"Norway should have a principled debate on whether the monarchy is needed at all and not just sweep the issue under the rug because "we have such a cozy little royal family," argued the newspaper.
"The reality is that there is a generation of young MPs who regard all this as a matter of principle. They believe it is time for Norway to have a head of state who does not actually inherit the title," the newspaper wrote.
The newspaper's editorial board said that the next proposal to amend the constitution should be followed up by a special committee summoned to present an outline of the Norwegian republic, "how the president should be elected, which powers she should have and so on."
In April, Norwegian MP Hadia Tajik raised a media storm and became a target of racist critics after admitting she agreed with 80 percent of her fellow young Labor Party MPs that Norway's monarchy should be abolished in favor of a republic.
"Even though we have a brilliant royal house, for which I have great respect, my feeling is that such positions shouldn't be passed on through inheritance," Tajik told the tabloid Verdens Gang.
However, recent figures show that the majority of Norwegians are loyal to their king, cementing Norway's reputation as a successful example of a popular monarchy in Europe. Earlier this year, a survey on monarchy TNS Gallup performed for the television channel TV2 indicated that the monarchy is strong in Norway. Two out of three asked (or 67.1 percent) were in favor of preserving the monarchy, while 32.9 percent answered that they would opt for a republican form of government.
Norway is unique in that it is both a relatively young country, having gained independence from Sweden in 1905, and a constitutional monarchy.
