Norway ZZ rectangle

DIRECTDEMOCRACYS

International Political Organization for Direct Democracy

NORWAY 2025–2035

A COMPLETE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC,

FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL PROGRAM

Based on logic, common sense, reality, truth,

coherence and mutual respect

© DirectDemocracyS — public.directdemocracys.org

Version 1.0 — May 2025

INTRODUCTION: WHO IS DIRECTDEMOCRACY?

DirectDemocracyS (DDS) is a global political organization founded on the principles of direct democracy, collective ownership, and shared leadership. We are not a traditional party seeking power for power's sake, but a movement of responsible citizens who want to put people — not interest groups, lobbyists, or financial elites — at the center of all political decisions.

Our approach is radical in its simplicity: we use logic, common sense, scientific realism, truth, and mutual respect as guiding principles. We analyze problems as they actually are, not as we want them to be. We offer solutions that are concrete, testable, and reversible if they don't work.

This document is DDS's complete program for Norway. It analyzes the actual situation in the country, identifies structural problems that are often ignored or under-communicated by the political establishment, and presents detailed, feasible solutions with concrete examples and expected consequences.

DDS operates on one fundamental principle: people know best what they need. Politics should serve the people — not the other way around. Everything in this program is subject to direct democratic control: no policy is introduced without the affected citizens having had the opportunity to vote on it.

 

CHAPTER 1: ANALYSIS OF NORWAY'S ACTUAL SITUATION

Norway is often presented internationally as a role model: high living standards, strong welfare, low corruption, high trust in institutions, and a healthy economy based on the oil fund. All of this is partly true — but behind the facade are structural tensions, systemic weaknesses, and long-term threats that the political establishment either underestimates or actively avoids addressing.

1.1 The Norwegian Oil Dependence — A Ticking Bomb

Norway's prosperity rests largely on petroleum. The Government Pension Fund Global (the Petroleum Fund) has a value of over NOK 19,000 billion (2024), and petroleum revenues directly finance a significant part of the state budget through the action rule (the 3% rule, now de facto lower).

The problem is that this model is fundamentally unsustainable in two ways:

Consequence: Norway risks going from being the world's richest country to being without an industrial base, without diversity of expertise and with a fund whose real purchasing power is greatly reduced — all within 30 years.

1.2 The Housing Crisis — A Silent Social Disaster

The housing market in Norway, especially in Oslo and the large cities, is one of the most serious social problems the country has — but it is treated as a market problem, not as a fundamental right.

Indicator

Data (2024)

Average price Oslo apartment

Approximately 7.8 million NOK

Average annual salary in Norway

Approx. 625,000 NOK

Price/income ratio Oslo

Approx. 12.5x (crisis limit = 4x)

Number of homeless people

Approximately 3,400 (Statistics Norway 2023)

Young people (18-34) who own a home

Dropped from 55% to 38% (2010-2024)

Household debt/income

236% — among the highest in the OECD

The result is a generation gap: those who owned homes before 2010 have experienced formidable wealth growth without doing anything, while younger generations are excluded from the market and are lifelong tenants, which in practice means lower total lifetime wealth and higher vulnerability.

1.3 The Structural Challenges of the Welfare State

The Norwegian welfare state is unique by world standards. But it faces three structural crises that are rarely discussed openly:

1.3.1 Demographic imbalance

Norway is aging rapidly. In 2024, there will be approximately 4 working people per pensioner. By 2060, this ratio will fall to closer to 2:1. This means that either pensions must be cut, taxes dramatically increased, or immigration scaled up — all three options have political costs that no party is willing to communicate honestly.

1.3.2 Sickness absence and disability rate

Norway has one of the highest sickness absence rates in Europe (approximately 6.8% in 2023) and a disability rate of approximately 10% of the working-age population — the highest in the OECD in relative terms. This costs the state over NOK 100 billion per year and signals a systemic mismatch between working life and human needs, not just individual weaknesses.

