FACTS ABOUT | GOVERNMENT sweden.se PHOTO: JOHNÉR/PLATTFORM

All public power in Sweden proceeds from the people, and the is the foremost representative of the people.

THE SWEDISH SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT

All public power proceeds from the people. This is the foundation of parliamentary democracy in Sweden. Everyone has the same rights, the same opportunity to have their say, and everyone is free to scrutinise how the politicians and public agencies exercise their power.

In Sweden, general elections are held Press Act and the Fundamental Law on to the media that they consider impor- every four years, with the latest one held Freedom of Expression. Among other tant and that they feel should be made in September 2014. Around 7 million things, the Instrument of Government public. The publisher of the material is people are entitled to vote and thereby­ guarantees citizens the right to obtain not entitled to reveal the source if the influence which will rep- information freely, hold demonstrations, individual in question wishes to remain resent them in the Riksdag (the Swedish form political parties and practise their anonymous. Parliament), county councils and munici- religion. The Law on Freedom of Expression, palities. People can also influence Swed- The Act of Succession regulates the right which came into force in 1992, largely ish politics in other ways – by taking part of members of the House of Bernadotte mirrors the Freedom of the Press Act, in in referendums, joining a political party to accede to the Swedish throne. regards to the of censorship, or commenting on reports presented by The Freedom of the Press Act sets the freedom to communicate informa- the Government. out the principle of public access to of- tion and the right to anonymity. ficial documents in order to guarantee The Swedish Constitution an open society with access to informa- Fundamental rights The Swedish Constitution defines how tion about the work of the Riksdag, the To amend a fundamental law, the Sweden is governed. It regulates the Government and public agencies. This Riksdag must pass the amendment on relationships between decision-making law allows people to study official docu- two separate occasions, separated by and executive power, and the basic ments whenever they wish. Another a parliamentary election. The fundamen- rights and freedoms of citizens. Four principle in the Freedom of the Press Act tal laws take precedence over all other fundamental laws make up the Constitu- is the freedom to communicate informa- statutes and no law may contravene tion: the Instrument of Government, the tion. Under this principle, everyone in the Constitution. n Act of Succession, the Freedom of the Sweden is entitled to give information FACTS ABOUT SWEDEN | GOVERNMENT sweden.se PHOTO: FRANK CHMURA/NORDICPHOTOS DID YOU KNOW? PHOTO: ULF HUETT NILSSON/JOHNÉR

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS Sweden was the first country in the world to introduce freedom of press, in 1766.

The Riksdag has 349 members who are chosen by Sweden’s citizens every four years in general elections. MAJOR UN CONTRIBUTOR Sweden is one of the largest con- tributors to the United Nations and one of the few countries to meet the THE RIKSDAG – REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE UN’s aid target of 0.7 per cent of GNI (gross national income). Sweden be- The Riksdag makes the decisions and the Government implements came a member of the UN in 1946 and active involvement in the UN them. The Government also submits proposals for new laws or has been central to Swedish foreign law amendments to the Riksdag. policy ever since.

