Facts about Sweden: Government sweden.se

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 every make up the Constitution: the Instrument four years, with the latest one held in Sep- of Government, the Act of Succession, the tember 2018. Around 7.5 million people are Freedom of the Press Act and the Funda­ entitled to vote and there­by influence which mental Law on Freedom of Expression. political party will represent them in the Among other things, the Instrument of Riksdag (the Swedish parliament), regional Government guarantees citizens the right councils and mu­nic­­ipalities. People can also to obtain information freely, hold demon- influence Swedish politics in other ways – strations, form political parties and practise by taking part in referendums, joining a their religion. political party or commenting on reports The Act of Succession regulates the right pres­ented by the government. of members of the House of Bernadotte to accede to the Swedish throne. The Swedish Constitution The Freedom of the Press Act sets out The Swedish Constitution defines how the principle of public access to official All public power in Sweden Sweden is governed. It regulates the re- documents in order to guarantee an open proceeds from the people, and the Riksdag is the lationships between decision-making and society with access to information about the foremost representative executive power, and the basic rights and work of the Riksdag, the government and of the people. freedoms of citizens. Four fundamental laws public agencies. This law allows people to Photo: Johnér/Plattform Facts about Sweden: Government sweden.se

study official documents whenever they Freedom of the Press Act, in regards to the wish. Another principle in the Freedom of prohibition of censorship, the freedom to DID YOU KNOW? the Press Act is the freedom to communicate communicate information and the right to information. Under this principle, everyone anonymity. Freedom of the press in Sweden is entitled to give information to Sweden's Freedom of the Press Act the media that they consider important and Fundamental rights dates back to 1766. Sweden was that they feel should be made public. The To amend a fundamental law, the Riksdag the first country in the world to publisher of the material is not entitled to must pass the amendment on two separate write freedom of the press into the con­stitution. reveal the source if the individual in question occasions, separated by a parliamentary wishes to remain anonymous. election. The fundamental laws take prece- Photo: Mona Loose/imagebank.sweden.se The Law on Freedom of Expression, which dence over all other statutes and no law may came into force in 1992, largely mirrors the contravene the Constitution. Photo: Frank Chmura/Nordicphotos

Foreign policy Throughout the 20th century, Swedish foreign policy was based on the principle of non-alignment in peacetime and neutrality in wartime. Since 1995 Sweden has been a mem- ber of the European Union, and as a consequence of a new global security situation, Sweden has modified its foreign policy doctrine, The Riksdag has 349 members who are chosen by Sweden’s citizens every four years in general elections. including playing a more active role in European security cooperation.

Major UN contributor Sweden's parliamentary system Sweden is one of the largest contribu- tors to the United Nations and one of The Riksdag makes the decisions and the government implements them. The govern- the few countries to meet the UN’s ment also submits proposals for new laws or law amendments to the Riksdag. aid target of 0.7 per cent of GNI (gross national income). Sweden became The 349-member Riksdag is Sweden's par- The eight parties currently represented a member of the UN in 1946, and liament and as such the country's primary in the Riksdag are (in order of percentage active involvement in the UN has representative forum. The entire Riksdag is share, from largest to smallest): the Social been central to Swedish foreign chosen by direct elections based on suffrage Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna), policy ever since. for all Swedish citizens aged 18 or over who the Moderate Party (Moderaterna), the are, or previously have been, residents of Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna), National referendums Sweden. Since 1971, Sweden has had a uni- the Centre Party (Centerpartiet), the Left To date, six national referendums cameral (one-chamber) Riksdag. Party (Vänsterpartiet), the Christian Demo- have been held in Sweden. These General elections to the Riksdag are held crats (Kristdemokraterna), the Liberal polls are consultative in character and on the second Sunday of September every Party (Liberalerna), and the Green Party the Riksdag may reach decisions that four years. Eligibility to serve in the Riksdag (Miljöpartiet de gröna). run counter to their outcome. This has only happened on one occasion, requires Swedish citizenship and the attain- Appoints the prime minister ment of voting age. All elections employ in 1955, when a referendum was held The government governs the country but the principle of proportional representation, on the introduction of right-hand is accountable to the Riksdag. The Riksdag to ensure that seats are distributed among traffic. The Swedish people voted appoints a prime minister, who is tasked with the political parties in proportion to the votes against it but the government chose forming a government. The prime minister cast for them across the country as a whole. to introduce it nonetheless. personally chooses the ministers to make up Sweden’s last two referendums: Four per cent required the cabinet and also decides which ministers There is one exception to the rule of full will be in charge of the various ministries. 1994: Membership of the EU national proportionality: a party must Together, the prime minister and the cabinet Result: Yes receive at least 4 per cent of all votes in ministers form the government. Under the 2003: Introduction of the euro the election to gain representation in the Constitution, the government – not the head Result: No Riksdag, a rule designed to prevent very of state (the monarch) – is empowered to small parties from getting in. make governmental decisions. Facts about Sweden: Government sweden.se

