mellantinget

Mellantinget is a term used in Danish and Norwegian contexts to refer to an intermediate or between-sessions assembly within a legislative or governance process. The word combines mell-, meaning between, with tinget, the assembly or parliament, the latter tracing back to Old Norse governance terminology.

Historically, the concept appears in scholarly discussions of medieval Norse law and later constitutional practice as a description for meetings that occur between formal sessions of a legislative body. Such gatherings were often intended for agenda setting, negotiation, or preparatory work that would precede a plenary session.

In modern usage, mellantinget is not a common official term and is encountered mainly in historical writing or in descriptions of specific events. When used, it typically denotes informal, ad hoc, or preparatory meetings among lawmakers, party leaders, or committees that take place between official sessions rather than in the formal proceedings themselves.

Translations into English generally render it as “the intermediate meeting” or “intermediate assembly.” The concept relates to broader practices such as interparliamentary conferences, preparatory committees, or mid-session consultations, which serve to coordinate positions and agenda items ahead of formal decisions.

See also: interparliamentary conferences, preparatory committees, mid-session consultations.