The 349-member Riksdag is Sweden’s (Centerpartiet), the (Vänsterpar- primary representative forum. The entire tiet), the Liberal Party (Folkpartiet) and the FOREIGN POLICY Riksdag is chosen by direct elections based Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna). Throughout the 20th century, on suffrage for all Swedish citizens aged 18 Swedish foreign policy was based or over who are, or previously have been, Appoints the Prime Minister on the principle of non-alignment residents of Sweden. Since 1971, Sweden The Government governs the country in peacetime and neutrality in wartime. Since 1995 Sweden has has had a unicameral (one-chamber) but is accountable to the Riksdag. The been a member of the European Riksdag. Riksdag appoints a Prime Minister, who Union, and as a consequence of General elections to the Riksdag are held is tasked with forming a Government. a new global security situation, on the third Sunday of September every The Prime Minister personally chooses Sweden has modified its foreign four years. Eligibility to serve in the Riksdag the ministers to make up the Cabinet and policy doctrine, including playing a more active role in European requires Swedish citizenship and the attain- also decides which ministers will be in security cooperation. ment of . All elections employ the charge of the various ministries. Together, principle of proportional representation, to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet minis- ensure that seats are distributed among the ters form the Government. Under the NATIONAL REFERENDUMS political parties in proportion to the votes Constitution, the Government – not the A total of six national referendums cast for them across the country as a whole. head of state (the monarch) – is empow- have been held in Sweden. These ered to make governmental decisions. polls are consultative in character Four per cent required Ministers usually represent the political­ and the Riksdag may reach deci- There is one exception to the rule of full na- party or parties in power. In many cases, sions that run counter to their out- tional proportionality: a party must receive they have a seat in the Riksdag, which come. This has only happened on one occasion, in 1955, when a at least 4 per cent of all votes in the election they retain during their period in the referendum was held on the intro- to gain representation in the Riksdag, a rule Cabinet, although an alternate takes duction of right-hand traffic. The designed to prevent very small parties from over the duties of a Riksdag member Swedish people voted against getting in. appointed to Cabinet. In other words, it but the Government chose to There are currently eight parties repre- a Cabinet minister must abstain from introduce it nonetheless. sented in the Riksdag (in order of percentage­­ voting in the Riksdag. All ministers are, Sweden’s last two referendums: share, from largest to smallest): the Social however, entitled to participate in par­ 1994: Membership of the EU Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna), the liamentary debates. Result: Yes (Moderaterna), the Sweden At the official opening of the Riksdag 2003: Introduction of the euro Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna), the each September, the Prime Minister de­ Result: No (Miljöpartiet), the livers a Statement of Government Policy. „ 2 | FACTS ABOUT SWEDEN | GOVERNMENT sweden.se

LEARN MORE „ In it he presents the Government’s policy principle of collective responsibility is re- goals for the coming year and defines flected in all governmental work. As part HISTORY OF SWEDISH priority policy areas at national and inter­ of its official functions, the Government: ELECTIONS national levels. • Presents bills to the Riksdag • Implements Riksdag decisions

2014: A minority left-of-centre The Government at work • Allocates the funds appropriated by coalition takes over after the The Government rules Sweden by imple- the Riksdag for expenditure on items . menting the decisions of the Riksdag and by in the budget 2010: The ruling centre-right formulating new laws or law amendments, • Represents Sweden in the EU Alliance beats the left-of-centre on which the Riksdag decides. • Enters into agreements with other coalition, but fails to gain an The Government is assisted in this task by states outright majority. the Government Offices and some 360 gov- • Takes decisions in certain administra- 2006: The non-socialist parties ernment agencies. The Cabinet as a whole tive areas not covered by other au- form a four-party coalition gov- is responsible for all Government decisions. thorities ernment called the Alliance. Although many routine matters are in prac- • Directs the activities and operations of 2002 and 1998: The Social tice decided by individual ministers and only the executive branch. n Democrats remain in office after formally approved by the Government, the both elections, but in order to implement their policies are forced to form a parliamentary alliance with the Left Party and LOCAL AND REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION the Green Party. 1994: The Social Democrats Sweden has three levels of domestic government: national, form a new minority govern- ment. Starting from this year, regional and local. In addition, the European level has become general are increasingly important since Sweden joined the EU in 1995. held every four years instead of three. The regional level The local level 1991: A non-socialist minority At the regional level, Sweden is divided At the local level, Sweden is divided into government of the Moderates, into 20 counties. Political tasks at this level 290 municipalities, each with an elected , the Centre Party and Christian Democrats is formed. are undertaken by the county councils. assembly or council. Municipalities are The county councils are responsible for responsible for a broad range of facilities 1988 and 1985: The Social overseeing tasks that cannot be handled at and services including housing, roads, Democrats remain in power after both elections. the local level by municipalities but which water supply and waste-water process- rather require coordination across a larger ing, schools, public welfare, elderly care 1982: The non-socialist parties lose their majority and a Social , most notably health care. The county and childcare. The municipalities are en- Democratic councils are entitled to levy income taxes titled to levy income taxes on individuals. is formed. to cover their costs. At the regional level They also charge for various services. As