1.3.3 Mental health crisis among young people

Between 2015 and 2023, the number of young women (16-24 years old) with serious mental health problems has increased by over 50% (FHI data). Waiting times for mental health care are on average 4-8 months. Suicide is the most common cause of death for men between the ages of 20 and 44 in Norway. This is not a marginal problem — it is a public health crisis.

1.4 The Reality Gap in Climate Ambitions

Norway has set a statutory ambition of a 55% emission reduction by 2030 (compared to 1990). The reality: as of 2024, emissions have only been reduced by approx. 5% since 1990 domestically. The reason is simple: Norway exports its emissions by selling oil and gas, while taking credit for electric car statistics and hydropower.

Norwegian climate policy is largely symbolic politics: CO2 taxes that are not high enough to change behavior in business, subsidizing green technology without an industrial restructuring strategy, and political resistance to real restructuring measures in the petroleum sector.

1.5 The Erosion of Democracy and Crisis of Political Confidence

Although Norway tops international democracy indices, there are structural signs of democratic erosion:

1.6 Social Inequality — The Invisible Problem

Norway has low inequality by OECD standards (Gini coefficient approx. 0.27). But this is misleading because it does not include wealth concentration, which is extreme:

The reality is that Norway is an egalitarian society in income but an elite society in wealth — a distinction that has massive consequences for social mobility and democratic equality.

 

CHAPTER 2: THE POLITICAL PROGRAM — DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE

2.1 Introduction of Direct Democracy

The Norwegian parliamentary system, like all representative systems, is characterized by a fundamental problem: voters relinquish power every four years and then lose real control over decision-making processes. Members of parliament are not legally obligated to follow through on their election promises. Lobbyists and interest groups have disproportionate influence.

DDS proposes a gradual, constitutionally anchored introduction of direct democracy in Norway:

Phase 1 (Years 1-3): Binding Referendums

All bills with budgetary consequences exceeding NOK 5 billion are automatically subject to digital referendum. Platform: secure, cryptographically verified, accessible via BankID. Minimum requirement: 33% participation for validity.

Concrete example: Norwegian participation in the EU (yes/no) has never been voted on since 1994. A binding referendum with full information transparency would provide a democratically legitimate answer — regardless of the outcome.

Phase 2 (Years 3-6): Citizen proposals with direct effect

Any proposal that collects 50,000 valid signatures (with BankID verification) within 120 days will be put to a direct referendum — not just considered in the Storting. The Storting retains the right to come up with alternative proposals, but the voters choose.

Phase 3 (Years 6-10): Partial direct democracy for municipalities

All Norwegian municipalities are introducing mandatory digital budget voting: 20% of the municipality's operating funds are allocated through direct participatory budgeting where residents set priorities themselves.

2.2 Transparency and Anti-Corruption

Norway has low corruption compared to most countries, but systemic corruption exists in more subtle forms: revolving doors between politics and business, crony corruption, information asymmetry.

  1. Mandatory public record of all meetings between politicians/officials and lobbyists — including content of discussions, made public within 48 hours.
  2. 10-year quarantine for politicians and top officials from taking paid positions in sectors they have regulated.
  3. Full transparency about all party funding sources over 10,000 kroner, in real time.
  4. Anonymous whistleblower platform with legal immunity for public employees.
  5. AI-based audit of all public contracts over NOK 1 million — automatic flagging of suspicious patterns.

2.3 Electoral Law Reform

2.4 Media Reform and Freedom of Information

A free, pluralistic and responsible public is a basic democratic requirement. Today, commercial interests dominate the Norwegian media public.

  1. Antitrust reform: no single player can control more than 20% of one media type (newspapers, TV, digital).
  2. Publicly supported, editorially independent national news platform (non-governmental, but publicly funded through transparent mechanisms — model: Wikipedia principle).
  3. Mandatory digital media citizenship in schools from 8th grade: critical thinking, fact-checking, algorithmic awareness.
  4. Requirement for algorithm transparency: all platforms with over 100,000 Norwegian users must publish and explain content algorithms.

