Executive power is exercised by the King and his Council, while legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament or 'Storting'. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Norway has a multi-party system with numerous parties and parties must often form coalition governments and/or minority cabinets. Elections are held every second year, alternating between elections for the Parliament and local elections, both of which are held on a 4-yearly basis. All citizens who are 18 years old or older have the right to vote.
The King mainly has a symbolic power and the role of the Royal Family is primarily ceremonial. However, King Harald V has influence as a symbol of national unity and the Royal Family is still popular among the majority of Norwegians.
The Indigenous people of Norway, the Sami, have also set up a Sami Parliament, acting as an institution of cultural autonomy for the Sami people.