Ministers usually represent the politi­cal The government is assisted in this task by party or parties in power. In many cases, the government offices and some 350 gov- LEARN MORE they have a seat in the Riksdag, which they ernment agencies. The cabinet as a whole retain during their period in the cabinet, is responsible for all government decisions. History of Swedish elections although an alternate takes over the duties Although many routine matters are in 2019: The Social Democratic Party and of a Riksdag member appointed to cabinet. practice decided by individual ministers and the Green Party form a govern­­ment in In other words, a cabinet minister must ab- only formally approved by the government, January, following a lengthy process. stain from voting in the Riksdag. All ministers the principle of collective responsibility is The election was held in Sep­tember are, however, entitled to participate in par­ reflected in all governmental work. 2018. liamentary debates. 2014: A minority left-of-centre As part of its official functions, the govern- At the official opening of the Riksdag each coalition takes over after the Alliance. ment: September, the prime minister de­livers a • Presents bills to the Riksdag 2010: The ruling centre-right Alliance Statement of Government Policy. In it she or • Implements Riksdag decisions beats the left-of-centre coalition, but he presents the government’s policy goals • Allocates the funds appropriated by the without gaining an outright majority. for the coming year and defines priority Riksdag for expenditure on items in the 2006: The non-socialist parties form policy areas at national and inter­national budget a four-party coalition government levels. • Represents Sweden in the EU called the Alliance. The government at work • Enters into agreements with other states 2002 and 1998: The Social Democrats The government rules Sweden by imple- • Takes decisions in certain admin­istrative remain in office after both elections, menting the decisions of the Riksdag and by areas not covered by other authorities but in order to implement their formulating new laws or law amendments, • Directs the activities and operations of policies, they are forced to form on which the Riksdag decides. the executive branch. a parliamentary alliance with the Left Party and the Green Party. 1994: The Social Democrats form a new minority government. Starting

Photo: Johnér from this year, general elections in Local and Sweden are held every four years instead of three. 1991: A non-socialist minority govern- regional ment of the Moderates, Liberals, the Centre Party and Christian Democrats administration is formed. 1988 and 1985: The Social Democrats Sweden has three levels of remain in power after both elections. domestic government: national, 1982: The non-socialist parties lose regional and local. In addition, their majority and a Social Democratic the European level has become minority government is formed. increasingly important since 1979: The non-socialist parties retain their parliamentary major­ity, and Sweden joined the EU in 1995. a new three-party govern­ment is The regional level formed. In the spring of 1981, the Mod- erate Party leaves the government. Sweden is divided into 21 regions, with po- litical tasks at this level undertaken by the 1976: The Social Democrats are de- regional councils. The regional councils are feated by a coalition consisting of the responsible for overseeing tasks that cannot Centre Party, the Moderates and the Liberal Party. be handled at the local level by municipalities but which rather require coordination across 1932–1976: The Social Demo­crats a larger region, most notably healthcare. rule without inter­ruption, except for The regional councils are entitled to levy a period of 109 days in 1936 when income taxes to cover their costs. At the Sweden has an interim government. regional level there are also regional boards, the government bodies for the regions. Three elections – three ballots.