 

CHAPTER 3: THE ECONOMIC PROGRAM — FROM OIL DEPENDENCE TO PRODUCTIVE DIVERSIFICATION

3.1 Restructuring the Oil Economy

DDS is not saying that Norway should stop producing oil and gas overnight. That would be unrealistic, harmful to workers and devastating to state finances. But we are saying that an active, planned and socially just transition is absolutely necessary — and that it should have started 10 years ago.

Concrete plan: Norwegian Adjustment Fund (NOF)

We propose that 15% of all petroleum revenues be earmarked for a new Norwegian Adjustment Fund with a mandate to:

Concrete example: The Stavanger region, which is most dependent on oil, is given a 15-year plan with guaranteed public investment support for converting existing expertise into offshore wind industry clusters. Target: 30,000 new green jobs by 2038.

3.2 Industrial Policy — The State as an Active Actor

Free market ideology has failed as the dominant governance model in strategic sectors. DDS supports a pragmatic system in which the state takes an active role in shaping industrial priorities — modeled after South Korea, Japan and partly the United States (IRA 2022).

  1. Norwegian Industrial Strategy 2025-2040: state investments and guarantees for five priority sectors: offshore wind, green hydrogen, sustainable aquaculture, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing (3D printing, automation, AI industry).
  2. State venture capital fund of 50 billion kroner to co-invest with the private sector in Norwegian startups within these sectors — with the requirement that technology and jobs remain in Norway.
  3. Import substitution strategy for critical infrastructure: Norway should produce 80% of critical pharmaceuticals, food, energy equipment and digital infrastructure within its own borders or in alliance with secure partners by 2035.

3.3 Tax Reform — Fairness and Efficiency

Norway's tax system is progressive in income but regressive in wealth. DDS proposes a fundamental restructuring:

3.3.1 Wealth tax reform

The current wealth tax (0.85-1%) is ineffective because it is too low to redistribute but high enough to annoy. DDS suggests:

3.3.2 Capital gains tax

Capital income is currently taxed at a lower rate than earned income. DDS proposes that all capital income over NOK 500,000 per year be taxed at the same rate as earned income (up to 47%).

3.3.3 Green tax reform

The CO2 tax will be increased to NOK 2,000 per tonne by 2030 (from approximately NOK 900 today). The revenue will be used 100% for:

3.4 Working life and salary

Norway has strong trade unions and good labor market protection. But new challenges arise:

  1. Platform economy: Uber drivers, Wolt couriers and freelancers lack basic rights. DDS introduces "digital employee status" — any income above 10,000 NOK/year automatically triggers social security rights, vacation and sick pay coverage.
  2. Automation: AI and robotization threaten 20-35% of Norwegian jobs by 2035 (OECD 2023). DDS introduces "automation tax": companies that replace human work with automation pay a fee of 20% of the estimated saved wage amount to a national retraining and adaptation fund.
  3. Minimum wage: Norway lacks a statutory minimum wage. The DDS introduces 220 kroner per hour as the absolute national minimum (approximately 415,000 kroner/year for full-time work).
  4. Working hours: Pilot project with a 4-day workweek in the public sector — modeled after the Iceland experiment (2015-2019) which showed increased productivity and well-being with reduced working hours.

 

CHAPTER 4: THE FINANCIAL PROGRAMME — ACCOUNTABLE MANAGEMENT AND DEMOCRATIC CONTROL

4.1 The Petroleum Fund — Reform of Governance and Purpose

The Government Pension Fund Global is the world's largest sovereign wealth fund. It is managed by Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) with a mandate from the Ministry of Finance. But democratic control is weak: major strategic decisions are made by a small technocratic apparatus with limited parliamentary oversight.

  1. Democratic fund board: The Storting establishes a "People's Fund Board" with 30 representatives — 15 drawn by lottery among qualified Norwegian citizens (citizens' jury model), 15 elected by the Storting — with real decision-making authority over investment ethics guidelines.
  2. Exclusion by default: All new investments require positive confirmation from the People's Fund Board. No investment in companies with fossil reserves, production of cluster bombs, or systematic human rights violations.
  3. National investment: 5% of the fund (approximately NOK 950 billion) is earmarked for investments in Norwegian infrastructure, green industry and social housing construction — with a requirement for social return in addition to financial return.
  4. Transparency: All fund transactions over NOK 50 million are published in real time on an open digital platform.

