Sweden is a
constitutional monarchy with a
representative democracy based on a
parliamentary system. The affairs of Government are decided by a Cabinet of Ministers, which lead by a
Prime Minister. The Cabinet and the Prime Minister are responisble for their actions against the
Parliament of Sweden.
Main article: Prime Minister of Sweden
- Head of Government: Prime Minister Göran Persson (since March 21, 1996)
- Cabinet: Ministers are appointed by the Prime Minister and confirmed by Parliament
- Elections: The Prime Minister is first appointed by the Speaker of Parliament and then confirmed (with the cabinet ministers) by Parliament
- Election results: Göran Persson is elected Prime Minister forming a Social Democrat minority government. After the general elections in 2002 the Social Democrat Government continues to depend on the Left Party and the Green Party to achieve a majority in Parliament.
As of the Cabinet reshuffle following the Elections in Sweden in 2002 the Cabinet has 22 Ministers including the Prime Minister.
Since the last organizational change in 1998 the Government Offices has, apart from the Prime Minister's Office and an Office for Administrative Affairs, ten Ministries.
The Prime Minister leads the work of the Cabinet and is the official Head of Government. There is also a Deputy Prime Minister. Ten of the Cabinet Ministers are also heads of their respective Ministries.
List as of
January,
2003:
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry for Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Defence
- Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Education and Science
- Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
- Ministry of Culture
- Ministry of the Environment
- Ministry for Industry, Employment and Communications
- Office for Administrative Affairs
Ministries in Sweden are relatively small and merely policy making organizations. Government Agencies independently carry out Government Policy, under the authority of a ministry. However ministries are only allowed to influence Agencies by making policy. Ministers are prohibited of interfering with the day to day operation and the outcome of individual cases.
An exception to this are the Legations and Embassies in Foreign countries, which are under the direct authority and integrated with the Ministry for Forreign Affairs.
See also: Politics of Sweden, Privy Council of Sweden
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