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Norway's present government is Mr. Jens Stoltenberg's second government. It was appointed by King Harald V on October 17 2005. It is a majority government representing the Labour Party, the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party.
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Lab),
Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre (Lab),
Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen (Lab),
Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen (Cent),
Minister of Government Administration and Reform Heidi Grande Røys (Soc),
Minister of Culture and Church Affairs Trond Giske (Lab),
Minister of Justice Knut Storberget (Lab),
Minister of Education and Research Øystein Kåre Djupedal (Soc),
Minister of Transport and Communications Liv Signe Navarsete (Cent),
Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion Bjarne Håkon Hanssen (Lab),
Minister of Children and Equality Karita Bekkemellem (Lab),
Minister of Health and Care Services Sylvia Brustad (Lab),
Minister of Agriculture and Food Terje Riis-Johansen (Cent),
Minister of International Development Erik Solheim (Soc),
Minister of the Environment Helen Oddveig Bjørnøy (Soc),
Minister of Finance Kristin Halvorsen (Soc),
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Åslaug Haga (Cent),
Minister of Petroleum and Energy Odd Roger Enoksen (Cent),
Minister of Trade and Industry Odd Eriksen (Lab.)
The Government
The Council of State is Norway's executive power and it's members are normally referred to as the Government. The Constitution states that the members of the government are to be selected by the King. Nonethless, since 1884 a government is dependent upon the Storting's confidence. The government meets in Government conferences where central political issues are discussed. When the Government passes resolutions in the plenary, it acts as the Council of State under the King's leadership
The Council of State
Most decisions made by the executive power are taken by a minister in his of her capacity as head of a ministry. Any decisions which a minister does not have the authority to make will be made by the Government. When the Government passes resolutions in the plenary, it acts as the Council of State under the King's leadership. The Council of State normally meets Fridays at Oslo's Royal Palace
The Office of the Prime Minister
The office of the Prime Minister is the central office of the Council of State and the Government. The office has two principal functions: to serve as secretariat to the Council of State (the king, the prime minister and the government ministers) and to assist the Prime Minister in leading and coordinating the work of the Government.
When the Storting (the Parliament) assembles each year in October, it is constituted and then formally opened by the King.
The King reads the King's Speech, " ... in which he shall inform it (i.e. the Storting) of the state of the Kingdom and of the issues to which he particularly desires to call the attention of the Storting", as stated in § 74 of the Constitution.
The King's Speech expresses the main lines of the Government's policy for the coming year.
The Report on the State of the Realm
The Storting is then presented with the Report on the State of the Realm, excerpts of which is presented by one of the ministers - normally the youngest member of the Government. The report covers the Government's policy over the past year, presenting what has been achieved and important proposals that have been launched.
Inaugural Address
At a change of government, a declaration will normally be prepared to present the main lines of the new government's policy. The Prime Minister will present this report to the Storting as soon as possible after the change.
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