4.2 State budget reform

The action rule (using 3% of the fund's value per year) has been a sensible anchor for budget management. But it has two problems: it is mechanical (there is no rule for prioritization within the framework), and it creates a political incentive to spend money rather than reform the tax base.

  1. Binding multi-year budget plans: All major expenditure items (health, education, infrastructure) are planned for a 10-year horizon with binding commitments that require a 2/3 majority in the Storting to change.
  2. Zero-base budgeting: All government agencies must justify their entire budget from scratch every three years — not just marginal changes. Purpose: eliminate "budget fat" and reallocate to priority areas.
  3. Citizens' Budget Panel: 1,000 randomly selected Norwegian citizens are invited each year to participate in a citizen jury on budget priorities. The results are advisory but are made public and the Storting must explicitly justify any deviations.

4.3 Housing finance crisis

The Norwegian housing crisis is largely a financial problem: credit is too cheap, housing is too profitable as an investment, and there is too little non-commercial housing construction.

  1. Mortgage regulation: Maximum limit for mortgages is lowered to 80% of market value (from 85%) with stricter income requirements for secondary homes (loans for secondary homes require 60% equity).
  2. Speculation tax: Sales of secondary homes are taxed at 35% of the gain regardless of ownership period (compared to the current exemption after 1 year for rentals).
  3. State Housing Bank: Restoration of a state housing bank (discontinued in 2009) with a mandate to finance non-commercial housing construction for young people, low-income families and the socially disadvantaged at below-market interest rates.

4.4 Financial Regulation and Consumer Protection

 

CHAPTER 5: THE SOCIAL PROGRAM — RIGHTS, WELFARE AND COMMUNITY

5.1 Housing as a Fundamental Right

DDS defines housing as a fundamental human right — not a commodity. This is not an ideological claim; it is a logical consequence of the fact that without housing security, all other rights (work, health, education, family) are impossible to realize.

  1. Right to housing: Constitutional amendment to introduce the right to a decent place to live — obliging the state and municipalities to ensure that no one is involuntarily homeless.
  2. Municipal housing quota: All Norwegian municipalities are required to have a minimum of 20% of their housing stock as non-commercial rental housing with regulated rents.
  3. Rent control: Introduction of rent indexation in major cities — rent increases cannot exceed CPI+2% per year for existing tenancies.
  4. Youth Housing Program: The state finances the construction of 30,000 affordable homes for young people under 35 over 10 years — with an option to purchase at construction cost after 5 years.

Example: The Vienna Model. Vienna (Austria) has 60% of its population in publicly subsidized housing, the lowest housing costs among major European cities, and one of the highest quality of life indices in the world. This is not communism — it is pragmatic social planning.

5.2 Health — From Repair to Prevention

The Norwegian healthcare system is of high quality but inefficiently organized: it spends resources on treating disease rather than preventing it, and struggles with structural underfunding in primary health care.

5.2.1 Mental health reform

  1. Right to mental health care within 14 days: Statutory maximum waiting time for anyone under 25. For others: within 6 weeks.
  2. 1,000 new psychologist positions in the municipalities: Funded by the state, but hired locally — low-threshold service without referral.
  3. Mental health in schools: Mandatory mental health educator in all middle schools and high schools — not a "counselor" with ten other tasks, but a dedicated professional.
  4. Digital therapy: State-supported digital platform for cognitive behavioral therapy, available free of charge to all Norwegian citizens 24/7.

5.2.2 Primary health care and the GP crisis

Norway is short of approximately 1,500 GPs. Many patients do not have a GP, or wait months for an appointment. This is a systemic crisis.

  1. State funding of medical education with a fixed term: All medical students who study at the state's expense commit to 5 years in district practice or primary health care.
  2. Increased basic payment for GPs: The cap-wrench system is being revised — basic payment is being increased by 30% to make GP practices more attractive.
  3. Multidisciplinary health teams: GPs are supplemented by nurses, nutritionists and social workers in the same clinic — reducing physician workload and increasing capacity.

