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Concentration of Decision-Making Power: Investigating the Role of the Norwegian Cabinet Subcommittee

Concentration of Decision-Making Power: Investigating the Role of the Norwegian Cabinet Subcommittee Abstract The empowerment of chief executives has been apparent in several parliamentary democracies in recent decades. However, few accounts have been produced of developments in recent Norwegian cabinets. The aim of this article is two-fold. First, changes regarding the concentration of decision-making power in Norwegian cabinets in the past 15 years are examined and, second, how political factors have contributed to the concentration of power is also examined. Drawing on interviews with 19 ministers from the Bondevik II and Stoltenberg II cabinets, the article finds that collegial elements of cabinets have been weakened, and there has been a centralization of power around an inner cabinet, the so-called subcommittee, consisting of the prime minister and the party leaders. The article also shows how political distances between coalition parties and the cabinet’s parliamentary basis have affected the concentration of power. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png World Political Science Review de Gruyter

Concentration of Decision-Making Power: Investigating the Role of the Norwegian Cabinet Subcommittee

Kolltveit, Kristoffer
World Political Science Review , Volume 9 (1) – Jul 23, 2013
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23 pages

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Publisher
de Gruyter
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 by the
ISSN
2194-6248
eISSN
1935-6226
DOI
10.1515/wpsr-2013-0008
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract The empowerment of chief executives has been apparent in several parliamentary democracies in recent decades. However, few accounts have been produced of developments in recent Norwegian cabinets. The aim of this article is two-fold. First, changes regarding the concentration of decision-making power in Norwegian cabinets in the past 15 years are examined and, second, how political factors have contributed to the concentration of power is also examined. Drawing on interviews with 19 ministers from the Bondevik II and Stoltenberg II cabinets, the article finds that collegial elements of cabinets have been weakened, and there has been a centralization of power around an inner cabinet, the so-called subcommittee, consisting of the prime minister and the party leaders. The article also shows how political distances between coalition parties and the cabinet’s parliamentary basis have affected the concentration of power.

Journal

World Political Science Review – de Gruyter

Published: Jul 23, 2013

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    Skjeie
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    Andersen
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    Olsen
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    Allern
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    Heffernan
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    Goldstein
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