows clearly defined and transparent rules, and electoral outcomes are typically undisputed.
In cases of reported misconduct, mistakes, or other irregularities, the Ministry of Interior may decide to repeal the original result and hold a new election. This rarely happens, but in the local elections in 2023, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (2023) nullified the county council election results in one municipality due to an inadvertent error in the availability of ballot papers at one polling station.
Citations:
https://www.valg.no/en/
Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. 2023. October 4.
Departementet påbyr omvalg i fylkestingsvalget i Moss kommune. https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/departementet-pabyr-omvalg-i-fylkestingsvalget-i-moss-kommune/id2997404/
Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. 2017. “Main Features of the Norwegian Electoral System.” https://www.regjeringen.no/en/topics/elections-and-democracy/den-norske-valgordningen/the-norwegian-electoral-system/id456636/#fire
Graph View
To what extent do parties articulate and aggregate all societal interests?
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There are no barriers, by law or in practice, to achieving effective societal integration.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose no significant barriers to achieving effective societal integration.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose some significant barriers to achieving effective societal integration.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose various significant barriers to achieving effective societal integration.
The electoral system at the national level consists of 19 election districts, each sending a fixed number of delegates to parliament under a proportional representation system. The distribution of the 169 delegates among parties and districts slightly favors large parties and rural districts. To address this imbalance, 19 of the 169 members of parliament are allocated based on national voting results. To secure any of these 19 “equalization mandates,” a party must receive at least 4.0% of the total national votes.
In elections to local authorities, each municipality functions as a single election district. Representatives are distributed among parties in proportion to their share of the votes. All major parties are organized as national organizations; no party exists with only regional presence. In local elections, ad hoc parties and interest groups may also participate.
The party system is typically described as a tripolar system: On the left, there are three parties (Labour, the Socialist Left, and the Red Party); on the right, there are two parties (the Conservative Party and the Progress Party); and clustered in the middle are the Agrarian Center Party, the Christian Democrats, the Liberal Party, and the Green Party. In sum, it is fair to say that all major social and economic interests are represented in the party system. Party manifestos are fairly similar in their commitment to a democratic polity. All parties have comprehensive homepages on the internet, and party programs and other relevant policy documents are easily accessible.
In elections to local authorities, each municipality functions as a single election district. Representatives are distributed among parties in proportion to their share of the votes. All major parties are organized as national organizations; no party exists with only regional presence. In local elections, ad hoc parties and interest groups may also participate.
The party system is typically described as a tripolar system: On the left, there are three parties (Labour, the Socialist Left, and the Red Party); on the right, there are two parties (the Conservative Party and the Progress Party); and clustered in the middle are the Agrarian Center Party, the Christian Democrats, the Liberal Party, and the Green Party. In sum, it is fair to say that all major social and economic interests are represented in the party system. Party manifestos are fairly similar in their commitment to a democratic polity. All parties have comprehensive homepages on the internet, and party programs and other relevant policy documents are easily accessible.
To what extent do political parties retain their ability to enable cross-party cooperation in policymaking and implementation?
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There are no barriers, by law or in practice, to achieving effective cross-party cooperation.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose no significant barriers to achieving effective cross-party cooperation.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose some significant barriers to achieving effective cross-party cooperation.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose various significant barriers to achieving effective cross-party cooperation.
Rule of law, democracy, and human rights are the foundation of all political parties. On the extreme left, the Red Party – historically inspired by Mao’s China – abandoned its program of armed revolution two decades ago. On the extreme right, the populist Progress Party has significantly modified its anti-immigrant rhetoric and entered into a coalition government (2013 – 2020) with the Conservative and Liberal parties. This suggests that, in a comparative perspective and although parties are easily positioned on a left-to-right dimension, the degree of polarization is modest. Center-left and center-right coalitions are the norm at the national government level. In local authorities, all combinations of coalitions and alliances are found. The solid commitment to liberal democratic values by all parties also reflects the opinions found in the electorate. Anti-democratic and extreme populist sentiments are rare, and if voiced at all, are met with massive condemnation by all political parties.
Graph View
To what extent can citizens and residents access official information?
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There are no barriers, by law or in practice, for citizens seeking to access official information.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose no significant obstacles for citizens seeking to access official information.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose some significant obstacles for citizens seeking to access official information.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose many/various significant obstacles for citizens seeking to access official information.