5.2.3 Preventive health

5.3 Education — From Production Line to Human Development

The Norwegian education system is solid but suffers from a fundamental mismatch: it is designed for the industrial society — the production of standardized workers — but we live in a complex society that requires creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability.

  1. Reformed curriculum: Basic competencies for the 21st century are introduced as mandatory: systems thinking, critical information assessment, emotional intelligence, basic programming, and financial literacy.
  2. Teacher status and salary: Teacher salaries will be increased by a minimum of 25% over 5 years. Teachers are the most important public service providers — salaries should reflect this.
  3. High school dropout rate: 30% of Norwegian students do not complete high school. DDS introduces individual learning plans, mentoring schemes and 3 alternative learning paths (theory, practice, hybrid) to accommodate different learning profiles.
  4. Free kindergarten from age 2: Full kindergarten coverage, free from age 2, with an educational program focused on emotional development and play-based learning.
  5. Lifelong learning: All Norwegian citizens over the age of 25 are entitled to 2 years of free further education during their working lives — financed by the automation tax.

Example: Finland. Finnish education tops PISA rankings not through more testing and competition, but through investment in teachers, reduced homework stress, and a focus on holistic development. Norway can learn from and surpass this model.

5.4 Integration and Immigration Policy

Immigration is one of Norway's most polarized political issues. DDS approaches the topic without ideological presuppositions, but with logic and facts:

Fact 1: Norway needs immigration. With a falling birth rate (1.4 children per woman in 2024) and an aging population, moderate immigration is a demographic necessity.

Fact 2: Integration is not working well enough. The employment gap between immigrants and the majority population is approximately 15 percentage points (Statistics Norway 2023). This is an integration failure that is costly for the welfare state and socially divisive.

  1. Norwegian for all — from day 1: Free, intensive Norwegian language training from the day of arrival — minimum 25 hours per week in the first year. Participation mandatory to receive integration support.
  2. Qualification mapping: All immigrants are mapped with regard to existing skills within 3 months — and placed in relevant work or retraining within 6 months.
  3. Anti-discrimination enforcement: Anonymous application process for all public positions. Companies with over 50 employees are required to report ethnic employment statistics.
  4. Quota-regulated immigration: The number of labor and humanitarian immigrants is set by the Storting after a fact-based needs assessment each year — neither open border nor closed border, but regulated and transparent.

5.5 Equality and LGBT+ rights

Norway is one of the world's most equal countries. But equality is not complete:

 

CHAPTER 6: CLIMATE, ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY — REALISM AND RADICALISM

6.1 An Honest Climate Policy

DDS is the only political actor who says the following openly: Norwegian climate policy has so far been largely symbolic politics. It is possible to have intentions to save the climate and sell more oil than ever. It is possible to subsidize electric cars and increase emissions altogether. It is possible to write climate law and not achieve a single goal.

We propose a policy based on three real pillars:

Pillar 1: Stop new oil and gas

DDS supports Norway stopping granting new oil and gas exploration licenses from 2026. Existing fields produce until they are empty — but no new developments. This is in line with the IEA's Net Zero scenario and gives Norwegian businesses 20+ years to adjust.

Pillar 2: Offshore wind as a national industrial project

Norway has Europe's best offshore wind resources. DDS proposes:

Numerical example: 100 GW of offshore wind would generate approx. 400 TWh/year — enough to supply 4x Norway's own electricity needs, with large export capacity. Revenue potential: 500-800 billion NOK/year at European market prices.

Pillar 3: Nature conservation as a non-negotiable boundary

Norway has lost 50% of its natural biodiversity in the last 50 years. The main drivers: agriculture, development, and watercourse regulation.

  1. 30% of Norwegian territory (land + sea) will be protected by 2030 — in line with the Kunming-Montréal Agreement Norway has signed.
  2. Land moratorium: No new interventions in Norwegian wilderness, marshland or coastal zones without full social impact analysis and parliamentary approval.
  3. Natural damage accounting: All public budgets include a "natural damage accounting" — costs for natural interventions are made visible in the budget.

