Union Badge of Norway and Sweden - Abolition of The Union Badge

Abolition of The Union Badge

During the 1870s, the union became increasingly unpopular in Norway, and as a consequence the union badge was seen as a sign not of equality, but of a union forced upon the country against its will. Radicals made it their political goal to reintroduce the "pure" Norwegian flag as the first step toward the dissolution of the union. The parliamentary majority voted for the removal of the badge three times, but was defeated by royal veto twice. Finally, in 1898, the third royal veto was overruled and the union badge was removed from the national (merchant) and the state flag. It remained in the war flag (naval ensign), as this was under the jurisdiction of the king. However, parliament introduced a new state flag for government buildings, similar to the war flag, but without the union badge. The "pure" Norwegian flag was hoisted again in 1899. After Norway's unilateral withdrawal from the union on 7 June 1905, the union badge disappeared from the naval ensign as well on 9 June. It remained in all Swedish flags until Sweden formally recognized the dissolution of the union. By a royal decree of 27 October, the union badge in the merchant flag and the naval ensign was to be replaced with a blue field on 1 November 1905.