(English: "Mr Speaker") , residence = , seat =

Parliament House Parliament House may refer to: Australia * Parliament House, Canberra, Parliament of Australia * Parliament House, Adelaide, Parliament of South Australia * Parliament House, Brisbane, Parliament of Queensland * Parliament House, Darwin, Parliame ...

, nominator =

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 ...

, appointer = The Alderman , termlength = Four years ('' de facto'') , inaugural =

Henry Allard Karl Åke Henry Allard (21 November 1911 – 23 October 1996) was a Swedish politician (Social Democrat Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a ...

, formation = , last = , abolished = , succession = , deputy = ''See List of Deputy Speakers'' , salary = 2,112,000 kr annually , website = The speaker of the

( sv, Riksdagens talman) is the presiding officer of the national unicameral legislature in

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 ...

. The Riksdag underwent profound changes in 1867, when the medieval Riksdag of the Estates was abolished. The new form of the Riksdag included two elected chambers, each with its own speaker. Since the '' de facto'' introduction of parliamentarism in 1917, the Riksdag has properly functioned as the institution to which the prime minister and the government are held accountable. In 1971 the institution was transformed into a unicameral legislature with 350 members, reduced to 349 in 1976 to avoid parliamentary deadlocks. Since 1975, in accordance with the Instrument of Government of 1974, it is the speaker and no longer the monarch who appoints and dismisses the prime minister. The current speaker is Andreas Norlén, who has held the

gavel A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle. It can be used to call for attention or to punctuate rulings and proclamations and is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the ...

since September 2018.

Duties of the speaker

The speaker is the head and presiding officer of the

, and is elected by the chamber as the first order of business when the Riksdag re-convenes following a

general election A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...

. As such, the speaker coordinates the work that takes place in the Riksdag. The office is mandated in the

Swedish constitution 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: th ...

and the duties of the office are set out in the Instrument of Government (1974) and the Riksdag Act. The speaker themselves does not take part in debates, nor do they participate in the parliamentary committees. Consequently, they have no vote, and a substitute is appointed to fill his or her seat in the Riksdag during their time in office. While the speaker is still one of the elected representatives of the Riksdag, they are expected to remain unbiased and objective with regards to the political issues that are debated. In terms of official protocol, the position of speaker is the second highest-ranked public position in Sweden. Only the monarch outranks the speaker since the monarch is the head of state. However, since that position is hereditary, a person cannot be elected to become the monarch. Additionally, the speaker nominally outranks the prime minister of Sweden, even though (since the 1974–75 reforms) that person is the country's ''de jure'' and ''de facto'' chief executive.

Appointment and dismissal of the prime minister

One of the more important aspects of the work of the speaker is to head negotiations concerning the forming of a new government in case there is a shift of power after an election. The speaker can then dismiss a prime minister who is voted out of office, which happened for the first time on 25 September 2018.Article
in '' Dagens Nyheter'' 2018-09-25 After the negotiations, the speaker proposes the new prime ministerial candidate to the chamber, and following a positive vote, the speaker signs the commission ( sv, förordnande) on behalf of the Riksdag. The prime minister appoints and dismisses their own cabinet ministers, forming the government ( sv, Regeringen), without the involvement of the speaker. In case of either a voluntary resignation or a vote of no confidence, the letter of resignation of a prime minister is handed to the Speaker. In most other parliamentary systems, including other

constitutional monarchies A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...

, these duties are instead handled by the head of state. Relieving the Swedish Monarch of political powers, although not the key objective from the outset, became nevertheless an important part on the constitutional reform in the 1970s.

Deputy speakers

The speaker is assisted by three deputy speakers who are also elected by the chamber. Traditionally, the second, third and fourth largest parties gets to name of one of their members for these offices. There is some disagreement whether the ''largest party'' or the ''leading party of the largest party bloc'' should hold the speakership (and thus also the position of First Deputy Speaker). Unlike the Speaker (and cabinet ministers), the deputy Speakers are not replaced by an alternate and remain members of the Riksdag with voting rights.

Regent ad interim

In case all adult members of the Swedish royal family who are in the line of succession to the throne, as prescribed in the Act of Succession, are out of the country, the speaker assumes the role of ''Regent ad interim'' ( sv, Riksföreståndare). This would also be the case if they were all to decease.

Riksdag Board

The speaker chairs the Riksdag Board ( sv, Riksdagsstyrelsen), which deliberates on the organisation of the work of the Riksdag, directs the work of the Riksdag Administration ( sv, Riksdagsförvaltningen) and decides upon matters of major significance concerning the international contacts programme.

War Delegation

The speaker chairs the War Delegation ( sv, Krigsdelegationen), when it is deemed necessary to convene.

List of speakers

Speakers of the bicameral Riksdag (1867–1970)

Speakers of the First Chamber (upper house)

Gustaf Lagerbjelke Count Gustaf Lagerbjelke (6 October 1817 – 6 March 1895) was a Swedish politician, the last Lord Marshal and the first Speaker of Första kammaren of the Riksdag. Biography Gustaf Lagerbjelke was born 6 October 1817 on Skeppsholmen, Stockhol ...

