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The Andra kammaren (lit. Second Chamber) was the ''Information Please Almanac, Atlas and Yearbook''
Volume 24, Dan Golenpaul, McGraw-Hill, 1970, page 358 Both chambers had the same powers. At the last general election in 1968, the
From 1867 to 1904, sessions of the Andra kammaren took place in the Old Parliament House on the island of
lower house
A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...
of the bicameral
Bicameralism is a type of legislature, one divided into two separate assemblies, chambers, or houses, known as a bicameral legislature. Bicameralism is distinguished from unicameralism, in which all members deliberate and vote as a single grou ...
Riksdag
The Riksdag (, ; also sv, riksdagen or ''Sveriges riksdag'' ) is the legislature and the supreme decision-making body of Sweden. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been a unicameral legislature with 349 members (), elected proportionally and se ...
of Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
between 1866 and 1970 that replaced the Riksdag of the Estates
Riksdag of the Estates ( sv, Riksens ständer; informally sv, Ståndsriksdagen) was the name used for the Estates of Sweden when they were assembled. Until its dissolution in 1866, the institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to t ...
. The upper house
An upper house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house.''Bicameralism'' (1997) by George Tsebelis The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smalle ...
was the Första kammaren
The Första kammaren (literally "First Chamber", often abbreviated 'FK') was the upper house of the bicameral Riksdag of Sweden between 1866 and 1970 that replaced the Riksdag of the Estates. During the bicameral period, the lower house of the Rik ...
.
At the time of its abolition the chamber had 233 members, who were elected for four-year terms of office by men and women over the age of twenty.Volume 24, Dan Golenpaul, McGraw-Hill, 1970, page 358 Both chambers had the same powers. At the last general election in 1968, the
Social Democrats
Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote so ...
received more than half the votes.
Early composition
Until 1916, the Andra kammaren was composed of 230 members, elected by popular vote. Members of the chamber served for three-year terms and were typically sworn in during September of the election year, except in the case of mid-term appointments, for which solemnization was immediate; members of the chamber appointed midway through a term finished out that term and then were required to achieve re-election at the regular interval to retain their seat.Changes after increased voter enfranchisement
1916 saw significant changes to regulations governing elections and the compositions of Sweden's legislature.Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in representative democracy, public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally i ...
was extended, with all men aged 24 and older allowed to vote, with certain exceptions for those who were in poor legal or financial standing with the state. Membership in the chamber itself was also opened up, with all male citizens who met the eligibility standards to vote capable of attaining a seat of equal standing within the lower chamber. In 1924, the right to vote for and stand in the second chamber was extended to women, provided that they were Swedish citizens who were over the age of 23 by the year the election took place. In 1970, as a part of broader governmental reforms, the two houses of the Riksdag were merged into a unicameral body, initially of 350 members.
Location
From 1867 to 1904, sessions of the Andra kammaren took place in the Old Parliament House on the island of Riddarholmen
Riddarholmen (, "The Knights' Islet") is a small islet in central Stockholm, Sweden. The island forms part of Gamla Stan, the old town, and houses a number of private palaces dating back to the 17th century. The main landmark is the church Riddarho ...
, where both the upper and lower chamber had their own hall. In 1905, the chamber moved to new facilities in the newly constructed Parliament House on the island of Helgeandsholmen
Helgeandsholmen () is a small island in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is located north of Stadsholmen, and east of Strömsborg, with which, together with Riddarholmen, it forms Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm. Helgeandsholmen contains the Rik ...
. The ornate furnishings of the new hall included fine wood paneling with three noteworthy frescoes ( ''"Landscape with Beacons"'', ''"Torgny Judge at the Thing in Uppsala"'', and ''"Engelbrekt at the head of the peasant army"'') added in 1913 by the artist Axel Törneman
Johan Axel Gustaf Törneman (28 October 1880 – 26 December 1925) was one of Sweden's earliest modernist painters. Born in Persberg, Värmland, in Sweden, he grew to work in several modernist styles, was one of the first Swedish expressionist ...
. The second chamber's facilities continue to serve in various ceremonial capacities, including hosting the annual Right Livelihood Award
The Right Livelihood Award is an international award to "honour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today." The prize was established in 1980 by German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob v ...
ceremony.
See also
*History of the Riksdag
The Riksdag is the national legislature of Sweden. However, when it was founded in 1866 Sweden did not have a parliamentary system of government.
The national legislatures of Estonia and Finland are also called Riksdag in Swedish.
The Old Ri ...
Literature
* ''Little encyclopaedia'', publisher: Nordic AB, Malmö 1974, page 8, column 139 ff. * ''Foreign political systems'', Oxford University Press 1995, Rutger Lindahl (ed.)References
{{reflist Defunct lower houses 20th century in Sweden Legislative buildings in Europe Political history of Sweden 1866 establishments in Sweden Politics of Sweden Members of the Riksdag 2002–2006 Riksdag