State in Sweden

Sweden is a unitary state, which means that national laws apply across the country. It is also a parliamentary democracy, so citizens elect the Riksdag, which represents the people and controls the Government. The Swedish word for the state is staten. In everyday use, it usually means the national level of public administration, not every public service. Municipalities and regions are also part of the public sector, but they have their own elected bodies and responsibilities. The Riksdag is Sweden’s national parliament. It makes laws, decides the national budget, and checks the Government. The Riksdag has 349 members who are elected through a proportional voting system. The Government is called regeringen. It leads national policy, prepares proposals, and directs the general work of the state. The Prime Minister leads the Government, but the Government must have enough support in the Riksdag to govern. The King or Queen is the head of state, but has mainly ceremonial and representative duties. Political decisions are made by elected institutions and public authorities under the Constitution. Swedish public authorities are called myndigheter. They carry out laws and decisions in areas such as taxation, social insurance, migration, education, transport, and public safety. A public authority must follow the law and should treat people fairly and impartially. Sweden has independent courts that handle criminal cases, disputes, and reviews of public decisions. The principle of access to public documents, called offentlighetsprincipen, makes much official information open to the public, although important exceptions protect privacy and security. Municipalities, called kommuner, are responsible for many local services, including schools, elderly care, planning, waste management, and local support. Regions, called regioner, are especially important for healthcare and public transport, while the state sets national rules and provides national coordination.