(1867–1876) *

Henning Hamilton Count Henning Ludvig Hugo Hamilton (16 January 1814 – 15 January 1886) was a Swedish count, politician, government official and author. His father was Gustaf Wathier Hamilton. Today he is perhaps best remembered for the so-called ''Hamilton sca ...

(1877) *

Anton Niklas Sundberg Anton Niklas Sundberg (27 May 1818, Uddevalla – 2 February 1900) was a Lutheran clergyman, and the Church of Sweden archbishop of Uppsala 1870–1900. Biography He acquired a doctor of philosophy and theology degree at Uppsala University ...

(1878–1880) *

(1881–1891) *

Pehr von Ehrenheim Pehr von Ehrenheim (1823–1918) was a Swedish politician and the fourth Speaker of Första kammaren of the Riksdag. References 1823 births 1918 deaths Speakers of Första kammaren Members of the Första kammaren 19th-century Swedis ...

(1891–1895) * Gustaf Sparre (1896–1908) * Christian Lundeberg (1909–1911) * Ivar Afzelius (1912–1915) * Hugo Hamilton (1916–1928) *

Axel Vennersten Axel Vennersten (20 January 1863 – 22 March 1948) was a Swedish politician and the ninth Speaker of Första kammaren of the Riksdag. He was Minister for Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or mor ...

(1928–1936) * Johan Nilsson (1937–1955) * John Bergvall, Liberal (1956–1959) *

Gustaf Sundelin Gustav, Gustaf or Gustave may refer to: * Gustav (name), a male given name of Old Swedish origin Art, entertainment, and media * ''Primeval'' (film), a 2007 American horror film * ''Gustav'' (film series), a Hungarian series of animated short car ...

, Liberal (1959–1964) *

Erik Boheman Erik Carlsson Boheman (19 January 1895 – 18 September 1979), was a Sweden, Swedish diplomat and politician for the Liberal People's Party (Sweden), Liberal People's Party.

, Liberal (1965–1970)

Speakers of the Second Chamber (lower house)

(1867–1872) * Ferdinand Asker (1873–1875) *

Arvid Posse Count Arvid Rutger Fredriksson Posse (15 February 1820 – 24 April 1901) was the prime minister of Sweden from 1880 to 1883. Family background and education Posse was born at Rosendal manor in Malmöhus County, as the son of Governor Count Fred ...

(1876–1880) *

Olof Wijk Olov (or Olof) is a Swedish form of Olav/Olaf, meaning "ancestor's descendant". A common short form of the name is ''Olle''. The name may refer to: *Per-Olov Ahrén (1926–2004), Swedish clergyman, bishop of Lund from 1980 to 1992 *Per-Olov Bra ...

(1880–1890) * Gustaf Ryding (1891) *

Carl Herslow Carl P. Herslow (born 14 November 1943) is a Swedish people, Swedish politician and leader of the Scania Party. He is supporter of the separation of Scania from Sweden and the creation of an independent republic. Mohammed poster controversy In ...

(1892–1893) *

Robert De la Gardie The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

(1894–1902) * Axel Swartling (1903–1912) * Carl Bonde (1913) * Johan Widén (1914–1917) *

Daniel Persson Daniel Persson (born 1982) is a Swedish politician. He was elected as Member of the Riksdag Members of Parliament ( Swedish: ''riksdagsledamöter'', singular: ''riksdagsledamot'') in Sweden sit in the Riksdag. Description ''Members of Parli ...

(1918) * Herman Lindqvist, Social Democrat (1918–1921) * Viktor Larsson, Social Democrat (1922–1923) * Herman Lindqvist, Social Democrat (1924–1927) * Viktor Larsson, Social Democrat (1927) *

Bernhard Eriksson Bernhard Eriksson (19 April 1878 – 18 April 1952) was a Swedish social democratic politician. He was Minister for Naval Affairs in 1920 and Speaker of the Riksdags second chamber 1928–1932. He also served as Governor of Dalarna Dalarna ...

, Social Democrat (1928–1932) * August Sävström, Social Democrat (1933–1952) * Gustaf Nilsson, Social Democrat (1953–1957) * Sven Patrik Svensson (1958–1960) *

Fridolf Thapper Fridolf is a masculine given name. It is originally a compound of the German words (''peace'') and (''wolf''). The Runic Danish accusative word may have a connection, although no parallel is attested in the history of Swedish. Notable people wit ...

, Social Democrat (1960–1968) *

, Social Democrat (1969–1970)

Speakers of the unicameral Riksdag (1971–present)

References

The Instrument of Government, in English (as of 2012)
(PDF), The Riksdag (2012). Retrieved on 2012-11-13.

External links

The Speaker
- At the Riksdag {{DEFAULTSORT:Speaker Of The Parliament Of Sweden *