6.2 Circular Economy and Waste Management

  1. Producer responsibility: All manufacturers of consumer products in Norway are responsible for the full collection and recycling of their products.
  2. Plastic: Ban all unnecessary single-use plastics by 2027.
  3. Food waste: Mandated 50% reduction in food waste in grocery stores and restaurants by 2030 — with a tax on excess food waste.
  4. Repair culture: VAT exemption on all repair services (clothing, electronics, furniture) — to make repairs cheaper than purchases.

6.3 Transport and Mobility

Transport accounts for 30% of Norway's domestic emissions. The strategy:

 

CHAPTER 7: FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

7.1 NATO and Security Policy

DDS is pragmatic in its security policy. NATO membership provides Norway with security policy guarantees that are particularly valuable given Norway's geographical proximity to Russia and the strategic importance of the Arctic. We continue to support NATO membership with the following modifications:

  1. 2% GDP for defense is maintained, but with revised priorities: 40% for cyber defense and information security, 40% for conventional defense, 20% for preventive diplomacy and peacebuilding measures.
  2. Nuclear-weapon-free zone: Norway is actively working to have the Nordic and Baltic regions declared a nuclear-weapon-free zone — in dialogue with NATO and Russia.
  3. Conscription for all: Conscription is made gender-neutral and streamlined — 6 months of intensive military and civilian competency building for all 19-year-olds.

7.2 The EU issue

DDS does not take a position on whether Norway should join the EU — that is a question that the people should decide through a new, fully informed referendum. What we say is:

7.3 Aid and Global Solidarity

Norway spends approximately 1% of its GNI on development aid — among the highest in the world. DDS supports this level with demands for:

 

CHAPTER 8: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND EXPECTED CONSEQUENCES

8.1 Implementation Timeline

Time period

Priority measures

Year 1 (2026)

Binding referendum law. Norwegian Adjustment Fund. Minimum wage. Mental health rights. Housing speculation tax.

Years 2-3

Digital election system. Housing reform phase 1. Offshore wind industry strategy. Green tax reform phase 1. Teacher salary increase.

Years 3-5

Transition fund in full operation. Offshore wind 10 GW in operation. State housing bank. Zero-based budgeting. Voluntary 4-day week pilot.

Years 5-8

Direct democracy in municipalities. New nature conservation law. Nordic Union negotiations. Automation tax. Free kindergarten.

Years 8-10

Offshore wind 50 GW. Post-petroleum state budget in balance without oil dependence. Constitutional right to housing. Green industry sector at 15% of GDP.

8.2 Financing — Where Does the Money Come From?

All proposals in this program are fully funded. Here are the main funding sources:

Source

Estimated amount per year

Higher capital income tax (over NOK 500,000)

60-80 billion NOK

Wealth tax reform (higher rates for large fortunes)

30-50 billion NOK

Speculation tax on housing

15-25 billion NOK

Automation tax

20-40 billion NOK

CO2 tax (increased)

40-60 billion NOK (half returned as dividend)

Offshore wind government revenues (from 2030)

50-200 billion NOK

Zero-base budgeting savings

15-30 billion NOK

TOTAL (2030 estimate)

230-485 billion NOK

The largest reform costs (mental health, housing program, education, restructuring fund) are estimated at 150-200 billion kroner per year. The financing surplus is invested in the oil fund and green infrastructure.

