1981 Norwegian parliamentary election

1981 Norwegian parliamentary election

13 and 14 September 1981
All 155 seats in the Norwegian Parliament 78 seats were needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Gro Harlem Brundtland Jo Benkow Kåre Kristiansen Party Labour Conservative Christian Democratic Last election 76 seats, 42.3% 41 seats, 24.5% 22 seats, 9.7% Seats won 66 53 15 Seat change 10 12 7 Popular vote 914,749 780,372 219,179 Percentage 37.2% 31.7% 8.9%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Johan J. Jakobsen Berge Furre Carl I. Hagen Party Centre Socialist Left Progress Last election 12 seats, 8.0% 2 seats, 4.2% 0 seats, 1.9% Seats won 11 4 4 Seat change 1 2 4 Popular vote 103,753 121,561 109,564 Percentage 4.2% 4.9% 4.5%   Seventh party   Leader Hans Hammond Rossbach Party Liberal Last election 2 seats, 2.4% Seats won 2 Seat change 0 Popular vote 79,064 Percentage 3.2%
Prime Minister before election Gro Harlem Brundtland Labour Prime Minister after election Kåre Willoch Conservative

Parliamentary elections were held in Norway on 13 and 14 September 1981. The Labour Party remained the largest party in the Storting, winning 66 of the 155 seats. The Conservative Party made the strongest gains and formed a government on its own. In 1983 a majority coalition government with the Christian People's Party and the Centre Party was established.

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Labour Party	914,749	37.20	66	–10
	Conservative Party	780,372	31.74	53	+12
	Christian Democratic Party	219,179	8.91	15	–7
	Socialist Left Party	121,561	4.94	4	+2
	Progress Party	109,564	4.46	4	+4
	Centre Party	103,753	4.22	6	–1
	Non-socialist joint lists	88,969	3.62	5	–
	Liberal Party	79,064	3.22	2	0
	Red Electoral Alliance	17,844	0.73	0	0
	Liberal People's Party	13,344	0.54	0	0
	Communist Party	6,673	0.27	0	0
	Plebiscite Party	1,145	0.05	0	New
	Tom A. Schanke's Party	826	0.03	0	New
	Freely Elected Representatives	801	0.03	0	0
	Lapp People's List	594	0.02	0	0
	Broad-Based Non-Partisan List	383	0.02	0	New
Total		2,458,821	100.00	155	0
Valid votes		2,458,821	99.86
Invalid/blank votes		3,387	0.14
Total votes		2,462,208	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		3,003,093	81.99
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Seat distribution

Constituency	Total seats	Seats won
		Ap	H	KrF	Sp	SV	Frp	V
Akershus	10	4	5				1
Aust-Agder	4	2	1	1
Buskerud	7	4	2		1
Finnmark	4	3	1
Hedmark	8	5	2		1
Hordaland	15	4	5	2	1	1	1	1
Møre og Romsdal	10	3	3	2	1			1
Nord-Trøndelag	6	3	1		2
Nordland	12	5	4	1	1	1
Oppland	7	4	2		1
Oslo	15	5	7	1		1	1
Østfold	8	4	3	1
Rogaland	10	3	3	2	1		1
Sogn og Fjordane	5	2	1	1	1
Sør-Trøndelag	10	4	3	1	1	1
Telemark	6	3	2	1
Troms	6	3	2	1
Vest-Agder	5	2	2	1
Vestfold	7	3	4
Total	155	66	53	15	11	4	4	2
Source: Norges Offisielle Statistikk