Introduction to Norway

Thèmes abordés

Norvège, Elections

Résumé du document

A difference exists between the Norwegian government and the French one. But even if Norway is a monarchy, it is a democratic constitutional one. Like in France, the government is elected by the population. However, the participation is not the same in these two states and it the point which we will focus on. Indeed, the participation in politics is more important in Norway than in France. Norway has a better turnout and a larger population than in France, the participation of women is more important during elections (on the side of voters or elected members) and also gives stronger power to minorities. These points are the main differences between Norway and France when concerning elections.

These differences are very important and may seem hard to understand because we compare Norway and France, two industrialized and rich countries, without mentioning that France is known, rightly or wrongly, as the country of human rights. However, the difference is as significant as to be taken into consideration. But we can explain these facts. I think that the most important point to explain is to be aware about the social and financial life of these two countries, which plays an important role in political life. I think that a country in a good financial and social health will attract more people to its political life. Several factors have been taken into consideration to explain why Norway has a better population participation during elections.

Extraits

[...] The key point is that if we can changed several things, like the position of the woman, other points are very difficult to change. If France want to attract the population to go vote, they will have in first to find an issue to the social and financial life of his population. And after it will be easier to interest them to what happen in the government. They have to win the confident of the population to arrive to this goal, which is not far to what happen in Norway today. [...]

[...] Indeed, places where the voter turnout is the lower is in poor suburbs, where people are not interested by the political life because they think the government doesn't do anything for us. The numbers of elections is also more numerous in France, which doesn't incite neither the population to go vote, when in Norway you only have to vote once every two years. These facts lead the population to don't consider the political life. Indeed, we can see the difference in the engagement between Norway and France, when of Norwegian is member of a political party while only of French are. [...]

[...] Secondly, a moral base! Equal opportunity for all regardless of gender. It is about democracy and representation. Quotas may be necessary to ensure equal outputs. Thirdly, simply because they work! If you want radical change and want to boost the participation and representation of women in decision-making, legal measures like quotas could make a difference!” Mr. Rigmor Aasrud I think that the way to explain why the government gave quotas is very representative of the state of mind of Norwegian about women. [...]

[...] Indeed, the participation to politic is more important in Norway than in France. Norway has a better turnout and a larger population in political party than in France, the participation of women is more important during elections (on the side of voters or elected) and also let a stronger power to minorities. These points are the main differences between Norway and France about elections. These differences are very important and could look like hard to understand because we compare Norway and France, two industrialized and rich countries, without mention that France is knew, rightly or wrongly, as the country of human rights. [...]

[...] It's always lower than in Norway, but not as low than for others elections (they represent of mayors . The good thing is that, like in Norway, the part of women is increasing but not as fast as in Norway -only more since the past election in each field- (14). Conclusion Norway is one of the European countries which is the most different to France on the political and electoral point of view. These differences concern principally the place of the woman. If the woman is under represented in France, we can take Norway in example. [...]