Last night, Norway’s royal family held their annual Stortinget, or Parliament, Gala to mark the start of the new legislative year for Norwegian politics. This is a traditional dinner that goes back over a hundred years.
Stian Lysberg Solum/Scanpix
One of the main events of this gala is the King’s speech at its beginning. King Harald V delivered his speech to an audience of 225 guests, and it was filled with both serious and funny touches.
“Most of you have behind you a long election campaign,” the King said about the new members of Parliament. “For some it was a happy choice. For others, it was a downturn. The road to the Parliament can obviously be both demanding and unpredictable. It is told about a minister in a previous government that once stood below the big stairs inside the building and saw a small child who struggled and crawled up the stairs. When dry, the minister exclaimed: “Oh, it’s many of them up there that have crept both longer and harder to get there!”
King Harald’s speech talked about the state of Norway’s economy and society. In some ways, the speech sounded a lot like the one he opened Parliament with a few weeks ago.
“Our politicians have had to deal with serious challenges to the financial crisis this past year,” the King said at one point. “Evidence indicates that we still face a financial uncertainty in the future, and that it is too early to end financial crisis completely. We know that some businesses are struggling and that individuals are experiencing the pain of being unemployed. But it is reassuring that we have governments that have the will to stand together when needed and make decisions for the good of our community.”
After his speech, the King gave a toast and the speaker of Parliament gave his speech.
The Parliament gala dates back to 1906, when King Oscar I first held the dinner in the winter. Back then, there were very few women in attendance, cigars were abundant and the menu was in French. But times do change, and now 40% of the attendants are female, there are no cigars going around and the menu is written in Norwegian.
