Norway: King Opens Parliament

zimbio.com

October 3, 2011-- His Majesty King Harald V opened the 156th Parliament session Monday. With him is Queen Sonja, and his son and heir, Crown Prince Haakon.

In the first few lines of his speech, the king discussed the July attacks in Oslo and Utøya by a radical right-winger. This was followed by the actions the Parliament will do towards the attacks. From there, King Harald discussed the Parliament’s plans for the new political year, underscoring the focus on employment, with the goal of having Norway with the lowest unemployment rate in Europe.

Other issues the king discussed include of making Norway a major player in the fight against climate change, as well as keeping the country as one of the best welfare societies. The king ended his speech by emphasizing the government’s action in lawmaking and presenting reports on the state of Norway.