Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, in which King Carl XVI Gustaf is head of state, but royal power has long been limited to official and ceremonial functions. The nation's legislature is the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag), with 349 members. Parliamentary elections are held every four years.
The Swedish Parliament. Photo: Melker Dahlstrand
After the 2006 election, twelve years of Social Democratic government ended when the four Alliance parties — the Moderates (formerly Conservatives), Liberals, Center (formerly Agrarians) and Christian Democrats — formed a government. The prime minister is the 42-year chairman of the Moderates.
The Social Democrats, who ruled Sweden for most of the 20th century and enjoyed a uniquely dominant position of power over national policy compared to other Western European countries, turned in one of their worst election performances ever. In the new Parliament they are in opposition along with the Left Party (ex-communists) and the Green Party. After the 2006 election, the Riksdag set a new "world record" because 47 percent of its elected members are women.
Sweden has a history of strong political involvement by ordinary people through its "popular movements" — trade unions, the women's movement, the temperance movement, the sports movement and many more. Election turnout in Sweden has always been very high in international comparisons. In Sweden it is often portrayed as a serious democratic problem that this political involvement has declined in recent decades. Voter turnout has fallen, though only to 80 percent, which is still a high figure in international terms.
Throughout the 20th century, Swedish foreign policy was based on the principle of non-alignment in peacetime, neutrality in wartime. Since 1995 Sweden has been a member of the European Union, and as a consequence of a new world security situation the country's foreign policy doctrine has been partly modified, with Sweden playing a more active role in European security cooperation as well.
Sweden is also very active in international peace efforts, especially through the United Nations, and in support to the Third World.