The local level Sweden is divided into 290 municipalities, significant latitude in deciding what services acts and court decisions that constitute the each with an elected assembly or council. they should offer. They are however legally cumulative body of European Union law. Municipalities are responsible for a broad obliged to provide certain basic services. Sweden takes part in the decision-making range of facilities and services including pro­­cess when new common rules are drafted housing, roads, water supply and waste-­ The European level and approved. The Swedish Government water processing, schools, public welfare, On entering the EU in 1995, Sweden ac­­quired represents Sweden in the European Council elderly care and childcare. The municipali- a further level of government: the European of Ministers, which is the EU’s principal ties are entitled to levy income taxes on level. As a member of the European Union, decision-making body. Some issues previ- individuals. They also charge for various Sweden is subject to the EU acquis commu- ously decided by the Riksdag are nowadays services. As a result, municipalities have nautaire – the accu­mulated legislation, legal decided at the EU level. Facts about Sweden: Government sweden.se

A change of alliances LEARN MORE Sweden’s 2018 general election proved a close affair that required Democratic foundations 129 days of a caretaker government. The Social Democrats and Green In Sweden, parliamentary democ­racy evolved during the earliest decades Party eventually formed a minority government. of the 20th century. Voting rights reforms in 1909 cre­ated universal Photo: Melker Dahlstrand/Riksdagen.se male suffrage and introduced pro- portional elections. In 1919, universal suffrage was formally extended to women. After World War II, democ- racy became the wholly dominant concept in Swedish politics.

Head of state The monarch occupying the Swedish throne under the Act of Succession is the country’s head of state. King Carl XVI Gustaf, Sweden's head of state since 1973, exer­cises no political power and does not participate in political life. As head of state, he is the rep­re­sentative of the country as a whole, and in that capacity performs mainly cere­monial duties Social Democrat Stefan Löfven was re-appointed prime minister of Sweden after the 2018 elections. and functions. The monarch’s duties include chairing meetings of the Since the 1990s, two blocs have dominated With neither bloc holding a majority Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs. Swedish politics: a left led by the Social (175 seats) and parties on both wings refus- The Parliamentary Democrats, and a right led by the Moderate ing to collaborate with the Sweden Demo- Ombudsmen Party. But in the 2018 September election, crats, political uncertainty ensued. After the Sweden Democrats gained significant prime minister Stefan Löfven lost a vote of The Parliamentary Ombudsmen are appointed by the Riksdag to ensure ground to become Sweden’s third-largest no-­confidence, the Riksdag Speaker asked that public authorities and their party, which would result in new alliances. leaders of the Moderate Party, then the staff comply with the laws and other Centre Party, and finally the Social Democrats No bloc majority statutes governing their actions. to form a government, but none succeeded. The incumbent minority government www.jo.se of the Social Democrats and Green Party, Policy agreement with support from the Left Party, combined In January 2019, the Social Democrats Local governments for 144 of the 349 mandates. The so-called and Green Party struck a policy agreement The Swedish Association of Local Alliance – the Moderate Party, Centre Party, with the Liberal and Centre parties from Authorities and Regions (SALAR) Liberal Party and Christian Democrats – the dissolved Alliance bloc. Through this represents and advocates for local totalled 143, with the Sweden Democrats compromise, a Social Democratic-Green government in Sweden, with the securing 62. government was formed. country’s municipalities and regions as its members. SALAR strives to strengthen local self-government and the development of regional Useful links and local democracy. www.skr.se www.government.se Government and the government offices of Sweden www.riksdagen.se The Riksdag – Sweden's parliament

Copyright: Published by the Swedish Institute. May 2020. FS 1.

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