Political developments from 1965 to 2013

The non-socialist government which took charge in 1965 was replaced by a Labour government in 1971 as a result of inner tensions among the coalition parties over the question of Norway seeking membership of the European Community (EC). Throughout the period 1971 to 2005, Labour and non-socialist governments came and went. All together there were fifteen changes of government – most of them minority administrations or involving coalitions of many different parties – five of these lasted only one year before falling. From 2005 up to today (2013), a coalition between Labour and two smaller parties has been in power.

Norwegian society changed dramatically during the 1970s and 1980s. The post-war period was definitively over. When the postwar baby-boom generation came of age an increasing number of young people sought higher education. This led to the establishment of new universities and university colleges. The number of students attending these higher education institutions was approximately 10,000 in 1960, had trebled to 30,000 in 1970, and by 1980 had reached 74,000. In 1986, university student enrolment stood at 103,000, and, for the first time, female students were in the majority (Nielsen 2011: 188).