SHARECountry Data
EXPLORE QUOTA DATA
Norway (Kingdom of Norway)
Norway (Kingdom of Norway) has a Unicameral parliament with the use of voluntary party quotas. 78 of 169 (46%) seats in the Stortinget / Parliament are held by women.
At a glance
Structure of Parliament: Unicameral
Are there legislated quotas...
- For the Single/Lower House? No
- For the Sub-National Level? No
Are there voluntary quotas...
- Adopted by political parties? Yes
Is there additional information?...
- No
Last updated: Feb 28, 2023
Single/Lower House
Stortinget / Parliament
| Total seats | 169 |
| Total Women | 78 |
| % Women | 46% |
| Election Year | 2021 |
| Electoral System | List PR |
| Quota Type | No legislated |
| Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Official name | Details, Quota provisions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Socialist Left Party | Sosialistisk Venstreparti [SV] | Since 1975, SV has had a 40 percent quota for both sexes on electoral lists (Freidenvall, et. al. 2006, p. 71). | |
| Norwegian Labour Party | Det Norske Arbeiderparti [DNA] | In all election lists there is a 50 percent quota for both sexes, and both sexes shall be represented in the first two positions (Party Constitution, §12:9). Quotas first used in 1983 (Matland 2005). | |
| Centre Party | Senterpartiet [SP] | There is a 40 percent quota for either sex in all elections and nominations, since 1989 (Laws of the Centre Party, §4:4). | |
| Christian People's Party | Kristelig Folkeparti [KrF] | KrF has had a 40 percent quota for both sexes since 1993 (Freidenvall, et. al. 2006, p. 71). |
* Only political parties represented in parliament are included. When a country has legislated quotas in place, only political parties that have voluntary quotas that exceed the percentage/number of the national quota legislation are presented in this table.
Additional Information
Sources
LEGAL SOURCES:
- Constitution of Norway (rev. 2018) (English version)
- Party Statutes - Socialist Left Party
- Party Statutes - Christian People's Party
OTHER SOURCES:
- Matland, Richard E. (2005), The Norwegian Experience of Gender Quotas, in The Implementation of Quotas: European Experiences, Quotas Report Series no. 4, Julie Ballington & Francesca Binda (eds), Stockholm: International IDEA
- Freidenvall, Lenita; Dahlerup, Drude & Skjeie, Hege (2006), The Nordic Countries: an incremental model?, in Women, Quotas and Politics, Drude Dahlerup (ed.), New York: Routledge
- Norway and the EU: 'Sharing Norway's experience with Gender Quotas for boards'. Published:
Additional reading
- See the latest updates on Norway on iKNOW Politics
- Segaard, S. B. & Saglie, J. (2021). A gender-generation gap in political representation? The contingent impact of preference voting in Norwegian municipal elections. Local Government Studies, 47(1), pp. 145-165. doi:10.1080/03003930.2020.1797691
- Geys, B. & Sørensen, R.J. (2019). The impact of women above the political glass ceiling: Evidence from a Norwegian executive gender quota reform. Electoral studies, 60, pp. 102050.
- Hagemann, G. 2003. Feminisme og historieskriving – inntrykk fra en reise, Oslo: Universitetsforlaget.
- Teigen, M. 2003. Kvotering og kontrovers, Oslo: Pax.
- Skjeie, H. & Teigen, M. 2003. Menn imellom. Mannsdominans og likestillingspolitikk,
Oslo: Gyldendal Akademisk. - Skjeie, H. 2003. Særuttalelse: Demokrati, makt og menneskerettigheter, in Sluttrapport fra Makt- og demokratiutredningen, NOU 2003: 19, Oslo: Statens forvaltningstjeneste, Informasjonsforvaltning, pp. 74–87.
- Teigen, M. 2002. Kvotering og kontrovers. Virkemidler i likestillingpolitikken. Oslo: Institutt for samfunnsforskning.
- Narud, H.M., Pedersen, M.N. & Valen, H. (eds) 2002. Party Sovereignty and Citizen Control. Selecting Candidates for Parliamentary Elections in Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway, Odense: University Press of Southern Denmark.
- Skjeie, H. 2001. Quotas, Parity and the Discursive Dangers of Difference. Klausen, Jytte and Charles Maier (eds.) Has Liberalism Failed Women? Assuring Equal Representation in Europe and the United States. New York: Palgrave
- Bergqvist, C. (ed.). 1999. Equal Democracies? Gender and Politics in the Nordic Countries. Oslo: Scandinavian Universities and the Nordic Council of Ministers.
- Inhetveen, K. 1999. Can gender equality be institutionalized? The role of launching values in institutional innovation. International Sociology,14 (4), pp. 403-422.
- Christensen, A. 1999. Women in Political Parties. Christina B. (ed). Equal Democracies? Gender and Politics in the Nordic Countries. Oslo: Scandinavian Universities and the Nordic Council of Ministers.
- Matland, R. & Studlar, D.T. 1996. The Contagion of Women Candidates in Single-Member District and Proportional Representation Electoral Systems: Canada and Norway. The Journal of Politics, 58(3), 707–33.
- Bacchi, C. L. 1996. Politics of Affirmative Actions. Women, Equality and Category Politics. London: Sage.
- Raum, N. C. 1995. The Political Representation of Women: A Bird's Eye View in Karvonen, Lauri and Per Selle (eds). Women in Nordic Politics: Closing the Gap. Dartmouth, pp.25-55.
- Bystydzienski, J.M. 1995. Women in Electoral Politics: Lessons from Norway, Westport: Praeger.
- Skjeie, H. 1993a. Målrettet og tilfeldig: kvoteringspraksis og kvinnerepresentasjon på Stortinget (Intentional and accidental: The practice of quotas and women’s representation in the Norwegian Parliament). Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning 34(5-6), pp. 479-486.
- Skjeie, H. 1993b. Ending the Male Political Hegemony: The Norwegian Experience. Lovenduski, Joni and Pippa Norris (eds.). Gender and Party Politics. London: Sage
- Matland, R. E. 1993. Institutional Variables Affecting Female Representation in National Legislatures: The Case of Norway. Journal of Politics, 55(3), pp. 737-755.
- Skjeie, H. 1992. Den politiske betydningen av kjønn: En studie av norsk topp-politikk,
(The Political Significance of Gender: A Study of Norwegian Top Politics). Oslo: Institute for Social Research - Rokkan, S. 1987. Stat, nasjon, klasse, Oslo: Universitetsforlaget.
- Hernes, H. 1982. Staten – kvinner ingen adgang? Oslo: Universitetsforlaget.
- Holter, H. 1981. Om kvinneundertrykkelse, mannsundertrykelse og hersketeknikker,
in K. Andenaes, T. Johansen and T. Mathisen (eds) Maktens ansikter: perspektiver på makt og maktforskning, Oslo: Gyldendal, pp. 216–35. - Lasse, T. & Nielsen, L. 1979. Kønskvotering i det norske Storting? (Gender quotas in the Norwegian Parliament?). Kvinden og samfundet, 95(7), pp. 4.
- Norwegian Parliament website, http://www.stortinget.no/