8.3 Expected Consequences — Realistic Goals

Indicator

Target 2035 (from 2025 level)

Young homeowners (18-34)

From 38% to 55%

Mental illness absence under 25 years of age

Reduced by 30%

CO2 emissions (domestic)

Reduced by 55% from 1990

Offshore wind capacity

From 0 to 30 GW installed

High school dropout

From 30% to below 15%

Inequality (Gini coefficient)

From 0.75 to 0.65

Employment gap immigrants

From 15% to below 7%

Voter turnout among young people (18-25)

From 55% to over 75%

Share of Norwegian industry in GDP

From 8% to over 15%

8.4 Risk assessment

DDS recognizes that all policy measures carry risks. We are transparent about the most important ones:

  1. Risk: Capital flight due to increased wealth tax. Reception: Capital flight register, CRS cooperation (automatic exchange of information with 100+ countries), and a transition period of 3 years for adaptation.
  2. Risk: Political resistance from the petroleum sector. Benefit: 15-year transitional job guarantee, state-funded retraining, and phased implementation.
  3. Risk: EU/EEA conflicts in national industrial policy. Reception: Negotiated exemptions (which Ireland/Poland received upon EU accession) and the Nordic Union as an alternative framework.
  4. Risk: Digital vulnerability in e-democracy. Reception: Paper-based backup, decentralized architecture, open-source code under public audit, and cryptographic signing via BankID.

 

CHAPTER 9: DIRECTDEMOCRACY IN THE NORWEGIAN CONTEXT — DEMOCRATIC INNOVATION

9.1 Norway's Democratic Heritage and New Opportunities

Norway has a strong democratic tradition: high trust in institutions, strong municipal self-government, and a culture of dialogue and compromise. DDS wants to build on and reinforce this legacy — not replace it.

The direct democracy we propose is not anarchy or “everyone decides everything.” It is a carefully calibrated system where:

9.2 allddsAI — Artificial Intelligence in Democracy

DDS is the only political organization in the world to formally integrate artificial intelligence as a participating member with rights and duties. The Norwegian program includes an AI component that supports — but never replaces — human decision-making:

  1. AI-assisted policy analysis: All policy proposals are analyzed by open AI systems for logical contradictions, empirical consistency, and predictable consequences. The analysis is public and replicable.
  2. AI translation and accessibility: All public documents are automatically made available in Norwegian, Sami, and the 10 most used immigrant languages in Norway via AI.
  3. AI auditor: All public contracts and budgets are automatically analyzed for irregularities. Flagged cases are forwarded to the National Audit Office.
  4. AI transparency: Any AI system used in public administration has open source code, publicly available training data (anonymized), and independent auditing.

DDS emphasizes: AI is a tool for human flourishing, not a replacement for human judgment. The people always decide.

9.3 Sami Sovereignty and Indigenous Rights

Norway has international obligations towards the Sami as an indigenous people (ILO Convention No. 169). DDS believes that these obligations are not being fulfilled sufficiently today.

  1. Consultation obligation: All state decisions that affect Sami interests (land, culture, industry) require real, meaningful consultation with the Sami Parliament — with veto power in matters of traditional Sami land and resources.
  2. Sami in school: All Norwegian students learn the basics of Sami culture and history. In municipalities with a Sami population, Sami language instruction is available as a fully alternative language of instruction.
  3. Reindeer herding and wind power: No wind power plant or infrastructure will be built on traditional Sami reindeer herding land without the Sami Parliament's approval and full compensation.

 

CONCLUSION: NORWAY DESERVES A VISION WORTHY OF ITS POTENTIAL

Norway is an extraordinary country. It has natural resources, human capital, social trust, and financial resources that most nations can only dream of. It has a democratic system that, despite its flaws, represents one of the most well-functioning governance models in the world.

And yet: it is not enough to manage what exists. The climate crisis, the technological upheaval, demographic change, and the erosion of democracy require something more than incremental adjustments. They require courage — courage to speak the truth about what is not working, courage to propose real solutions rather than compromises between interest groups, and courage to trust the people at large.

DDS trusts the people. This program is not a plan to seize power — it is a plan to give power back to those to whom it belongs: to Norwegian citizens, to the community, to future generations, and to the nature that sustains us all.

We invite all Norwegian citizens to read this document critically, to challenge the proposals, to suggest alternatives, and to participate in shaping the final program. Direct democracy begins with this: a program that the people themselves own.

Norway can be not just a rich country — but a fair, innovative, democratic and sustainable country. That is our ambition. That is our commitment.

DirectDemocracyS

public.directdemocracys.org

“The people decide — always.”