Swedish society has three levels of government - national, regional and local. In addition, there is the European level, which has gained increasing significance since Sweden’s entry into the EU. Every four years, voters elect those in the national parliament, county and city councils who decide on how Sweden will be governed.
The constitutional laws of Sweden contain provisions on the relationship between the decision-making and the administrative powers. The Swedish Local Government Act of 1992 includes provisions for the organization and powers of municipalities and counties. It also includes rules for elected representatives, local councils, and public boards and committees.
The division of tasks between state, county and municipality has changed over the years. Activities have primarily moved from the state to the municipal bodies, for both democratic reasons and those of expediency. In the municipalities, it is easier to maintain ongoing contact between the decision-makers and individuals.
National level
At national level, the population is represented by the parliament (riksdagen), which has legislative powers. The cabinet takes the initiative for new laws and also carries out parliamentary decisions. The cabinet is assisted by the Government Offices, as well as a number of ministries and approximately 300 state authorities and departments.
Regional level
Sweden is divided into 21 counties. The functions at this level are vested in the county council, whose members are directly elected by the county’s population, and by the county administrative board, which serves as the representative of the state in each county. Certain state authorities are also active at the regional and local levels, for example, through county committees.
Sweden has 18 county councils and two regions (Västra Götaland and Skåne). In addition, the municipality of Gotland is charged with the responsibilities of a county council. The county councils and regions are responsible for certain functions that are common to large geographical areas and which often demand greater resources. The most important of these are health care and the promotion of the region’s growth and development.
The Stockholm County Council covers Stockholm County, with its 1.9 million inhabitants and 26 municipalities (including the City of Stockholm). As in the case of all county councils, the Stockholm County Council has the primary responsibility for health care.
In addition to health care, the county council is also responsible for development at the regional and county levels. The county council is also responsible for public transport in the county, and conducts cultural programs.
Local level
Sweden is divided into 290 municipalities. Every municipality has a democratically-elected municipal council, which decides on municipal issues. The municipal council appoints the municipal board, which, in turn, administers municipal operations.
The councils are mandated by law to with responsibility for social services, eldercare, care of the disabled, childcare and pre-school education, public schools for children and teenagers, planning and building issues, health and environmental protection, waste and refuse collection, emergency services, water and sewage, and crisis management.
The council may engage in other non-mandated activities, such as recreation, culture (apart from libraries), housing, energy and commerce.
The City of Stockholm
Stockholm is the largest municipality in Sweden, with over 782,000 inhabitants. The city is also one of the country’s biggest employers, with approximately 49,000 employees, including those who work in city-owned enterprises. The city’s political leadership consists of eight Commissioners, led by the Finance Commissioner. Municipal administration is the responsibility of a City Manager and two Deputy City Managers.
The city is divided into 18 district councils (14, as of July 1, 2007). Their responsibilities include eldercare and care of the disabled, pre-school activities, schools (responsibility of the Education Administration, as of July 1, 2007), culture, recreation and parks. Some of the city’s areas of work are run centrally, such as environmental, city planning and property issues.
These activities are organized in specialist departments. Each department is overseen by a political committee, which is responsible for decisions and bears ultimate responsibility for activities. The day to day work of municipal administration is conducted by employed civil servants.
Stockholms Stadshus AB is owned by the City of Stockholm and functions as a coordinating company for most of the municipal corporations. The municipal group has 17 active subsidiaries.
European level
Upon joining the EU in 1995, Sweden acquired an additional governmental level: the European level. As a member, Sweden is subject to EU directives and regulations and takes part in the rule-making process for new EU rules. The Cabinet represents Sweden in the EU Council of Ministers, which is the European Union's highest decision-making body.
Sources:
The Swedish Cabinet website
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR),
The City of Stockholm
