2009 in Norway - Events

Events

  • 1 January – Same-sex marriage became legal in Norway when a gender neutral marriage bill was enacted after being passed by the Norwegian legislature in June 2008. Norway became the first Scandinavian country and the sixth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.
  • 1 January – the new Norwegian prostitution law (Sexkjøpsloven) bans the buying of sexual favours rather than selling (the client commits a crime, but not the prostitute).
  • 10 March – Varg Vikernes is released on parole having served almost 16 years of a 21 years (life) sentence for murder.
  • 31 July – Full City oil spill: the Panama-flagged bulk carrier, Full City, operated by COSCO, experienced engine failure and ran aground near Langesund, Telemark, Norway during a storm, spilling 200 tons of heavy bunker fuel oil in a sensitive wildlife area.
  • 14 September – The 2009 Parliamentary election takes place. Although the opposition received more votes, the governing Red-Green Coalition obtained more seats in parliament. This allowed Jens Stoltenberg to continue as prime minister.
  • 9 December – The Norwegian spiral anomaly initially shook thousands of witnesses in Northern Norway, as well as people across the globe, when what was later explained as a misfired Russian missile caused a spectacular light formation in the sky. The phenomenon was observed in the dark morning sky from Trøndelag through Finnmark.
  • 10 December – The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to US President Barack Obama in Oslo.
  • Nobel Committee Chairman Thorbjørn Jagland presents President Barack Obama with the Nobel Prize medal and diploma during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Rådhuset Main Hall at Oslo City Hall

  • Jens Stoltenberg continue as prime minister following the 2009 Parliamentary election

  • Full City oil spill

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