A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 15 September 1997. Before the election, Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland of the Labour Party, decleared that the government would step down unless it gained 36,9 per cent of the vote, the percentage gained by the Labour Party in 1993 under Gro Harlem Brundtland (, under the heading 'political conditions'). While Labour won a plurality of seats, they were unable to reach Jagland's 36,9 % threshold, gaining 35 % of the vote. As a result of this, the Labour government stepped down, being replaced by a centrist coalition of the Christian People's Party, Liberal Party and the Centre Party, with Kjell Magne Bondevik being appointed Prime Minister.

Results

9.0

15

5.8

12

0.8

5

0.6

1

Party	Vote		Seats
	%	±	total	±
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	35.0	−1.9	65	−2
Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	15.3	align="right"
25	align="right"
Christian People's Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	13.7	align="right"
25	align="right"
Conservative Party (Høyre)	14.3	−2.7	23	−5
Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	7.9	−8.8	11	−21
Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	6.0	−1.9	9	−4
Liberal Party (Venstre)	4.5	align="right"
6	align="right"
Red Electoral Alliance (Rød Valgallianse)	1.7	align="right"
0	-1
Others	1.6		1¹	align="right"
Total	100%		165

¹This seat was won by a cross-political list, which in 1999 gathered to form The Coastal Party (Kystpartiet).

External links

• Results by district from Adam Carr's Election Archive