Kingdom of Sweden Konungariket Sverige

Rikstag Building, Stockholm

Swedish History

• In the 16th century, Gustav Vasa fought for an independent Sweden, crushing an attempt to restore the Kalmar Union and laying the foundation for modern Sweden. At the same time, he broke with the Roman Catholic Church and established the Reformation.

• After winning wars against Denmark-Norway, Russia, and Poland during the 17th century, Sweden emerged as a Great Power, despite having scarcely more than 1 million inhabitants. Gustavus Adolphus was the great military leader of the time.

• The aftermath of the Great War in the 18th century resulted in limited monarchy and parliamentary rule under the influence of the Allied powers.

• Following half a century of parliamentary domination came the reaction. A bloody coup d'état perpetrated by King Gustav III brought back absolute monarchy.

• Over time, Sweden has become a democracy, with the parliament becoming more important than the king.

• 1866 The industrial revolution brought a national military, and 3 political parties (Social Democrat, Liberal and Conservative.)

• 1907 universal suffrage

• Sweden has remained an armed neutral since WWI.

• 1974 two chamber parliament replaced with one chamber parliament.

• Sweden became a member of the EU in 1995, and voted by REFERENDUM not to adopt the Euro in 2003.

Introduction

• Pop: 9,045,389; 99% literacy, low infant mort.• One of the richer, more stable countries in the

world (rich in iron ore)• Historically “armed neutral”• Sucessful experiment w/socialism• Invented “ombudsman”• Little political violence• Gov’t disburses 59.1% of GDP (U.S. 34%)• Spends more (7.3-6.8%) than U.S. on education• Fiscal redistribution through heavy taxation• Maternity leave, free education through

college, generous retirement• Sense of community; seek to find consensus• High suicide, alcoholism rates (long nights?)

Intro Continued

• 87% Lutheran, church attendance rate 4%

• Government is Parliamentary Democracy and Constitutional Monarchy

The Swedish Executive

• PM Fredrik Reinfeldt• King – Symbolic like Queen in England• Speaker of Rikstag nominates candidate to

become PM• Cabinet: appointed by the PM

Reinfeldt King Carl XVI Gustaf

Legislative

• Riksdag (Unicameral Parliament)• 349 seats; members are elected by popular

vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms

• People vote for local representatives• Power shared between Parliament and P.M. • Able to choose Prime Minister (statsminister-

minister of state) • Prime Minister appoints government (ministers)• Current P.M. – Fredrik Reinfeldt (2006- )• liberal conservative Moderate Party

Judiciary

• District Courts, Court of Appeals, Supreme Court• Neither codified (like France), nor based upon judicial

practice and presidents (like the US)• Federal Court is called the lagradet (Law Council).• Very weak judiciary. • Lacks the formal power of judicial review. However, it is

respected in technical matters but less in controversial political matters.

• Decrees can be made inapplicable if they are against constitutional laws.

• However, this has had little practical consequence

Bureaucracy

• Ombudsmän – office to file complaints to

Examples:• Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman• Swedish Obudsman for Equal Opportunities• Swedish Ombudsman for Children• Swedish Disability Ombudsman• Swedish Ombudsman Against Discrimination on

Grounds of Sexual Orientation• Swedish Ombudsman against Ethnic

Discrimination

Elections of 2006

September 17, 2006 General Election Results - Sweden Totals

 Registered Electors 

  6,892,009     

 Voters    5,650,416  82.0%   

List Votes  % Seats

 Social Democratic Party 

  1,942,625  35.0  130 

 Moderate Party 

  1,456,014  26.2  97 

 Center Party    437,389  7.9  29 

 Liberal Party    418,395  7.5  28 

 Christian Democratic Party 

  365,998  6.6  24 

 Left Party    324,722  5.8  22 

 Green Party    291,121  5.2  19 

 Sweden Democrats 

  162,463  2.9  0 

 Others    152,551  2.7  0 

Sweden Political Culture

• Saltsjobaden (1938): Agreement that determined that all major industrial arguments should be settled through collective bargaining. Workers elect worker’s board leaders to negotiate with Company Board of Directors. Workers get access to company documents.

• Sweden 87% unionized• Sweden has one of the lowest ratios of

working days lost per week• Remiss—interest groups are active part of

policy process• Was reluctant to join EU because of CFSP

(Common Foreign/Security Policy) proposal

Saltsjobaden Agreement of 1938

• An agreement between S.A.F. (employers' association) and L.O. (the major federation of blue-collar unions) that established the basis for the Swedish Model

• It was created to avoid labor legislation • It established rules to be observed in the event of dismissals and

redundancies • The parties agreed to:

– avoid disrupting the functioning of society – substitute mutual cooperation for strikes and lockouts – establish procedures for peaceful settlement of industrial conflicts – establish a labor market council that would deal with: – disputes that threaten essential public services – disagreements over terms of new contracts

• Results of the Basic Agreement: – does not cover white-collar workers – L.O. wins unconditional acceptance by management – Allows secondary boycotts and sympathetic action to remain

permissible (essential to a central bargaining system) – L.O. maintains control over the "strike weapon"

Political Parties

• Proportional Representation System results in Multiple parties

Currently in Rikstag:• Center Party (Centerpartiet)• Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna)• Green Party (Miljöpartiet de Gröna)• Left Party (Vänsterpartiet)• Moderate Party (Moderata samlingspartiet)• Swedish Social Democrat Party (Sveriges

Socialdemokratiska arbetarparti)

Foreign Policy

• Typically Neutral (Passive)– Sold iron ore to Germany during WWII,

but helped Americans and provided safe haven for fleeing Jewish refugees

• Freedom from alliance is best during peacetime – promotes national security

• Active participant in the UN• Joined the EU on January 1, 1995• Part of Nordic Council of Ministers

Royal Family

•In the 16th century, Gustav Vasa fought for an independent Sweden, crushing an attempt to restore the Kalmar Union and laying the foundation for modern Sweden. At the same time, he broke with the Roman Catholic Church and established the Reformation.

