1973 Norwegian parliamentary election

1973 Norwegian parliamentary election
Lasse Klæboe/Billedbladet NÅ · CC BY 4.0 · source
Country	Norway
Type	parliamentary
Previous election	1969 Norwegian parliamentary election
Previous year	1969
Election date	9–10 September 1973
Next election	1977 Norwegian parliamentary election
Next year	1977
Seats for election	All 155 seats in the Storting
Majority seats	78
Turnout	80.2% (0.8 pp)
Leader1	Trygve Bratteli
Party1	Labour Party (Norway)
Leaders seat1	Oslo
Last election1	74 seats, 46.5%
Seats1	62
Seat change1	12
Popular vote1	759,499
Percentage1	35.3%
Swing1	11.2 pp
Leader2	Lars Korvald
Party2	Christian Democratic Party (Norway)
Leaders seat2	Sør-Trøndelag
Last election2	14 seats, 9.4%
Seats2	20
Popular vote2	255,456
Percentage2	11.9%
Swing2	2.5 pp
Leader3	Kåre Willoch
Party3	Conservative Party (Norway)
Leaders seat3	Oslo
Last election3	29 seats, 19.6%
Seats3	29
Popular vote3	370,370
Percentage3	17.2%
Swing3	2.4 pp
Image4	150px
Leader4	Helge Rognlien
Party4	Liberal Party (Norway)
Leaders seat4	Akershus
Last election4	13 seats, 9.4%
Seat change4	11
Popular vote4	49,668
Percentage4	2.3%
Swing4	7.1 pp
Image5	150px
Leader5	Reiulf Steen
Party5	Socialist Electoral League
Leaders seat5	Oslo
Last election5	New
Seats5	16
Seat change5	New
Popular vote5	241,851
Percentage5	11.2%
Swing5	New
Image6	150px
Leader6	Anders Lange
Party6	Anders Lange's Party
Leaders seat6	Oslo
Last election6	New
Seat change6	New
Popular vote6	107,784
Percentage6	5.0%
Swing6	New
Image7	150px
Leader7	Helge Seip
Party7	New People's Party (Norway)
Leaders seat7	Oslo
Last election7	New
Seat change7	New
Popular vote7	97,180
Percentage7	4.5%
Swing7	New
Image8	150px
Leader8	Erling Nordvik
Party8	Centre Party (Norway)
Leaders seat8	Møre og Romsdal
Last election8	20 seats, 10.5%
Seats8	21
Popular vote8	126,560
Percentage8	5.9%
Swing8	4.6 pp
Title	Prime Minister
Before election	Lars Korvald
Before party	Christian Democratic Party (Norway)
After election	Trygve Bratteli
After party	Labour Party (Norway)

1973 Norwegian parliamentary election was held on 9 and 10 September to elect all 155 members of the Storting. The election was a political earthquake, dramatically reshaping the Norwegian party system that had been stable since the end of World War II. It was dominated by the fallout from the 1972 Norwegian European Communities membership referendum, which saw voters reject joining the European Economic Community. The result was a severe fragmentation of the political landscape, with the governing centre-right coalition losing its majority and the opposition Labour Party emerging as the largest party but without a clear path to a stable government.

Background

The political climate was intensely polarized following the acrimonious 1972 Norwegian European Communities membership referendum. The referendum campaign had split traditional parties, most notably the governing Liberal Party and the opposition Labour Party, along pro- and anti-EEC lines. Prime Minister Lars Korvald's minority government, comprising the Christian Democratic Party, the Centre Party, and the Liberal Party, had been formed after the resignation of Trygve Bratteli's Labour government following the referendum defeat. This period, often called the "European Community (EC) conflict," left deep scars and created fertile ground for new political movements on both the left and right, challenging the established order.

Parties and leaders

The election featured a fractured field with several new significant entrants. The anti-EEC socialist factions, including the Socialist People's Party, the Communist Party of Norway, and dissident Labour members, united under Reiulf Steen to form the Socialist Electoral League. On the right, populist protest against high taxes and bureaucracy coalesced around radio personality Anders Lange, leading Anders Lange's Party. The pro-EEC wing of the splintered Liberal Party, led by Helge Seip, formed the New People's Party. Established leaders included Trygve Bratteli for Labour, Kåre Willoch for the Conservative Party, Erling Nordvik for the Centre Party, and incumbent Prime Minister Lars Korvald for the Christian Democrats.

Campaign

The campaign was largely a continuation of the bitter 1972 Norwegian European Communities membership referendum debate, with secondary issues including economic management and regional policy. The Socialist Electoral League campaigned vigorously against NATO membership and for a radical socialist platform, capitalizing on discontent with the Labour Party's centrist policies. Anders Lange's Party attracted attention with its simple, anti-tax message, famously symbolized by Lange's use of a clothes wringer to represent squeezing the taxpayer. The established parties struggled to set a new agenda, with the Christian Democratic-Centre coalition government defending its record and Labour attempting to regain its traditional working-class base in the face of the socialist challenge.

Results

The election produced a highly fragmented Storting. The Labour Party, led by Trygve Bratteli, remained the largest party but suffered its worst result since WWI, falling to 35.3% and 62 seats. The big winners were the new protest parties: the Socialist Electoral League won 11.2% and 16 seats, while Anders Lange's Party gained 5.0% and 4 seats. The Conservative Party under Kåre Willoch held steady at 29 seats. The governing coalition partners had mixed fortunes; the Christian Democratic Party rose to 20 seats, but its partner the Centre Party fell to 21. The Liberal Party was nearly wiped out, collapsing to just 2 seats, while the breakaway New People's Party won a single seat. Voter turnout was 80.2%, a slight decrease from the previous election.

Aftermath

The election result created a hung parliament with no clear majority, leading to a period of political instability. The Labour's Trygve Bratteli formed a minority government in October 1973, dependent on securing ad-hoc support from other parties for each legislative initiative. This government proved fragile, particularly on issues related to the North Sea oil development and economic policy, and it resigned in January 1976 following a defeat on a tax bill. It was succeeded by another minority Labour government under Odvar Nordli. The success of Anders Lange's Party marked the beginning of a lasting populist-right movement in Norwegian politics, which would later evolve into the Progress Party. The 1973 election is thus seen as a critical juncture that ended the stable, predictable Norwegian party system of the post-war era.

Category:Elections in Norway Category:1973 elections in Norway Category:1973 in Norway