1979: The non-socialist par- there are also county administrative boards, a result, municipalities have significant ties retain their parliamentary the government bodies for the counties. latitude in deciding what services they major­ity, and a new three-party should offer. They are however legally PHOTO: JOHNÉR govern­ment is formed. In the obliged to provide certain basic services. spring of 1981, the Moderate Party leaves the Government. The European level 1976: The Social Democrats On entering the EU in 1995, Sweden are defeated by a coalition con- ac­­quired a further level of government: sisting of the Centre Party, the Moderates and the Liberal Party. the European level. As a member of the , Sweden is subject to 1932–1976: The Social the EU – the accu­ Democrats rule without inter­ ruption, except for a period of mulated legislation, legal acts and court 109 days in 1936 when Sweden decisions that constitute the cumulative has an interim government. body of . Sweden takes part in the decision-making process­­ when new common rules are drafted and approved. The Swedish Government represents Sweden in the of Ministers, which is the EU’s principal decision-making body. Some issues previously decided by the Riksdag Three elections – three ballots. are nowadays decided at the EU level. n 3 | FACTS ABOUT SWEDEN | GOVERNMENT sweden.se

LEARN MORE PHOTO: JANERIK HENRIKSSON/TT

FOUNDATIONS OF SWEDISH DEMOCRACY In Sweden, parliamentary democ­ racy evolved during the earliest de­cades of the 20th century.

Voting rights reforms in 1909 created universal male suffrage and introduced proportional elec- tions. In 1921, universal suffrage was extended to women. After World War II, democracy became the wholly dominant concept in Swedish politics. Social Democrat Stefan Löfven was appointed after the 2014 general elections.

HEAD OF STATE WITHOUT FORMAL POWER THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE The monarch occupying the Swedish throne under the Act Sweden’s general elections in September 2014 saw a minority of Succession is the country’s coalition of Social Democrats and Greens take over after the head of state. centre-right Alliance. King Carl XVI Gustaf, Sweden's head of state since 1973, exer­cises For many decades, the Social Democratic includes the Moderate Party, the Liberal no political power and does not participate in political life. As head Party had a dominant role in Swedish poli- Party, the Centre Party and the Christian of state, he is the rep­re­sentative tics. However, over the past 30 years or so, Democrats, collected 39.4 per cent of the of the country as a whole, and in power has changed hands several times votes. Since Sweden has a system of that capacity performs mainly between the Social Democrats and the negative parliamentarism, meaning that cere­monial duties and functions. ‘non-socialist’ political bloc. a government can stay in power as long The monarch’s duties include chairing meetings of the Advisory In the 2014 general elections, Stefan as it doesn’t have a majority against it, Council on Foreign Affairs. Löfven became prime minister – although the Social Democrats and the Greens could his coalition of Social Democrats and Greens still form a government by themselves. could not gain an absolute majority. The In short, the 2014 elections left Sweden in THE PARLIAMENTARY prime minister’s Social Democratic Party a complicated parliamentary situation. A left- OMBUDSMAN garnered 31 per cent of the votes. Together of-centre minority coalition is in government with the Green Party’s 6.9 per cent, the left- and the far-right are The Parliamentary Ombudsman, of-centre coalition thereby achieved 37.9 in a so-called swing vote position, having commonly known as the Ombuds- n man for Justice (JO), handles per cent. The centre-right Alliance, which gained nearly 13 per cent of the votes. complaints from anyone who feels that he/she, or somebody else, has been wrongly treated by a public authority or a civil servant. USEFUL LINKS The person concerned does not have to be a Swedish citizen or www.government.se Government and the Government Offices of Sweden to be a certain age; even children can lodge a complaint. www.manskligarattigheter.se The Government’s website on human rights www.jo.se www.riksdagen.se The Swedish Parliament – the Riksdag

www.skl.se The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions

Copyright: Published by the Swedish Institute. Updated November 2014 FS 21.

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