Who runs local government in Norway?
Norway has two elected levels: about 357 municipalities and 15 counties (since 2024). Municipalities run schools, health and care services. The state is present through appointed county governors who supervise them. The Sámi Parliament gives the Indigenous Sámi people an elected voice, but it is not a local government.
Kingdom of Norway · Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy · Northern Europe
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Counties (fylkeskommuner, 15 from 2024) | County council (fylkesting) elected every four years | Upper secondary schools, county roads, public transport, regional development, dental care. |
| Municipalities (kommuner, about 357) | Municipal council elected every four years; council elects the mayor (ordfører) | Primary and lower secondary schools, kindergartens, primary health and care, social services, local planning. |
| County governors (statsforvaltere, 10) | Appointed by the King in Council (the government) | Represent the state: check that municipalities follow the law and handle appeals. |
| Sub-municipal bodies | Oslo's 15 boroughs have directly elected borough councils; elsewhere optional | Local services and planning views within the city. |
Three questions about local power in Norway
Are local leaders elected?
Municipal and county councils are elected every four years; mayors are chosen by councils. County governors are appointed by the government. Sámediggi members are elected by Sámi voters.
Which laws set up local government?
Since 2016 the Constitution (Article 49) gives inhabitants the right to govern local affairs through elected bodies. The Local Government Act 2018 sets the details. Village councils and dugnad are mostly informal.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Voters; county governors check legality and can overturn unlawful decisions; the Storting sets block grants; courts and the Civil Ombud review decisions.
Traditional and customary authority
The Sámi Parliament (Sámediggi), elected by Sámi people on a separate electoral roll since 1989, has advisory and some decision-making powers over Sámi language, culture and some funding, and must be consulted on matters affecting Sámi interests. It is an elected Indigenous body, not a local council. In Finnmark, the Sámediggi and the county council each appoint members to the board of the Finnmark Estate, which owns most land there. Reindeer herding is organised in siida (herding groups) recognised in law. The Church of Norway has elected parish councils (menighetsråd); the 1837 local government laws were first based on church parishes.
Community and neighbourhood power
Village and neighbourhood councils (grendeutvalg, nærmiljøutvalg) exist in some municipalities, either set up by the council or as voluntary associations. Strong voluntary traditions such as the dugnad (unpaid community work days) run sports clubs, housing co-operatives and local projects.
Points to know
- Municipalities were cut from 422 to 356 and counties from 18 to 11 in 2020; after public opposition, several counties were split again in 2024, giving 15.
- Oslo and Bergen use a 'parliamentary' model, where a city government answerable to the city council runs the administration.
- Foreign citizens resident for three years can vote in local elections.
- Svalbard has its own local council in Longyearbyen (Longyearbyen lokalstyre), set up under the Svalbard Act.
Local terms
- Sámediggi
- The Sámi Parliament, an elected representative body for the Indigenous Sámi people.
- Statsforvalter
- County governor, the appointed representative of the state who supervises municipalities.
- Dugnad
- A tradition of unpaid shared community work.
Sources
- Constitution of Norway (1814, rev. 2016), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
- Sámediggi – the Sámi Parliament in Norway, Sámediggi, checked 14 October 2026
- Church of Norway (Den norske kirke), Church of Norway, checked 14 October 2026
- Norway: country profile (territorial organisation, responsibilities, finance), OECD–UCLG World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment (SNG-WOFI), checked 14 October 2026
- Norway: monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government (2024 report), Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CARTA-MONITOR), checked 14 October 2026
See also: Norway's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.