Kingdom of Norway (1814-1905) - Dissolution of The Union

Dissolution of The Union

On May 23, the Storting passed the government's proposal for the establishment of separate Norwegian consuls. King Oscar, who again had resumed the government, made use of his constitutional right to veto the bill on May 27, and according to plan, the Norwegian ministry tendered their resignation. The king, however, declared he could not accept their resignation, "as no other cabinet can now be formed". The ministers refused to obey his demand that they countersign his decision, and immediately left for Christiania.

No further steps were taken by the King to restore normal constitutional conditions. In the meantime, the formal dissolution was set to be staged at a sitting of the Storting on June 7. The ministry placed their resignation in its hands, and the Storting unanimously adopted a pre-planned resolution stating that, as the king had declared himself unable to form a government, the constitutional royal power "ceased to be operative", whereupon the ministers were requested, until further instructions, to exercise the power vested in the King according to the Constitution — "with such amendments that will be required, since the Union with Sweden under one King is dissolved, because the King has ceased to act as the King of Norway".

Swedish reactions to the action of the Storting were strong. The king solemnly protested and called an extraordinary session of the Riksdag for June 20 to consider what measures should be taken after the "revolt" of the Norwegians. The Riksdag declared that it was willing to negotiate the conditions for the dissolution of the Union if the Norwegian people, through a plebiscite, had declared in favour of it. The Riksdag also voted 100 million kronor to be available as the Riksdag might decide. It was understood, but not openly stated, that the amount was held in readiness in case of war. The unlikely threat of war was seen as real on both sides, and Norway answered by borrowing 40 million kroner in France, for the same unstated purpose.

The Norwegian government knew in advance of the Swedish demands, and forestalled it by declaring the plebiscite for August 13, thereby deciding the question to be voted on. The people were not asked to answer yes or no to the dissolution, but to "confirm the dissolution that had already taken place". The response was an overwhelming majority of 368 392 votes for the dissolution, and only 184 against. A unique and matchless result of a referendum in history and a huge humiliation of the king who had demanded it. After a request from the Storting for Swedish cooperation to repeal the Act of Union, delegates from both countries convened at Karlstad on August 31. The talks were temporarily interrupted along the way. At the same time, troop concentrations in Sweden made the Norwegian government mobilize the army and navy on September 13. Agreement was nevertheless reached on September 23. The main points were that disputes between the countries should in the future be referred to the permanent court of arbitration at The Hague, that a neutral zone should be established on both sides of the border, and that the Norwegian fortifications in the zone were to be demolished.

Both parliaments soon ratified the agreement and revoked the Act of Union on October 16 and ten days later, King Oscar recognised Norway as an independent state, and renounced his right to the Norwegian crown on behalf of himself and his successors. He also declined a request from the Storting to allow a Bernadotte prince to accede to the Norwegian throne. The Storting then offered the vacant throne to Prince Carl of Denmark, who accepted after another plebiscite had confirmed the monarchy. He arrived in Norway on 25 November 1905, taking the name Haakon VII.