Christiania,
1891-1893); but a more available work is an earlier
one by the same author, Das Staatsrecht der
vereinigten Koenigreiche Schweden und Norwegen
(Freiburg, 1886), in Marquardsen's Handbuch. The
most recent and, on the whole the most useful,
treatise is B. Morgenstierne, Das Staatsrecht des
Koenigreichs Norwegen (Tuebingen, 1911).]

*639. The Crown and the Council.*--The government of Norway, like (p. 580)
that of Sweden and of Denmark, is in form a limited hereditary
monarchy. The popular element in it is both legally and actually more
considerable than in the constitutional system of either of the sister
Scandinavian states; none the less, the principle of monarchy is
firmly entrenched, and, as has been pointed out, not even the overturn
of 1905 endangered it seriously. The constitution contains provisions
respecting the succession to the throne, the conduct of affairs during
a minority, and the establishment of a regency, which need not be
recounted here, but which are designed to meet every possible
contingency. In the event of the absolute default of a legal successor
the Storthing is empowered to elect.

Supreme executive authority is vested in the king, who must be an
adherent of the Lutheran Church, and who at his accession is required
to take oath in the presence of the Storthing to govern in conformity
with the constitution and laws. Associated with the king is a Council
of State, upon which, since the king may be neither censured nor
impeached, devolves responsibility for virtually all executive acts.
The Council consists of a minister of state, or premier, and at least
seven other members. All are appointed by the crown, and all must be
Norwegian citizens not less than thirty years of age and adherents of
the established Lutheran faith. The king may apportion the business of
state among the councillors as he desires. There are at present, in
addition to the ministry of state, eight ministerial portfolios, i.e.,
Foreign Affairs, Justice, Worship and Instruction, Agriculture,
Labor, Finance, Defense, and Commerce, Navigation and Industry. All
ministers are regularly members of the Storthing, though by the
constitution the crown is authorized for special reasons to add to the
Council members who possess no legislative seats. The heir to the
throne, if eighteen years o