A Freedom of Information Act was introduced in 1970, and the right for citizens to obtain information about the process of decision-making in public affairs was enshrined in the constitution in 2004. The main principle is that all documents are public, unless otherwise explicitly specified in the law. The existing restrictions are broadly considered legitimate, as they typically aim to protect private matters and national security.
Any refusal of an access to information request must be followed by a reconsideration by the body to whom the request was directed. If the refusal is maintained, the citizen can make a request at the next level of authority, and eventually to the court system for a final decision. A request for information shall be met without delay, normally within a couple of days. In general, access to information seems to work well. The right to information is most frequently used by the media, and there are few cases of denial and appeal.
In 2023, the government proposed amending the Freedom of Information Act to reduce the obligation to maintain a publicly available register including not only official case documents but also internal, preparatory documents elaborated by public administration at all levels (Ministry of Justice and Public Security, 2023a). The proposal faced considerable opposition and protests from a broad range of societal actors, including Norwegian media outlets. Although access to case documents would still be possible, there were concerns that removing the requirement to record cases in a publicly available register could hinder critical journalism, as issues that merited investigation might be overlooked in the future (Håndlykken et al., 2023). After assessing the written responses from the public consultation on the proposal, the government decided not to pursue the proposal further (Ministry of Justice and Public Security, 2023b).
Citations:
https://lovdata.no/dokument/NLE/lov/2006-05-19-16
Håndlykken et al. 2023. “Et kraftig varsku mot de foreslåtte endringene av offentlighetsloven.” Aftenposten June 28. Available at https://www.aftenposten.no/meninger/debatt/i/GMXm0Q/et-kraftig-varsku-mot-de-foreslaatte-endringene-av-offentlighetsloven
Ministry of Justice and Public Security. 2023a. “Høring – forslag til endringer i offentleglova m.m. - innsyn i journalinnføringer m.m. som gjelder organinterne dokumenter.” Available at: https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/horing-forslag-til-endringer-i-offentleglova-m.m.-innsyn-i-journalinnforinger-m.m.-som-gjelder-organinterne-dokumenter/id2970576/?expand=horingsnotater
Ministry of Justice and Public Security. 2023b. “Gjør Ikke Endringer i Offentleglova.” https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/gjor-ikke-endringer-i-offentleglova/id2994895
Any refusal of an access to information request must be followed by a reconsideration by the body to whom the request was directed. If the refusal is maintained, the citizen can make a request at the next level of authority, and eventually to the court system for a final decision. A request for information shall be met without delay, normally within a couple of days. In general, access to information seems to work well. The right to information is most frequently used by the media, and there are few cases of denial and appeal.
In 2023, the government proposed amending the Freedom of Information Act to reduce the obligation to maintain a publicly available register including not only official case documents but also internal, preparatory documents elaborated by public administration at all levels (Ministry of Justice and Public Security, 2023a). The proposal faced considerable opposition and protests from a broad range of societal actors, including Norwegian media outlets. Although access to case documents would still be possible, there were concerns that removing the requirement to record cases in a publicly available register could hinder critical journalism, as issues that merited investigation might be overlooked in the future (Håndlykken et al., 2023). After assessing the written responses from the public consultation on the proposal, the government decided not to pursue the proposal further (Ministry of Justice and Public Security, 2023b).
Citations:
https://lovdata.no/dokument/NLE/lov/2006-05-19-16
Håndlykken et al. 2023. “Et kraftig varsku mot de foreslåtte endringene av offentlighetsloven.” Aftenposten June 28. Available at https://www.aftenposten.no/meninger/debatt/i/GMXm0Q/et-kraftig-varsku-mot-de-foreslaatte-endringene-av-offentlighetsloven
Ministry of Justice and Public Security. 2023a. “Høring – forslag til endringer i offentleglova m.m. - innsyn i journalinnføringer m.m. som gjelder organinterne dokumenter.” Available at: https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/horing-forslag-til-endringer-i-offentleglova-m.m.-innsyn-i-journalinnforinger-m.m.-som-gjelder-organinterne-dokumenter/id2970576/?expand=horingsnotater
Ministry of Justice and Public Security. 2023b. “Gjør Ikke Endringer i Offentleglova.” https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/gjor-ikke-endringer-i-offentleglova/id2994895