Between 1 October 2009 and 30 September 2013, the Parliament of Norway consisted of 169 members from 7 parties and 19 constituencies, elected during the Norwegian parliamentary election, 2009 on 13 and 14 September. The Red-Green Coalition, consisting of the Labour Party (64 members), the Socialist Left Party (11 members) and the Centre Party (11 members) resumed its major, allowing Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet to continue. The majority cabinet lasted the entire session until the 2013 election. The opposition consisted of four parties: the Progress Party (41 members), the Conservative Party (30 members), the Christian Democratic Party (10 members) and the Liberal Party (2 members).
Members of the Parliament of Norway are elected based on party-list proportional representation in plural member constituencies. This means that representatives from different political parties are elected from 19 constituencies, which are identical to the 19 counties. The electorate does not vote for individuals but rather for party lists, with a ranked list of candidates nominated by the party. This means that the person on top of the list will get the seat unless the voter alters the ballot. Parties may nominate candidates from outside their own constituency, and even Norwegian citizens currently living abroad.