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The Head Of State of Norway is the King, currently H.M. Harald V . The position of King of Norway has been in continuous existence since the unification of Norway in 872 . Functions of the King Of Norway are mainly ceremonial, but he has influence as the symbol of national unity. The King is also High Protector of the Church Of Norway (the State Church ), Grand Master of The Royal Norwegian Order Of St. Olav , and Supreme Commander of the Norwegian armed forces. Although the 1814 Constitution grants important executive powers to the king, these are almost always exercised by the Council Of State . The Council of State is formally convened by the reigning monarch. The council must have the confidence of the Norwegian legislative body, known as the Storting . In practice, the monarch will ask the leader of a parliamentary block that has a majority in the Storting to form a government. Aristocracy has been abolished in Norway. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES The Constitution Of Norway grants the King wide powers, they are however almost always exercised by the popularly elected government. Constitutional practice has replaced the meaning of the word King in most articles from the king personally to the elected government. Immunity Article 5 states: ''The King's person is sacred; he cannot be censured or accused. The responsibility rests with his Council.'' Council of State The Council of State is also the Government of Norway. Formally the government is appointed by the King. However the government has since 1884 had to have support in the Storting. In practice the King asks the leader of the largest party or parliamentary block to form a government after each election. The King relies on the advice of the previous prime minister in this question. The last time the King appointed a new prime minister contrary to the advice of the previous was in 1928 when he appointed the first Labour government. Article 12 states: ''The King himself chooses a Council from among Norwegian citizens who are entitled to vote.'' {Link without Title} ''The King apportions the business among the Members of the Council of State, as he deems appropriate.'' Article 30 states: ''Everyone who has a seat in the Council of State has the duty frankly to express his opinion, to which the King is bound to listen. But it rests with the King to make a decision according to his own judgment.'' [... Veto of laws The King has to sign all laws in order for them to become valid. He can veto any law. However if three separate Storting s approves the law it becomes valid even without the King's consent. The King has not vetoed any law in modern times. The last law enacted without the King's consent was the law regarding a pure National Flag in 1898. Article 78 states: ''If the King assents to the Bill, he appends his signature, whereby it becomes law.'' ''If he does not assent to it, he returns it to the Odelsting with a statement that he does not for the time being find it expedient to sanction it. In that case the Bill must not again be submitted to the King by the Storting then assembled.'' {Link without Title} The Church Of Norway The King is the supreme governor and protector of the Lutheran State Church of Norway. He decides who is to become bishops and oversees that the church conducts its business follow "the norms prescribed" for them. Pardoning criminals Article 20 states: ''The King shall have the right in the Council of State to pardon criminals after sentence has been passed.'' Apponting senior officials Article 21 states: ''The King shall choose and appoint, after consultation with his Council of State, all senior civil, ecclesiastical and military officials.'' Dismissing the government Article 22 states: ''The Prime Minister and the other Members of the Council of State, together with the State Secretaries, may be dismissed by the King without any prior court judgment, after he has heard the opinion of the Council of State on the subject.'' Chivalric orders Article 23 states: ''The King may bestow orders upon whomever he pleases, as a reward for distinguished services'' {Link without Title} War Article 25 states: ''The King is Commander-in-Chief of the land and naval forces of the Realm.'' The King is also Commander-in-Chief of the air force. It is not mentioned because there was no air force in 1814. Article 26 states: ''The King has the right to call up troops, to engage in hostilities in defence of the Realm and to make peace, to conclude and denounce conventions, to send and to receive diplomatic envoys.'' SUCCESSION The order of succession to the Norwegian throne is described in article 6 in the Constitution Of Norway : The order of succession is lineal, so that only a child born in lawful wedlock of the Queen or King, or of one who is herself or himself entitled to the succession may succeed, and so that the nearest line shall take precedence over the more remote and the elder in the line over the younger. An unborn child shall also be included among those entitled to the succession and shall immediately take her or his proper place in the line of succession as soon as she or he is born into the world. The right of succession shall not, however, belong to any person who is not born in the direct line of descent from the last reigning Queen or King or a sister or brother thereof, or is herself or himself a sister or brother thereof. : {Link without Title} For those born before the year 1971, Article 6 of the Constitution as it was passed on 18 November 1905 shall, however, apply. For those born before the year 1990 it shall nevertheless be the case that a male shall take precedence over a female. Article 6 of the original constitution had specified Salic (male-only) succession; so Harald's sisters Ragnhild (b. 1930) and Astrid (b. 1932) and their descendants are excluded from the line of succession. Under the male-preference Primogeniture applying to those born between 1971 and 1990, Princess Märtha Louise (b. 1971) places behind her younger brother Haakon and his descendants. SEE ALSO
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