Suicide paragraph
Encyclopedia
A suicide paragraph sometimes referred to as a suicide clause, is an important term in politics of Norway
. It is a part of the formal agreements between political parties about to form a coalition government
. It states that if a certain political case is brought up, the coalition is considered dissolved.
. This question is a cross-cutting cleavage
, splitting parties who would otherwise be more cooperating. It was first used by Jan P. Syse's Cabinet
, which assumed office in 1989. It was known from the 1972 EEC referendum that the "European question" was a divisive one in Norwegian politics, and the coalition parties (Conservative
, Christian Democratic, Centre
) held different views. The "suicide paragraph" was a part of a 22-point declaration that was put together after the 1989 general election
(not before, as had been the tradition during the 1980s). Through the paragraph, the coalition parties "agreed to disagree
" on the issue. As it turned out, the suicide paragraph and the European question caused the coalition to dissolve after only one year. The strongly EU-sceptical Centre Party parted ways with the pro-EU Conservatives, and the parties have not been coalition partners since. A Labour
cabinet took over, proposed and negotiated EU membership but backed down after the 1994 referendum in which the electorate rejected this.
. Kjell Magne Bondevik's First Cabinet
, a coalition of the Christian Democratic, Centre and Liberal parties, assumed office then, but did not have a suicide paragraph. However, when Kjell Magne Bondevik's Second Cabinet
(Christian Democratic, Conservative, Liberal) assumed office in 2001
, a suicide paragraph was a part of the post-election Declaration of Sem. Unlike in 1989, it was not clear that the EU was an actual forthcoming issue. However, the parties decided to keep it as a safeguard, and the paragraph now meant that the coalition would disband if the European question reached the broader political "agenda". Prime Minister
Kjell Magne Bondevik
represented an EU-sceptical party, and was personally prepared to resign, an action which would dissolve the cabinet. Dagbladet
' s commentator noted that the will to remain in coalition was strong, so the suicide paragraph actually vitalized Bondevik's Second Cabinet, securing a state of non-debate and thus a prolonged life of the coalition. The cabinet remained intact throughout the term.
. Long before the 2005 general election
it was speculated that such a coalition would need suicide paragraph as much as Bondevik's coalition. This was officially confirmed by the EU-sceptical party leaders of the Centre and Socialist Left parties after the election victory, on the day the Red-Green Coalition (Jens Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet
) began drafting their First Declaration of Soria Moria
. The end declaration did in fact contain a suicide paragraph, and the pro-EU Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre
declared his adherence to the principle. On the other hand, it became clear that the Socialist Left Party had to sacrifice their scepticism towards NATO and their general anti-Americanism
. The cabinet remained intact, and even won re-election in 2009
.
Politics of Norway
Politics in Norway take place in the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy. Executive power is exercised by the King's council, the cabinet, led by the Prime Minister of Norway. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Storting, elected...
. It is a part of the formal agreements between political parties about to form a coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
. It states that if a certain political case is brought up, the coalition is considered dissolved.
Syse Cabinet
In practice, the use has usually related to the question of Norway and the European UnionNorway and the European Union
Norway is not a member state of the European Union , but is closely associated with the Union through its membership in the European Economic Area , in the context of being a European Free Trade Association member.-Trade:...
. This question is a cross-cutting cleavage
Cross-cutting cleavage
Cross-cutting cleavage is a political term that refers to factors in society which cause division in such a way that no group created by one "cleavage" is wholly contained within a group created by another - hence "cross-cutting"...
, splitting parties who would otherwise be more cooperating. It was first used by Jan P. Syse's Cabinet
Cabinet Syse
Syse's Cabinet was a minority, Conservative/Centre/Christian Democrat Government of Norway. It succeeded the Labour Second cabinet Brundtland after the 1989 election, and sat between 16 October 1989 and 3 November 1990...
, which assumed office in 1989. It was known from the 1972 EEC referendum that the "European question" was a divisive one in Norwegian politics, and the coalition parties (Conservative
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
, Christian Democratic, Centre
Centre Party (Norway)
The Centre Party is a centrist and agrarian political party in Norway, founded in 1920. The Centre Party's policy is not based on any of the major ideologies of the 19th and 20th century, but has a focus on maintaining decentralised economic development and political decision-making.From its...
) held different views. The "suicide paragraph" was a part of a 22-point declaration that was put together after the 1989 general election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1989
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 11 September 1989.-Results:1 This list was a cooperation between the Norwegian Communist Party, Workers' Communist Party, Red Electoral Alliance and independent socialists....
(not before, as had been the tradition during the 1980s). Through the paragraph, the coalition parties "agreed to disagree
Agree to disagree
The term "agree to disagree" or "agreeing to disagree" is a phrase in English referring to the resolution of a conflict whereby all parties tolerate but do not accept the opposing position. It generally occurs when all sides recognise that further conflict would be unnecessary, ineffective or...
