Norway’s Constitution in a Comparative Perspective

Abstract

The Norwegian constitution is the second oldest living constitution in the world, and the country’s Supreme Court was also the second in the world to judicially review legislation. Yet, Norway’s deep constitutional history has gone often unnoticed in comparative scholarship, while comparative constitutional law within Norway has not attracted significant attention, despite the many constitutional influences from abroad. This article introduces the Norwegian constitution to an international audience and places it within a comparative perspective for a Norwegian readership. After a brief overview of comparative method(s), the remainder of the article focuses on three core areas of constitutional law: system of government, judicial review, and constitutional amendments. Using descriptive statistics, qualitative case studies, and legal and archival sources, the Norwegian experience is situated within a global context.