The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden ( sv, Konungariket Sveriges regering) is the
national cabinet of
Sweden, and the country's
executive authority
The Executive, also referred as the Executive branch or Executive power, is the term commonly used to describe that part of government which enforces the law, and has overall responsibility for the governance of a state.
In political systems ba ...
.
The Government consists of the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
appointed and dismissed by the
Speaker of the Riksdag (English: "Mr Speaker")
, residence =
, seat = Parliament House
, nominator = Riksdag
, appointer = The Alderman
, termlength = Four years (''de facto'')
, inaugural = Henry Allard
, formation ...
and other
cabinet ministers ( sv, Statsråd), appointed and dismissed at the sole discretion of the Prime Minister. The Government is
responsible for its actions to the Riksdag.
The short-form name ' ("the Government") is used both in the
Basic Laws of Sweden
The Basic Laws of Sweden ( sv, Sveriges grundlagar) are the four constitutional laws of the Kingdom of Sweden that regulate the Swedish political system, acting in a similar manner to the constitutions of most countries.
These four laws are: t ...
and in the vernacular, while the long-form is only used in international treaties.
Organization
The Government operates as a
collegial body with collective responsibility and consists of the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
appointed and dismissed by the
Speaker of the Riksdag (English: "Mr Speaker")
, residence =
, seat = Parliament House
, nominator = Riksdag
, appointer = The Alderman
, termlength = Four years (''de facto'')
, inaugural = Henry Allard
, formation ...
(following an actual vote in the
Riksdag before an appointment can be made)and other
cabinet ministers ( sv, Statsråd), appointed and dismissed at the sole discretion of the Prime Minister. The Government is
responsible for its actions to the Riksdag.
Following the adoption of the
1974 Instrument of Government
The Basic Laws of Sweden ( sv, Sveriges grundlagar) are the four constitutional laws of the Kingdom of Sweden that regulate the Swedish political system, acting in a similar manner to the constitutions of most countries.
These four laws are: t ...
on 1 January 1975the Government in its present constitutional form was constitutedand in consequence thereof the
Swedish Monarch is no longer vested any nominal
executive power
The Executive, also referred as the Executive branch or Executive power, is the term commonly used to describe that part of government which enforces the law, and has overall responsibility for the governance of a state.
In political systems b ...
s at all with respect to the governance of the Realm, but continues to serve as a strictly ceremonial
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
. At the same time, the bicameral parliament was changed into a unicameral (Swedish: ''Riksdag'').
History
![Rosenbad 2006](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Rosenbad_2006.jpg)
The present Government is formed according to the laws set out in the
1974 Instrument of Government
The Basic Laws of Sweden ( sv, Sveriges grundlagar) are the four constitutional laws of the Kingdom of Sweden that regulate the Swedish political system, acting in a similar manner to the constitutions of most countries.
These four laws are: t ...
. But it traces its history to the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
when in the 12th century the Swedish
Privy Council was formed. It functioned in this capacity until 1789 when
King Gustav III
Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', was Monarchy of Sweden, King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Prussia.
Gustav was a voca ...
had it abolished when the Riksdag passed the
Union and Security Act
The Union and Security Act ( sv, Förenings- och säkerhetsakten, fi, Yhdistys- ja vakuuskirja), alternatively Act of Union and Security, was proposed by king Gustav III of Sweden to the assembled Estates of the Realm during the Riksdag of 1789. I ...
. The old privy council had only had members from the
aristocracy. Gustav III instead instituted . It functioned as the Government until 1809 when a new
Instrument of Government
The Instrument of Government was a constitution of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. Drafted by Major-General John Lambert in 1653, it was the first sovereign codified and written constitution in England.
Antecedence
The ' ...
was introduced, thus creating the present Government predecessor, the
Council of State
A Council of State is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head o ...
. It acted as the Government of Sweden until the 31 December 1974.
