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The Constitution of Sweden the Fundamental Laws and the Riksdag Act

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The Constitution of Sweden the Fundamental Laws and the Riksdag Act 2012 The Constitution of Sweden The Fundamental Laws and the Riksdag Act The Constitution of Sweden The Constitution of Sweden 2012 5IFNBKPSJUZPGEFNPDSBUJDDPVOUSJFTIBWFBXSJUUFO DPOTUJUVUJPOXIJDISFHVMBUFTIPXTPDJFUZTIBMMCF HPWFSOFE4XFEFOIBTGPVSGVOEBNFOUBMMBXTUIF *OTUSVNFOUPG(PWFSONFOU UIF"DUPG4VDDFTTJPO UIF 'SFFEPNPGUIF1SFTT"DUBOEUIF'VOEBNFOUBM-BX PO'SFFEPNPG&YQSFTTJPO5IFTFFTUBCMJTIBNPOH PUIFSUIJOHTIPXQBSMJBNFOUBOEHPWFSONFOUBSFUPCF BQQPJOUFEBOEIPXUIFZTIBMMGVODUJPO5IFGVOEBNFOUBM MBXTBMTPJODMVEFQSPUFDUJPOGPSDJUJ[FOTSJHIUTBOE GSFFEPNT Act and the Riksdag The Fundamental Laws 5IFPSHBOJTBUJPOBOEXPSLJOHQSPDFEVSFTPGUIF 3JLTEBH UIF4XFEJTI1BSMJBNFOU BSFSFHVMBUFEJONPSF Tryck: Riksdagstryckeriet, Stockholm september 2011 EFUBJMJOUIF3JLTEBH"DU XIJDIPDDVQJFTBOJOUFSNFEJBUF QPTJUJPOCFUXFFOGVOEBNFOUBMMBXBOEPSEJOBSZMBX The Constitution of SwedenSFQSPEVDFTUIFMBXUFYUTJO UIFJSFOUJSFUZJO&OHMJTIUSBOTMBUJPO BTPG+BOVBSZ XIFODPNQSFIFOTJWFBNFOENFOUTUPUIF*OTUSVNFOU PG(PWFSONFOUDBNFJOUPGPSDF*UBMTPDPOUBJOTBO JOUSPEVDUJPOEFTDSJCJOHUIF4XFEJTIGPSNPGHPWFSONFOU BOEIPXJUEFWFMPQFE THE SWEDISH PARLIAMENT 4WFSJHFTSJLTEBH t 4&4UPDLIPMN t t XXXSJLTEBHFOTF (165 mm) (165 mm) (13 mm) The Constitution of Sweden THE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS AND THE RIKSDAG ACT With an introduction by Magnus Isberg revised by the Information Department 2012 THE SWEDISH PARLIAMENT Published by Sveriges Riksdag, 2012 SE-100 12 Stockholm, Sweden Tel: +46 8 786 40 00 www.riksdagen.se ISBN: 978-91-86673-25-3 Contents Foreword .............................................................................................7 The development of constitutional law in Sweden...........................9 Why do we have a constitution?.......................................................9 A look back at history.....................................................................11 Constitutional developments after the Second World War............17 A new Instrument of Government and a new Riksdag Act ........17 Further work on the Constitution................................................19 Full review of the Instrument of Government ............................23 New fundamental laws for the freedom of expression................26 The principal content of the fundamental laws and the Riksdag Act .........................................................................28 The Instrument of Government (IG)...............................................28 Basic principles of the form of government................................28 Fundamental rights and freedoms...............................................32 The Riksdag ................................................................................39 The Head of State .......................................................................41 The Government .........................................................................42 Acts of law and other provisions ................................................45 Financial power...........................................................................49 International agreements and transfers of power ........................51 Administration of justice and public administration...................55 Parliamentary control..................................................................57 Local authorities..........................................................................60 War and the danger of war..........................................................61 The Riksdag Act (RA)....................................................................62 Riksdag sessions .........................................................................63 The Speaker and the Riksdag Board...........................................63 Meetings of the Chamber............................................................64 Introduction of business..............................................................65 Preparation of business ...............................................................66 Settlement of business.................................................................68 Staff and administration..............................................................69 The Act of Succession ....................................................................69 The Freedom of the Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression......................................................70 The freedom to produce and disseminate information................70 The principle of exclusivity ........................................................71 Ban on censorship and other obstacles .......................................71 News sources ..............................................................................72 Liability rules..............................................................................74 Select bibliography .....................................................................77 The Instrument of Government ......................................................80 Chapter 1. Basic principles of the form of government..................80 Chapter 2. Fundamental rights and freedoms .................................81 Chapter 3. The Riksdag ..................................................................89 Chapter 4. The work of the Riksdag...............................................92 Chapter 5. The Head of State..........................................................95 Chapter 6. The Government ...........................................................96 Chapter 7. The work of the Government ........................................98 Chapter 8. Acts of law and other provisions...................................99 Chapter 9. Financial power...........................................................105 Chapter 10. International relations................................................108 Chapter 11. Administration of justice...........................................111 Chapter 12. Administration ..........................................................114 Chapter 13. Parliamentary control................................................116 Chapter 14. Local authorities........................................................119 Chapter 15. War and danger of war..............................................119 Transitional provisions .................................................................124 The Riksdag Act .............................................................................127 Chapter 1. Sessions.......................................................................127 Chapter 2. Meetings of the Chamber ............................................131 Chapter 3. Introduction of business..............................................139 Chapter 4. Preparation of business ...............................................148 Chapter 5. Settlement of business.................................................164 Chapter 6. Interpellations and questions to ministers ...................172 Chapter 7. General provisions concerning elections within the Riksdag ........................................................................175 Chapter 8. Certain bodies and officials.........................................184 Chapter 9. Provisions concerning personnel and administration..192 Chapter 10. Conduct of European Union business.......................195 Transitional provisions .................................................................202 The Act of Succession.....................................................................203 The Freedom of the Press Act .......................................................206 Chapter 1. On the freedom of the press ........................................206 Chapter 2. On the public nature of official documents.................209 Chapter 3. On the right to anonymity ...........................................215 Chapter 4. On the production of printed matter............................218 Chapter 5. On the publication of periodicals ................................219 Chapter 6. On the dissemination of printed matter .......................223 Chapter 7. On offences against the freedom of the press .............224 Chapter 8. Liability rules ..............................................................230 Chapter 9. On supervision and prosecution..................................233 Chapter 10. On special coercive measures ...................................234 Chapter 11. On private claims for damages..................................236 Chapter 12. On court proceedings in freedom of the press cases .237 Chapter 13. On matter printed abroad etc.....................................241 Chapter 14. General provisions ....................................................243 Transitional provisions .................................................................244 The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression ....................245 Chapter 1. Basic provisions ..........................................................245 Chapter 2. On the right to anonymity ...........................................250 Chapter 3. On transmission, production and dissemination .........252 Chapter 4. On responsible editors.................................................257 Chapter 5. On freedom of expression offences.............................258 Chapter 6. Liability rules ..............................................................260 Chapter 7. On supervision, prosecution and special coercive measures.............................................................261 Chapter 8. On damages.................................................................264
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