Europe

Sweden
Last reviewed: 27 June 2008

Country information

See entire profile

POLITICS

Sweden’s political centre stands more to the left than the UK, but to the right of France. The Social Democrats have held power during most of the post-war period. The immediate years after the way witnessed the construction of the comprehensive welfare state under Prime Minister Tage Erlander who held office until 1969.

The conservative Moderate party is very pro-EU. Traditionally a strong campaigner for tax cuts, the party has, under its new leader Fredrik Reinfeldt, moved more towards the middle. Together with the Liberal Party, the Centre Party and the Christian Democrats it formed an Alliance that won the election on 17 September 2006.

Since 1974 Sweden has had a one chamber Parliament or Riksdag of 349 seats. Members are elected to serve four-year terms by popular vote on a proportional representation basis. Voting takes place mainly on a party list basis but since September 1998, Swedes have had the possibility of voting for a named, individual candidate.

The Cabinet holds executive power but is responsible to the Riksdag.

Subdivisions: 21 county councils, 290 municipalities (townships). The municipalities enjoy a high degree of self-determination and set their own taxes.

Suffrage: Universal over 18. Citizens of EU member states, Norway and Iceland are allowed to vote in local elections. After 3 years of legal residence immigrants from other countries may also vote in local elections (but not in national elections).

Elections

The breakdown of the 2006 election result was as follows (2002 results):

Alliance

Moderates - 26.1% (15.2) – 97 seats (55)
Centre Party – 7.9% (6.2) – 29 seats (22)
Liberal Party – 7.5% (13.4) – 28 seats (48)
Christian Democrats – 6.6% (9.2) – 24 seats (33)
Total: 48.1% - 178 seats (158)

Former Government

Social Democrats – 35.2% (40.0) – 130 seats (144)
Left Party – 5.8% (8.4) – 22 seats (30)
Greens – 5.2% (4.6) – 19 seats (17)
Total: 46.2% - 171 seats (191)

The next Parliamentary Elections take place in 2010.

The Swedish Government:

Prime Minister: Fredrik Reinfeldt
Foreign Affairs: Carl Bildt (Moderate)
Finance: Anders Borg (Moderate)
Enterprise and Energy: Maud Olofsson (Centre Party leader)
Health and Social Affairs: Göran Hägglund (Christian Democrat leader)
Education and Schools: Jan Björklund (Liberal party leader
Higher Education and Research: Lars Leijonborg (Liberal)
Schools: Jan Björklund (Liberal Party Leader)
Agriculture, Food and Fisheries: Eskil Erlandsson (Centre)
Culture: Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth (Centre)
Local Government and Financial Markets: Mats Odell (Christian Democrat)
EU Issues: Cecilia Malmström (Liberal)
Foreign Trade: Eva Björling (Moderate)
International Development Cooperation: Gunilla Carlssson (Moderate)
Public Health and Elderly Care: Maria Larsson (Christian Democrat)
Social Security: Cristina Husmark Pehrsson (Moderate)
Environment: Andreas Carlgren (Centre)
Defence: Sten Tolgfors (Moderate)
Justice: Beatrice Ask (Moderate)
Migration and Asylum Policy: Tobias Billström (Moderate)
Integration and Gender Equality: Nyamko Sabuni (Liberal)
Employment: Sven Otto Littorin (Moderate)
Communications: Åsa Torstensson (Centre)

Sweden and the EU

Despite broad parliamentary support for the EU, public support in Sweden is below the EU average. In a national referendum in 2003, Sweden rejected joining the Euro (No 56% Yes 42%). Sweden held the EU presidency from the first half of 2001 and highlighted the issues of Employment (economic reform), Environment and EU Enlargement. Sweden will hold the Presidency again in the second half of 2009. Sweden’s Commissioner to the EU is Social Democrat Margot Wallström, Vice President and Commissioner for Institutional and Community Strategy.

The Royal Family

The Royal family holds a ceremonial role and is popular with the public. Republican groups occasionally try to create a debate on the future of the monarchy but there is little public support for its abolition. In 1976 King Carl XVI Gustaf married German-Brazilian Silvia Sommerlath and the couple has three unmarried children: Crown Princess Victoria (b.1977), Prince Carl-Philip (b.1979) and Princess Madeleine (b.1982). Also member of the Royal family is Princess Lilian – born Lilian Davies in Swansea, Wales in 1915. She was married to King Carl XVI Gustav’s uncle Prince Bertil, who died in 1997.