f age, is entitled to a seat in the
Council, but without vote or responsibility.

*640. The Exercise of Executive Powers.*--Most of the powers which are
possessed by the king may be exercised by him only in conjunction with
the Council. Like the fundamental law of Sweden, that of Norway
stipulates that, while it shall be the duty of every member of the
Council to express his opinion freely, and of the king to give ear to
all such opinions, it "shall remain with the king to decide according
to his own judgment."[813] None the less, the acts of the crown are,
as a rule, those not only, legally, of the king _in_ council but,
actually, of the king _and_ council. With the exception of military
commands, all orders issued by the king must be countersigned by the
minister of state, and ministers may be impeached at any time by (p. 581)
the Odelsthing before the Rigsret, or Court of Impeachment; so that,
in effect, there is a close approach to the parliamentary system of
ministerial responsibility. Under these conditions, the crown appoints
all civil, ecclesiastical, and military officials; removes higher
officials (including the ministers) without previous judicial
sentence; pardons offenders after conviction; regulates religious
services, assemblies, and meetings; issues and repeals regulations
concerning commerce, customs, industry, and public order; and enforces
the laws of the realm. The king is commander-in-chief of the land and
naval forces, though these forces may not be increased or diminished,
or placed at the service of a foreign sovereign or state, without the
consent of the Storthing. And the king has the power to mobilize
troops, to commence war and conclude peace, to enter into and to
withdraw from alliances, and to send and to receive ambassadors.[814]

[Footnote 813: Art. 30. Dodd, Modern Constitutions,
II., 128.]

[Footnote 814: Arts. 16, 17, 20-26. Dodd, Modern
Constitutions, II., 125-127.]

IV. THE STORTHING--POLITICAL PARTIES

*641. Electoral System: the Franchise.*--Among the legislatures of
Europe that of Norway is unique. In structure it represents a curious
cross between the principles of unicameral and bicameral organization.
It comprises essentially a single body, which, however, for purely
legislative purposes is divided into two chambers, or sections, the
Lagthing and the Odelsthing. This division is made subsequent