Despite the fact that it never managed to get more than 2.5% of the vote and failed to elect even one candidate to the Storting, it became a factor by polarising the political scene.

He claimed that Germany was simply offering Norway "peaceful help" after the Allies mined Norwegian waters, but Prime Minister Johan Nygaardsvold had "irresponsibly fled.

[15] After a brief period with a civilian caretaker government (Administrasjonsrådet) appointed by the Supreme Court, the Germans took control through Reichskommissar Josef Terboven.

However, the party leader, Quisling, was controversial in Norway as well as among the occupiers, and was denied a formal position until 1 February 1942, when he became "minister president" of the "national government".

The NS administration had a certain amount of autonomy in purely civilian matters, but it was in reality controlled by Reichskommissar Terboven as "head of state", subordinate only to Adolf Hitler.

[16] The authorities executed Quisling for treason as well as a few other high-profile NS members, and prominent German officials in Norway, for war crimes.

[17] After the war, Hamsun was, however, deemed mentally unfit to stand trial, and the issue of his links to the party has never been properly resolved.