Oslo: Norway’s parliament has voted decisively to keep the country’s monarchy, decisively rejecting a proposal to replace it with a republic despite recent controversy surrounding the royal family and a drop in public support.
In a long-scheduled vote, 141 of the Storting’s 169 lawmakers backed the continuation of the monarchy, while 26 supported a constitutional change that would have ended the reign of King Harald and his heirs.
Supporters of the monarchy argued that the institution has provided stability and continuity since Norway gained independence from Sweden in 1905, standing above party politics and daily power struggles. Those in favour of a republic countered that real authority already lies with elected leaders and that inherited privilege has no place in a modern democracy. The defeated proposal had sought to introduce an elected president as head of state.
The vote came amid renewed scrutiny of the royal family. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre criticised Crown Princess Mette-Marit on Monday, saying she had shown poor judgment over past contacts with Jeffrey Epstein. Mette-Marit apologised over the weekend, confirming the interactions took place after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for child sex crimes.
Public confidence has also dipped. A poll published showed support for the monarchy falling to 61 per cent, down from 72 per cent last year, while backing for a republic rose to 27 per cent.
Adding to the strain, Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Hoiby, appeared in court, facing charges including rape, domestic violence and drug possession. He denies the most serious allegations.
