Nygaardsvold's Cabinet

Nygaardsvold's Cabinet was appointed on 20 March 1935,^[1] the second Labour cabinet in Norway. It closed the brought to an end the non-socialist, minority Governments that had been dominating politics since the introduction of the parliamentary system in 1884, and replaced it with stable, Labour Governments that, with the exception of during World War II, would last until the coalition cabinet Lyng in 1963.

Since the cabinet Hornsrud intermezzo in the winter of 1928, a one-month Labour Government, the Labour Party had changed from revolutionary communism to social democracy. The main reason for the change of course was the realization of that Government power could be used for reforms that could lessen the impact of the economic crisis. In the 1933 election the party used the slogans "Work for everyone" and "Country and city, hand in hand". The last time the party portrait themselves as revolutionary was the 1930 election.

The Labour Party advanced in the 1933 election, but did not get a majority. Instead they made a compromise with the Farmer Party, allowing the cabinet Nygaardsvold to enter the Council of State. The party did not get majority in the 1936 election either, and continued to govern thanks to fluxuating support from various opposition parties.

The night before April 9, 1940 the Norwegian Government was, like most other authorities in the country, surprised by the German Operation Weserübung. It chose resistance, though this was rather fumbling and unclear way, especially initially. The Government left Norway on July 7, 1940 after the capitulation and took seat in London, United Kingdom the same day with King Haakon VII and Crown Prince Olav. During the war there were four cabinets instated by Vidkun Quisling and Josef Terboven, who were the de facto Governments of Norway during World War II. The Government-in-exile is sometimes referred to as the London Cabinet. It returned to Norway on May 31, 1945. On June 12 Nygaardsvold announced his resignation, and on June 25 the pan-political first cabinet Gerhardsen took over.

During the war there were four parallel, de facto Governments in Oslo, either sympathising or appointed by the German Forces. Reichskommissar in Oslo was Josef Terboven.

• First cabinet Quisling (1940)
• Cabinet Christiansen (1940)
• Cabinet Terboven (1940–42)
• Second cabinet Quisling (1942–45)

Cabinet Nygaardsvold

References

See also

• Norwegian Armed Forces in exile