There are places where the silence of snow and sea seems to hold time itself in gentle suspension, as though each ripple of wind across a Nordic fjord carries the echo of centuries past. In Oslo on a crisp early February day, that quiet of reflection wrapped itself around the marble columns of the Storting, the chamber where Norway’s elected representatives gathered not merely to debate policy but to consider an idea deeply woven into the fabric of national identity: the monarchy.
The question before the legislature was not abrupt but long anticipated, surfacing as it does periodically in a constitutional monarchy where the crown sits above executive power yet remains ever present in public life. In recent weeks, however, the backdrop to this question had darkened slightly, touched by controversy and the weight of international headlines. Fresh revelations from documents tied to the United States Department of Justice’s release of files in the Jeffrey Epstein case brought attention to correspondence involving Crown Princess Mette‑Marit, prompting public apology and reflection from the princess herself. At the same time, her son — not a throne bearer but a figure linked to the royal household — stood at the beginning of a serious criminal trial that has riveted newspapers and evening broadcasts alike.
Amid these currents — where personal lives and public roles intersect — the Storting gathered to exercise its periodic vote on whether Norway should remain a constitutional monarchy or move toward a republican system with an elected head of state. In the quieting air of debate, supporters of the monarchy spoke of continuity, stability, and the way an institution shaped by history can serve as a unifying symbol above partisan tides. Opponents, echoing sentiments held by republican groups and critics of inherited privilege, argued that democratic ideals might be more fully expressed with a president chosen by the people rather than a hereditary figurehead.
When the votes were counted, the result was decisive: 141 of the 169 members of parliament voted in favor of retaining the monarchy, while 26 opted for a transition to a republic. The breadth of support for the current system — across center‑left and center‑right blocs — suggested that, despite the recent dip in popular enthusiasm reported by opinion polls, many in the Storting saw value in preserving an institution that has stood for more than a century since Norway’s peaceful separation from Sweden in 1905. In public surveys, a majority of Norwegians still favoured the monarchy, though that support has waned somewhat amid controversy and scrutiny.
Walking past the Storting’s stately facade after the vote, one could sense a mood shaped not by tumult but by the familiar rhythms of parliamentary life: the measured footfalls of civil servants, the low murmur of conversation among journalists, and a sky paling into late afternoon light. In these ordinary movements lay a quiet reaffirmation of the decision just taken within those walls — not a resounding triumph or a dramatic shift, but a continuation of the constitutional balance that Norwegians have long sustained.
In clear news language: On February 3, 2026, Norway’s parliament voted overwhelmingly to retain the country’s constitutional monarchy, rejecting a proposal to transition to a republic. Of the 169 members of the Storting, 141 supported keeping the monarchy, while 26 voted for abolition. The vote took place amid recent controversies involving the royal family, including revelations of contact between Crown Princess Mette‑Marit and Jeffrey Epstein, for which she has publicly apologised, and the trial of her son on serious criminal charges. Despite a noted decline in public support for the royals in opinion polls, parliamentary and public support for the monarchy remains a majority.
AI Image Disclaimer
Illustrations were created using AI tools and are not real photographs.
Sources (Media Names Only)
Reuters The Straits Times VG (Verdens Gang)