Otto Blehr's First Government
21. April 1902–22. October 1903
Liberal Party (V)
In a session of the Council of State on 21 April 1902, Norwegian Prime Minister in Stockholm Otto Blehr was appointed Prime Minister. The reason was that Prime Minister Johannes Steen had handed in his resignation on 12 April 1902, as the Liberal Party had wanted him to leave his post to a younger politician. In a session of the Council of State on 16 April 1902, Blehr and the rest of the Government had put their seats at disposal. As Crown Prince Regent Gustaf had asked them to remain in office, Steen was on 21 April 1902 granted permission to leave while the other members of the Government were re-appointed, effective as of the same day. At the same time, Sigurd Ibsen was appointed minister. He took his seat while the Council of State was still in session.
In a session of the Council of State on 22 October 1903, Otto Blehr’s First Government handed in its resignation, as general elections 6 August-16 September 1903 had not rendered sufficient support for the Government in the Storting. Permission to leave was granted by King Oscar II in the same session of the Council of State, effective as of 22 October 1903 at 12 noon. Minister Sigurd Ibsen withdrew his resignation. At the same time, Francis Hagerup’s Second Government was appointed, effective as of the same point of time.
More about Norway’s Council of State during the Union with Sweden.
Secretary to the Council of State in this period:
In Kristiania
State Secretary Halfdan Lehmann
In Stockholm
Director General Hans Schlytter, until 1 March 1903
Director General August Sibbern, from 22 June 1903
About the Government
- Prime Minister:
- Otto Albert Blehr (V)
- Parliamentary basis:
- One-party government
- Resignation reason:
- Change after general elections
- Parties in the Government:
- Venstre (V)
Politicians
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Blehr, Otto Albert (V)
- Prime Minister and Minister of Trade - also acting Minister of Auditing from 09.06.1903 – Ministry of Trade (of 1903) 01/01/1903–22/10/1903
- Prime Minister - also Minister of the Interior until 01.01.1903, also Minister of Trade from 01.01.1903, also acting Minister of Auditing from 09.06.1903 – Ministry of the Interior (of 1846) 21/04/1902–22/10/1903
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Qvam, Ole Anton (V)
- Prime Minister in Stockholm – Council of State Division in Stockholm 21/04/1902–22/10/1903
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Årstad, Søren Tobias (V)
- Minister of Justice – Ministry of Justice and the Police 21/04/1902–22/10/1903
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Heftye, Thomas Thomassen (V)
- Minister of Defence – Ministry of Defence 09/06/1903–22/10/1903
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Ibsen, Sigurd (V)
- Minister in Stockholm – Council of State Division in Stockholm 21/04/1902–22/10/1903
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Knudsen, Gunnar (Aanon Gunerius) (V)
- Minister of Agriculture and acting Minister of Finance – Ministry of Agriculture 09/06/1903–22/10/1903
- Acting Minister of Agriculture and acting Minister of Auditing – Ministry of Agriculture 30/03/1903–09/06/1903
- Minister in Stockholm – Council of State Division in Stockholm 21/04/1902–30/03/1903
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Konow (Hedemarken), Wollert (V)
- Minister of Agriculture and acting Minister of Auditing - leave of absence – Ministry of Agriculture 30/03/1903–09/06/1903
- Minister of Agriculture and acting Minister of Auditing – Ministry of Agriculture 21/04/1902–09/06/1903
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Løvland, Jørgen Gunnarsson (V)
- Minister of Labour – Ministry of Labour (of 1885) 21/04/1902–22/10/1903
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Stang, Georg (V)
- Minister of Defence – Ministry of Defence 21/04/1902–09/06/1903
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Sunde, Elias (V)
- Minister in Stockholm – Council of State Division in Stockholm 09/06/1903–22/10/1903
- Minister of Finance – Ministry of Finance and Customs 21/04/1902–09/06/1903
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Wexelsen, Vilhelm Andreas (V)
- Minister of Church and Education – Ministry of Church and Education 21/04/1902–22/10/1903
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Bøgh, Leif
- Secretary to the Chairman of the Norwegian Government for Blehr, Otto Albert – Ministry of the Interior (of 1846) 01/07/1902–22/10/1903