Decline in marriages continues in 2018
Not since 1994 have so few marriages been entered into as in 2018. In total, 20,785 marriages were entered into in Norway last year, which is 6 per cent lower than in 2017.
In 2017, the figure was 22,111, and in 2016, 22,537 marriages were entered into in Norway. Marriage figures have fallen almost every year over the past ten years. Preliminary figures from the National Population Register show that the decline continued in 2018, NRK reports.
“I don’t think we should interpret it as people say no to family life. It also suggests that what people see as family life is something much wider than marriage,” says Professor Tone Hellesund of the University of Bergen. She has researched various family forms.
From January 2018, the responsibility for civil marriages was transferred to the municipalities. Previously, the district court was responsible for the ceremonies. It was expected that the number of civil weddings would increase, but this is not the case.
A total of 7,650 couples chose civil marriage in 2018, a slight decrease from 7,824 in 2017.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