Role and scope
The Government has a stronger constitutional position than the cabinets in the other Scandinavian monarchies. This is because under the
Instrument of Government
The Instrument of Government was a constitution of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. Drafted by Major-General John Lambert in 1653, it was the first sovereign codified and written constitution in England.
Antecedence
The ' ...
( sv, Regeringsformen)—one of the Fundamental Laws of the Realm—the Government is both the ''
de jure
In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...
'' and ''
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
'' executive authority in Sweden. In Denmark and Norway, the monarch is at least the nominal chief executive, but is bound by convention to act on the advice of the cabinet. However, Chapter 1, Article 6 of the Instrument of Government explicitly states:
The Instrument of Government sets out the main responsibilities and duties of the Government (including the Prime Minister's and other cabinet ministers') and how it relates to other organs of the State.
Most state administrative authorities (), as opposed to local authorities (), sorts under the Government, including the
Armed Forces,
Coast Guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
,
Customs Service
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out of a country. Traditionally, customs ...
and the
police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...
.
While the
judiciary
The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
technically sort under the Government in the fiscal sense, Chapter 11 of the Instrument of Government provides safeguards to ensure its independence.
In a unique feature of the Swedish constitutional system, individual cabinet ministers ''do not bear any''
individual ministerial responsibility
In Westminster-style governments, individual ministerial responsibility is a constitutional convention that a cabinet minister bears the ultimate responsibility for the actions of their ministry or department. Individual ministerial responsibil ...
for the performance of the agencies within their portfolio; as the
director-generals and other heads of government agencies reports directly to the Government as a whole; and individual ministers cannot intervene in individual cases in matters that are to be handled by the individual agencies, unless otherwise specifically provided for in law; thus the origin of the pejorative, in Swedish political parlance, term ''
ministerstyre'' (English: "ministerial rule").
High Contracting Party
![Croatia-EU Accession Treaty Signature Page 7](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Croatia-EU_Accession_Treaty_Signature_Page_7.png)
The Government of Sweden is the
high contracting party when entering
treaties
A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal pers ...
with foreign
sovereign states and
international organisation
An international organization or international organisation (see spelling differences), also known as an intergovernmental organization or an international institution, is a stable set of norms and rules meant to govern the behavior of states an ...
s (such as the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
), as per 10:1 of the Instrument of Government.
In most other parliamentary systems (monarchies and republics alike) this formal function is usually vested in the
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
but exercised by ministers in such name.
Promulgation
Chapter 6, Article 7 prescribes that laws and ordinances are promulgated by the Government (by the Prime Minister or other cabinet minister),
and are subsequently published in the
Swedish Code of Statutes
The Swedish Code of Statutes ( sv, Svensk författningssamling; SFS) is the official law code of Sweden which contains the statutes and ordinances enacted and designated by the Government, including a publication of all new Swedish laws enacted by ...
( sv, Svensk författningssamling).
Formation and dismissal
Following a
general election,
Speaker of the Riksdag (English: "Mr Speaker")
, residence =
, seat = Parliament House
, nominator = Riksdag
, appointer = The Alderman
, termlength = Four years (''de facto'')
, inaugural = Henry Allard
, formation ...
begins to hold talks with the leaders of the parties with representation in the
Riksdag, the Speaker then nominates a candidate for
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
(). The nomination is then put to a vote in the chamber. Unless an absolute majority of the members (175 members) votes "no", the nomination is confirmed, otherwise it is rejected. The Speaker must then find a new nominee. This means the Riksdag can consent to a Prime Minister without casting any "yes" votes.
After being elected the Prime Minister appoints the cabinet ministers and announces them to the Riksdag. Prospective ministers do not have to be sitting members of the Riksdag, but if one accepts a nomination, they would surrender their seat to a substitute member. The new Government takes office at a special council held at the
Royal Palace before the
monarch
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power i ...
, at which the Speaker of the Riksdag formally announces to the monarch that the Riksdag has elected a new Prime Minister and that the Prime Minister has chosen his cabinet ministers.
