Norway's Conservative Party has proposed eliminating county municipalities to reduce bureaucracy nationwide. The plan would redistribute county responsibilities between state and local governments. Former Prime Minister Erna Solberg argues this would create more efficient public administration.
The proposal calls for rapid dissolution of Norway's 11 county administrations. These intermediate government levels sit between national and municipal authorities. Solberg stated Norway needs to become less bureaucratic and overadministered. She emphasized too many people just move paper without adding value.
County municipalities currently employ 49,474 people across Norway. Their responsibilities include secondary education, regional roads, public transport, and cultural institutions. The Conservative plan would transfer these functions elsewhere.
Seven specific transfers form the proposal's core framework. Secondary education responsibility would move to municipal level. This includes student transportation systems. Road networks would be divided into two categories instead of maintaining county roads. Regional innovation services would shift to state control.
Cultural institutions like museums and arts organizations would become municipal responsibilities. Public transportation would transfer to urban areas or inter-municipal cooperation. Integration services for immigrants would move to local governments.
Solberg acknowledged challenges with smaller municipalities taking on additional duties. She suggested facilitating larger, more robust municipalities as the solution. These could then form purposeful cooperation constellations for service delivery.
The Liberal-Conservative think tank Civita supports the proposal. They argue counties lack real power, influence, and legitimacy. Recent polling in Innlandet county showed 42 percent of residents support eliminating county government. This followed controversial school closures that angered many communities.
County Mayor Jon Askeland of Vestland county strongly opposes the plan. He warns elimination would lead to forced municipal mergers and increased centralization. Askeland argues Norway needs three government levels given its challenging geography. Fjords and mountains create long travel distances in coastal regions.
He stated two-level governance would weaken local influence and strengthen state control. Askeland questioned why Conservatives would weaken local and regional power simultaneously. He believes the solution should be cutting state-level bureaucracy instead.
The debate reflects broader discussions about government efficiency across Nordic countries. Norway remains one of few European nations maintaining three administrative levels. Only nine other European countries operate without intermediate government between state and municipalities.
Political analysts note the proposal faces significant parliamentary hurdles. Several parties express concerns about implementation timing and methodology. The Center Party specifically warns against forced municipal mergers that might not suit coastal communities.
Supporters counter that modern communication technology reduces need for regional administration. They argue digital transformation enables more direct coordination between state and local levels. The proposal will likely undergo extensive parliamentary review before any implementation decision.
Norway's government structure has evolved significantly since county system establishment. The current debate continues longstanding discussions about optimal public administration design. Previous attempts to make county level more relevant have produced limited results according to proposal documents.
The outcome could influence similar discussions in other Nordic countries. Sweden and Finland maintain regional administration systems with varying responsibilities. Norway's decision might prompt reviews of regional governance efficiency across Scandinavia.