" on the issue. As it turned out, the suicide paragraph and the European question caused the coalition to dissolve after only one year. The strongly EU-sceptical Centre Party parted ways with the pro-EU Conservatives, and the parties have not been coalition partners since. A Labour
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
cabinet took over, proposed and negotiated EU membership but backed down after the 1994 referendum in which the electorate rejected this.
Bondevik Cabinet
Labour held office until after the 1997 general electionNorwegian parliamentary election, 1997
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 15 September 1997. Before the election, Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland of the Labour Party, issued the 36.9 ultimatum declaring that the government would step down unless it gained 36.9% of the vote, the percentage gained...
. Kjell Magne Bondevik's First Cabinet
First cabinet Bondevik
Bondevik's First Cabinet governed Norway between 17 October 1997 to 3 March 2000. It was led by Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, and consisted of the Christian Democratic Party, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party. There was a major reshuffle in March 1999. It had the following...
, a coalition of the Christian Democratic, Centre and Liberal parties, assumed office then, but did not have a suicide paragraph. However, when Kjell Magne Bondevik's Second Cabinet
Second cabinet Bondevik
Bondevik's Second Cabinet governed Norway between 19 October 2001 and 17 October 2005. It was led by Kjell Magne Bondevik and consisted of the Conservative Party, the Christian Democratic Party and the Liberal Party. It had the following composition:...
(Christian Democratic, Conservative, Liberal) assumed office in 2001
Norwegian parliamentary election, 2001
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on September 10, 2001. The Labour Party won a plurality of votes and seats, closely followed by the Conservative Party...
, a suicide paragraph was a part of the post-election Declaration of Sem. Unlike in 1989, it was not clear that the EU was an actual forthcoming issue. However, the parties decided to keep it as a safeguard, and the paragraph now meant that the coalition would disband if the European question reached the broader political "agenda". Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Norway
The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...
Kjell Magne Bondevik
Kjell Magne Bondevik
Kjell Magne Bondevik is a Norwegian Lutheran minister and politician . He served as Prime Minister of Norway from 1997 to 2000, and from 2001 to 2005, making him Norway's longest serving non-Labour Party Prime Minister since World War II...
represented an EU-sceptical party, and was personally prepared to resign, an action which would dissolve the cabinet. Dagbladet
Dagbladet
Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
Stoltenberg Cabinet
Long before the fall of Bondevik's Second Cabinet, a group of opposition parties (Labour, Centre, Socialist Left) had discussions on a possible Red-Green CoalitionRed-Green Coalition (Norway)
The Red-Green Coalition is a centre-left coalition of Norwegian parties, formed by the Labour , the Socialist Left Party , and the Centre Party. Unlike many other Red-Green coalitions, the "Green" here is the colour of a centrist party rather than an actual Green party...
. Long before the 2005 general election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 2005
Parliamentary elections were held in Norway on 12 September 2005. More than 3.4 million Norwegians were eligible for vote for the Storting, the parliament of Norway. The new Storting has 169 members, an increase of four over the 2001 election....
it was speculated that such a coalition would need suicide paragraph as much as Bondevik's coalition. This was officially confirmed by the EU-sceptical party leaders of the Centre and Socialist Left parties after the election victory, on the day the Red-Green Coalition (Jens Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet
Second cabinet Stoltenberg
Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet is the current government of Norway. Appointed on 17 October 2005, it is a coalition between the Labour Party, the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party, known as the Red–Green Coalition. The cabinet has ten members from the Labour Party, five from the Socialist...
) began drafting their First Declaration of Soria Moria
First Declaration of Soria Moria
The Soria Moria declaration is a Norwegian political statement forming the basis of Jens Stoltenberg's second and first government.The statement outlines the focus and priority of the so-called Red-Green Coalition government of Labour, the Centre Party and Socialist Left Party.After the election...
. The end declaration did in fact contain a suicide paragraph, and the pro-EU Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre
Jonas Gahr Støre
Jonas Gahr Støre is the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, having been appointed to Jens Stoltenberg's second cabinet on 17 October 2005. He represents the Norwegian Labour Party.-Personal life:...
declared his adherence to the principle. On the other hand, it became clear that the Socialist Left Party had to sacrifice their scepticism towards NATO and their general anti-Americanism
Anti-Americanism
The term Anti-Americanism, or Anti-American Sentiment, refers to broad opposition or hostility to the people, policies, culture or government of the United States...
. The cabinet remained intact, and even won re-election in 2009
Norwegian parliamentary election, 2009
The 2009 parliamentary election was held in Norway on 14 September 2009. Elections in Norway are held on a Monday in September, usually the second or third Monday, as determined by the king. Early voting was possible between 10 August and 11 September 2009, while some municipalities held open...
.