| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Stortinget / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| NATURE |
| Nature of the mandate |
· Free representation
|
| Start of the mandate |
· When the Storting meets first. Until their mandate is validated, MPs have a temporary right to sit and to vote (Rule 1 (1) of the Rules of Procedure).
|
| Validation of mandates |
· Validation by the Storting (Art. 64 of the Constitution of 17.05.1814, as amended up to and including 23.07.1995)
· Procedure (Rules 1 (1) and (5), and 23 of the Rules of Procedure)
|
| End of the mandate |
· On the day when the legal term of the House ends
|
| Can MPs resign? |
No |
|
| Can MPs lose their mandate ? |
Yes |
Loss of mandate by judicial decision:
- Loss of eligibility (see Art. 61 of the Constitution)
- Loss of qualification to hold public office
- State impeachment (Art. 86 and 87 of the Constitution)
|
| STATUS OF MEMBERS |
| Rank in hierarchy |
· Within Parliament:
1. The President
2. The other members of the Presidium
3. The Chairpersons of the party groups, the committee chairpersons
4. The other MPs
· Outside Parliament: the official order of precedence ranks the President of the Storting in the 2nd position.
|
| Indemnities, facilities and services |
· Diplomatic passport for the members of the Presidium, special passport for the other MPs
· Basic salary: NOK 410,000 per year
+ Additional allowance (see also Art. 65 of the Constitution): in accordance with distance of residence
· No exemption from tax
· Special pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretariat for the party groups
(b) Assistants in the secretariats of the party groups
(c) Official housing
(d) Three official cars for the 6 members of the Presidium
(e) Postal and telephone services
(f) Travel and transport
(g) Others
|
| Obligation to declare personal assets |
No |
|
| Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability |
· The concept does exist (Art. 66 of the Constitution).
· Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament.
· Derogations: offence or insult (Art. 66 of the Constitution, Rules 38 and 50 (2) of the Rules of Procedure, see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
|
| Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability |
· The concept does exist (Art. 66 of the Constitution).
· It applies to criminal and civil proceedings, covers all offences with the exception of certain criminal offences (see Loss of mandate by judicial decision - Loss of qualification to hold public office, and Loss of mandate by judicial decision - State impeachment), but protects MPs only from arrest and from being held in preventive custody.
· Derogations: in cases of flagrante delicto (commission of public crimes), MPs can be arrested (Art. 66 of the Constitution).
· Parliamentary inviolability does not prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal.
· Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate. Since it does not cover judicial proceedings in general, it does not cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election. However, an MP in custody shall be released if this is necessary for the exercise of his parliamentary functions, unless apprehended in flagrante delicto (see above).
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) cannot be lifted.
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned can be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament (see above).
|
| EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE |
| Training |
· There is a training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs.
· It is provided by Parliament or the political parties.
|
| Participation in the work of the Parliament |
· It is compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings, committee meetings, or other meetings. For leave of absence, see Rule 27 (1) of the Rules of Procedure.
· Penalties foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation (Art. 86 and 87 of the Constitution): loss of mandate
· Body competent to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the ordinary Courts of Justice, the Constitutional Court of the Realm
|
| Discipline |
· The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in Rules 38, 42, and 50 (2) of the Rules of Procedure.
· Disciplinary measures foreseen:
- Censure (Rule 38 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Intervention (Rule 50 (2) of the Rules of Procedure)
- Warning for irrelevance (Rule 38 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Call to order (Rule 42 (1) of the Rules of Procedure)
- Refusal of permission to speak (Rule 42 (2) of the Rules of Procedure)
- Exclusion from the proceedings for the rest of the day (Rule 42 (2) of the Rules of Procedure)
· Specific cases:
- Offence or insult (Rules 38 and 50 (2) of the Rules of Procedure): censure, intervention
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties:
- Censure, intervention, warning for irrelevance, call to order, offence or insult: the President
- Refusal of permission to speak, exclusion from the proceedings for the rest of the day: the Storting
· Procedure (Rules 38, 42, and 50 (2) of the Rules of Procedure)
|
| Code (rules) of conduct |
· This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system.
|
| Relations between MPs and pressure group |
· There are no legal provisions in this field.
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