Although the constitution nominally vested Olav with executive power, he was not responsible for exercising it. His acts were not valid without the countersignature of a minister–usually the Prime Minister–who then became politically responsible for the act in question. He had the right to appoint the government, but in practice it was not possible for him to keep a government in office against the will of the Storting. Thus, in practice, his role was mostly representative and ceremonial in nature. Nonetheless, like his father before him, he commanded great moral authority as a symbol of the nation's unity.