•After winning wars against Denmark-Norway, Russia, and Poland during the 17th century, Sweden emerged as a Great Power, despite having scarcely more than 1 million inhabitants. Gustavus Adolphus was the great military leader of the time.

• The aftermath of the Great War in the 18th century resulted in limited monarchy and parliamentary rule under the influence of the Allied powers.

•Following half a century of parliamentary domination came the reaction. A bloody coup d'état perpetrated by King Gustav III brought back absolute monarchy.

•Over time, Sweden has become a democracy, with the parliament becoming more important than the king.

• 1866 The industrial revolution brought a national military, and 3 political parties (Social Democrat, Liberal and Conservative.)

•1907 universal suffrage

• Sweden has remained an armed neutral since WWI.

•1974 two chamber parliament replaced with one chamber parliament.

•Sweden became a member of the EU in 1995, and voted by REFERENDUM not to adopt the Euro in 2003.

Swedish History

Population: 9,031,088Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.4%

15-64 years: 65.7% 65 years and over: 17.9%

Median age: total: 41.1 years Pop. growth rate: 0.159%Life expectancy : total population: 80.63 years

male: 78.39 years female: 83 years

Total fertility rate: 1.66 children born/woman Ethnic groups: indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minoritiesReligions: Lutheran 87%, other 13% Languages: Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities Literacy: total population: 99%

male: 99% female: 99%

Demographics

Demographics

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige

Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: StockholmIndependence: June 6, 1523National holiday: Swedish Flag Day, 6 June (1916)

National Day, 6 June (1983) Constitution: 1 January 1975 Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary lawSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF since 19 September 1973

Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice DesireeHead of government: Prime Minister Fredrik

REINFELDT (since 5 October 2006)

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by the parliament; election last held on 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010) election results: Fredrik REINFELDT elected prime minister with 175 out of 349 votes

• Power shared between Parliament and P.M.

• Riksdag – Parliament (349 members)–Able to choose Prime Minister

(statsminister-minister of state) • Prime Minister appoints government

(ministers)• Current P.M. – Fredrik Reinfeldt (2006- )

– liberal conservative Moderate Party

• Federal Court is called the lagradet (Law Council).

• Very weak judiciary.

•Lacks the formal power of judicial review. However, it is respected in technical matters but less in controversial political matters.

• Decrees can be made inapplicable if they are against constitutional laws.

• However, this has had little practical consequence

Legislative branch

Riksdag(unicameral Parliament)• 349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on

a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms

• Elections: last held on 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010)

• Election results: percent of vote by party Social Democrats 37.2%, Moderates 27.8%, Center Party 8.3%, People's Party 8.0%, Christian Democrats 6.9%, Left Party 6.3%, Greens 5.4%; seats by party - Social Democrats 130, Moderates 97, Center Party 29, People's Party 28, Christian Democrats 24, Left Party 22, Greens 19

September 17, 2006 General Election Results - Sweden Totals

 Registered Electors 

  6,892,009     

 Voters    5,650,416  82.0%   

List Votes  % Seats

 Social Democratic Party 

  1,942,625  35.0  130 

 Moderate Party 

  1,456,014  26.2  97 

 Center Party 

  437,389  7.9  29 

 Liberal Party 

  418,395  7.5  28 

 Christian Democratic Party 

  365,998  6.6  24 

 Left Party    324,722  5.8  22 

 Green Party 

  291,121  5.2  19 

 Sweden Democrats 

  162,463  2.9  0 

 Others    152,551  2.7  0 

Political Parties

Center Party – centrist social green partyChristian Democratic Party Improving the care for elderly

Freedom of choice for childcare Promote growth by decreasing regualtion

Environment Party the Greens – green political partyLeft Party or V (formerly Communist) - socialist feminist partyModerate Party (conservative) – liberal conservative partyPeople's Party – advocates social liberalismSocial Democratic Party – social democracy

Saltsjobaden Agreement 1938What it was: An agreement between S.A.F. (employers' association) and L.O. (the major federation of blue-collar unions) that established the basis for the Swedish Model It was created to avoid labor legislation It established rules to be observed in the event of dismissals and redundancies The parties agreed to: avoid disrupting the functioning of society substitute mutual cooperation for strikes and lockouts establish procedures for peaceful settlement of industrial conflicts establish a labor market council that would deal with:

disputes that threaten essential public services disagreements over terms of new contracts

Results of the Basic Agreement: does not cover white-collar workers L.O. wins unconditional acceptance by management Allows secondary boycotts and sympathetic action to remain permissible (essential to a central bargaining system) L.O. maintains control over the "strike weapon"

• Power shared between Parliament and P.M. • Riksdag – Parliament (349 members)

– Able to choose Prime Minister (statsminister-minister of state)

• Prime Minister appoints government (ministers)

• Current P.M. – Fredrik Reinfeldt (2006- )– liberal conservative Moderate Party