October 14, 2013 (TSR) – The Kingdom of Norway‘s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg’s second government on Monday at 13.00 tendered its resignation in an extraordinary session of the Council of State at the Royal Palace.
His Majesty the King Harald V accepted the resignation and requested the coalition government of Stoltenberg’s Labor Party and two other left-centre parties, who lost the majority in the September parliamentary election, to continue as a caretaker government until a new government has been formed.
For the forming of a new government, the Prime Minister advised the King to approach the leader of the Conservative Party, Ms. Erna Solberg.
The Stoltenberg government’s application to resign reads as follows:
«His Majesty the King,
The general elections of 9 September and the subsequent agreement between the Liberal Party, the Christian Democratic Party, the Progress Party and the Conservative Party, had the result that there now exists a parliamentary basis for a government representing the Conservative Party and the Progress Party.
On behalf of the Government I therefore allow myself to tender our resignation.
With profound respect
Jens Stoltenberg…».
King Harald V then asked Conservative party leader Erna Solberg to form a new government for the coming four years.
The Conservatives and three other centre-right parties together won 96 seats in the 169-seated parliament in the election held on September 9.
The Conservatives and the Progress party have agreed to form a coalition government with promised support in parliament from the Social Democratics and the Liberals.
Solberg is scheduled to present her government on Wednesday noon after a cabinet meeting.
“The new government will be appointed in the extraordinary meeting on Wednesday, with effect from noon the same day,” said Solberg.
Stoltenberg said that his Labor party will cooperate with other parties in parliament.
After being the prime minister for eight years, Stoltenberg said on Monday that he is looking forward to driving a car alone with his wife, without the security people around him.
