In Sweden since 1975, a Council of State (Swedish: Konselj) is a special cabinet meeting chaired by the Head of State. These are held a few times every year so that the government can, as required by the constitution, keep the king informed on matters of state. [1]
The pre-1975 Council of State, which under the 1809 Instrument of Government, exercised executive authority, usually met once a week. At these meetings government bills were granted royal assent and formally became decisions of the Royal Majesty.
After the introduction of the 1974 Instrument of Government in 1975, however, the monarch's role became strictly ceremonial and royal assent was no longer required for bills to become law. Executive power was instead transfered to the new Government of Sweden which is chaired and led in all important aspects by the Prime Minister of Sweden.
Under the 1974 Instrument of Government, the Council of State is instead the name of a government meeting chaired by the King and it holds no special powers. These meetings can be held for a number of different reasons but they are mostly held so that the monarch can be informed on matters of state and government policy.
The Council Room at Stockholm Palace has been used by the Council since around 1870.
During the reign of Gustaf III it was used as a dining room. Some of the original furniture remains, for example the wooden double doors. The room obtained its current appearance during the reign of Charles XV. [5]
Carl XVI Gustaf is King of Sweden.
The Basic Laws of Sweden 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.
The 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 serving, since 1994, fixed four-year terms. The 2022 Swedish general election is the most recent general election.
The monarchy of Sweden is centred on the monarchical head of state of Sweden, by law a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. There have been kings in what now is the Kingdom of Sweden for more than a millennium. Originally an elective monarchy, it became a hereditary monarchy in the 16th century during the reign of Gustav Vasa, though virtually all monarchs before that belonged to a limited and small number of political families which are considered to be the royal dynasties of Sweden.
The Council of the Realm, or simply The Council, was a cabinet of medieval origin, consisting of magnates which advised, and at times co-ruled with, the King of Sweden.
In a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government, a reserve power, also known as discretionary power, is a power that may be exercised by the head of state without the approval of another branch or part of the government. Unlike in a presidential system of government, the head of state is generally constrained by the cabinet or the legislature in a parliamentary system, and most reserve powers are usable only in certain exceptional circumstances.
The prime ministerof Sweden is the head of government of Sweden. The prime minister and their cabinet exercise executive authority in the Kingdom of Sweden and are subject to the Parliament of Sweden. The prime minister is nominated by the speaker of the Riksdag and is elected by the chamber by simple majority, using negative parliamentarianism. The Riksdag holds elections every four years, in the even year between leap years.
The Instrument of Government of 1634 was a document describing the form and operation of the Swedish government, retrospectively regarded as the country's first constitution, although it was not intended to function as such. It was composed by the Lord High Chancellor, Axel Oxenstierna, and was adopted by the Riksdag of the Estates on 29 July 1634. It was rendered void when the Riksdag repudiated it in 1680.
The speaker of the Riksdag is the presiding officer of the national unicameral legislature in Sweden.
The Council of State is the privy council of the Kingdom of Denmark. The body of advisors to the Danish monarch, the council is a formal institution, with largely ceremonial functions. Chaired by the monarch, the council comprises all cabinet ministers and the crown prince or princess when coming of age. When unavailable, the monarch is represented by the regent or Lord Protector.
The line of succession to the Swedish throne is determined by the Act of Succession, originally approved jointly by the Riksdag of the Estates assembled in Örebro and King Charles XIII in 1810.
The 1772 Instrument of Government was the constitution of the Kingdom of Sweden from 1772 to 1809. It was promulgated in the wake of the Revolution of 1772, a self-coup mounted by King Gustav III, and replaced the 1720 Instrument of Government, which had been in force for most of the Age of Liberty (1719-72). Although in theory the 1772 Instrument merely readjusted the balance of power between the Crown and the Riksdag of the Estates, without changing Sweden's status as a constitutional monarchy, in practice it is generally seen as instituting an absolute monarchy, especially after its modification in 1789 by the Union and Security Act, which further strengthened royal power at the expense of the Riksdag. It remained in force throughout the Gustavian era, until replaced by the 1809 Instrument of Government as a result of the Coup of 1809.
The King-in-Council or the Queen-in-Council, depending on the sex of the reigning monarch, is a constitutional term in a number of states. In a general sense, it refers to the monarch exercising executive authority, usually in the form of approving orders, on the advice of the country's privy council or executive council.
Per Olof Andreas Norlén is a Swedish politician and member of the Moderate Party who has served as Speaker of the Riksdag since September 2018. He has been a Member of the Riksdag (MP) for Östergötland County since October 2006. Norlén has previously been a member of the Committee on the Constitution, 2014–2018 as chair of the committee.
The War Delegation is a standing committee of the Riksdag, with its functions enumerated in the Instrument of Government and the Riksdag Act, with the purpose of replacing the Riksdag as a whole whenever Sweden is at war or is otherwise exposed to a serious threat or crisis.
The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is the national cabinet of Sweden, and the country's executive authority.
The third cabinet of Stefan Löfven was the government of Sweden during 9 July 2021 to 30 November 2021. It was a coalition, consisting of two parties: the Social Democrats and the Green Party. The cabinet was installed on 9 July 2021, during a formal government meeting with King Carl XVI Gustaf. The government was the result of the aftermath of the 2021 government crisis, which saw Löfven's government removed from power in a vote of no-confidence over proposed reforms to liberalise the rent control system.
The Kristersson cabinet is the 57th government of Sweden and is formed by Ulf Kristersson, leader of the Moderate Party. It is a coalition government consisting of three parties: the Moderate Party, the Christian Democrats, and the Liberals. The cabinet works closely with the Sweden Democrats, in accordance with the Tidö Agreement backed by a majority in the Riksdag.
The Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs is a permanent council appointed by the Riksdag and led by the King. It operates as a consultational organ between the Riksdag and the Government regarding matters of Foreign Affairs.
The Opening of the Riksdag Session is an annual ceremony in the Kingdom of Sweden to mark the start of a new parliamentary year for the Swedish Riksdag. The current ceremony was first held in 1975, replacing an older ceremony known as the Solemn Opening of the Riksdag that had been held since the 17th century. It is held every year in September. During the ceremony the monarch declares the new session open and the Prime Minister makes a speech outlining the governments priorities for the upcoming year.