Norwegian government resigns

OSLO - Norwegian King Harald V accepted on Monday the resignation of the government led by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

The coalition government of Stoltenberg's Labor Party and two other left-centre parties, who lost the majority in the September parliamentary election, was asked to stay as the caretaker pending a new government is formed.

King Harald V is has asked Conservative party leader Erna Solberg to form a new government for the coming four years.

The Conservatives and three other centre-right parties together won 96 seats in the 169-seated parliament in the election held on September 9.

The Conservatives and the Progress party have agreed to form a coalition government with promised support in parliament from the Social Democratics and the Liberals.

Solberg is scheduled to present her government on Wednesday noon after a cabinet meeting.

"The new government will be appointed in the extraordinary meeting on Wednesday, with effect from noon the same day," said Solberg.

Stoltenberg said that his Labor party will cooperate with other parties in parliament.

After being the prime minister for eight years, Stoltenberg said on Monday that he is looking forward to driving a car alone with his wife, without the security people around him.