The Riksdag can cast a
vote of no confidence
A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...
against any single cabinet minister ( sv, statsråd), thus forcing a resignation. To succeed a vote of no confidence must be supported by an absolute majority (175 members) or it has failed.
If a vote of no confidence is cast against the Prime Minister this means the entire government is rejected. A losing government has one week to call for a general election or else the procedure of nominating a new Prime Minister starts anew.
Cabinets
Present Cabinet
Former cabinets
Each appointment of a new Prime Minister is considered to result in a new cabinet, irrespective if the Prime Minister is reappointed or not. However, there is no automatic resignation following a defeat in a
general election, so an election does not always result in a new cabinet.
Government offices
![Kanslihuset 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Kanslihuset_2010.jpg)
Previously known as the Royal Chancery ( sv, Kunglig Majestäts kansli), the name was changed to the Government Offices ( sv, Regeringskansliet) on 1 January 1975 with the current
Instrument of Government
The Instrument of Government was a constitution of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. Drafted by Major-General John Lambert in 1653, it was the first sovereign codified and written constitution in England.
Antecedence
The ' ...
entering into effect.
The Instrument of Government briefly mentions in Chapter 7, Article 1 that there is a staff organization supporting the Government known as the Government Offices. The present organizational charter for the Government Offices is found in the
ordinance named ''Förordning (1996:1515) med instruktion för Regeringskansliet''. Since the issuance of that ordinance in 1996, all the ministries are technically entities within the Government Offices (headed by the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
), rather than as separate organisations even though they operate as such. Below follows a short summary of the current structure.
See also
*
County Administrative Boards of Sweden
*
Economy of Sweden
The economy of Sweden is a highly developed export-oriented economy, aided by timber, hydropower, and iron ore. These constitute the resource base of an economy oriented toward foreign trade. The main industries include motor vehicles, telecommun ...
*
Elections in Sweden
*
Government agencies in Sweden
*
History of Sweden
The history of Sweden can be traced back to the melting of the Northern Polar Ice Caps. From as early as 12000 BC, humans have inhabited this area. Throughout the Stone Age, between 8000 BC and 6000 BC, early inhabitants used st ...
*
List of Swedish ministries
This is a list of Swedish government ministries.
Current ministries
{, class="wikitable"
, -
! Name
! Swedish name
, -
, Ministry of Culture
,
, -
, Ministry of Defence
,
, -
, Ministry of Education and Research
,
, -
, Ministry ...
*
Municipalities of Sweden
*
Politics of Sweden
The politics of Sweden take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy. Executive power is exercised by the government, led by the prime minister of Sweden. Legislative power is vested in both th ...
*
Principle of Public Access
*
Referendums in Sweden
*
Royal Court of Sweden
The Royal Court of Sweden ( sv, Kungliga Hovstaterna) is the official name for the organisation ( royal households) that supports the monarch, and the royal house. The incumbent monarch, King Carl XVI Gustaf, is head of the Royal Court.
The Royal ...
*
State Secretary (Sweden)
*
State-owned enterprises of Sweden
This is a list of Sweden, Swedish Government-linked company, companies owned by the Swedish State:
State-owned companies are legally in a form of aktiebolag but mainly or fully state-owned. They are expected to be funded by their sales, and not b ...
*
Statens offentliga utredningar
*
Swedish Code of Statutes
The Swedish Code of Statutes ( sv, Svensk författningssamling; SFS) is the official law code of Sweden which contains the statutes and ordinances enacted and designated by the Government, including a publication of all new Swedish laws enacted by ...
*
Travaux préparatoires The travaux préparatoires ( French: "preparatory works", in the plural) are the official record of a negotiation. Sometimes published, the "travaux" are often useful in clarifying the intentions of a treaty or other instrument, as is reflected in ...
References
Notes
;Bibliography
*
*
External links
Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sweden
Sweden
Cabinets
1975 establishments in Sweden