Gender Quotas Database
Norway
Northern Europe
Single / Lower House
Stortinget / Parliament
| Total seats | 169 |
| Total women | 75 |
| Percentage of women | 44% |
| Gender Quota target | |
| Election year | 2021 |
| Electoral system | List PR |
| Quota type | |
| Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
Quota at the Sub-National Level
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Gender Quota target | 40% |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
If four or more members shall be elected, each gender shall be represented by at least 40 per cent of the proposed candidates on each list. If two or three members shall be elected, both genders shall be represented. In the case of elections to any popularly elected body consisting by law only of members of the municipal council or county council, and for elections to working committees of any popularly elected body, these rules shall be followed insofar as possible. (Article 7.5 - The Local Government Act) If a list receives at least four members of the body, each gender shall be represented by at least 40 per cent from the list. If the list receives three or fewer members of the body, both genders shall be represented from the list. If the selection pursuant to the second paragraph means that the requirements laid down in the first or second sentences are not met, candidates from the under-represented gender shall advance as far as possible up the list until the requirement has been met. (Article 7.6 - The Local Government Act) |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Official Name | Details, Quota provisions |
|---|---|---|
| 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). |
| 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). |
| 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). |
* 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 - Link
- Parliamentary and Local Government Election Law - Link
- Law on Political Parties - Link
- The Local Government Act - Link
OTHER SOURCES:
- Parliament of Norway - Link
- Electoral Commission - Link
- 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.
-
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. 2003. Kvotering og kontrovers, Oslo: Pax.
- 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.
- Teigen, M. 2002. Kvotering og kontrovers. Virkemidler i likestillingpolitikken. Oslo: Institutt for samfunnsforskning.
- 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.
- 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.
- Inhetveen, K. 1999. Can gender equality be institutionalized? The role of launching values in institutional innovation. International Sociology,14 (4), pp. 403-422.
- Bacchi, C. L. 1996. Politics of Affirmative Actions. Women, Equality and Category Politics. London: Sage.
- 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.
- Bystydzienski, J.M. 1995. Women in Electoral Politics: Lessons from Norway, Westport: Praeger.
- 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.
- 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. 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
-
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.
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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/
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