Sweden

THE POPULAR GOVERNMENT in Sweden rests upon an ancient political tradition. The Swedish unicameral parliament, Riksdag, stems from the ancient court system used by all Germanic peoples—the Ting (tribal courts)—and the election of kings in the Viking age. It became a permanent institution in the 15th century. The government of Sweden is a limited constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. King Carl XVI Gustav of the House of Bernadotte became king of Sweden in 1973. His authority is formal, symbolic, and representational. Crown Princess Victoria, legitimate daughter of the monarch, born in July 14, 1977, is heir apparent, though a constitutional amendment is required to allow a female succession. The executive authority of the government is vested in the cabinet, which consists of a prime minister and roughly 20 ministers who run the government departments.

Sweden is a country that leans heavily to the left. Internationally, the Swedish model has been recognized as socialism in the capitalist marketplace. There is a major governmental influence. However, rightist and right-leaning political discourse has ways to assert power. For instance, the Moderate Coalition Party, or Moderata samlingspartiet (commonly referred to as Moderaterna), is a liberal-conservative political party in Sweden. It is a member of the International Democrat Union and European Peoples Party/European Democrats. The party was founded as a coalition of conservative members of parliament in the Swedish Riksdag during the second half of the 19th century. In elections, it was known under the name “Allmanna valmansforbundet” or the “Public Election Alliance.” During the first half of the 20th century, the loose coalition was organized into a proper party and in the late 1960s the present name was adopted, replacing “Hogerpartiet,” or the “Right-wing Party,” which had been in use for a number of decades.

In the 1970s, under party leader Gosta Bohman, the traditional conservative policies had to give way to more liberal policies, especially in the economics field. This resulted in a successive upswing in the elections and Gosta Bohman became minister of the economy in 1976. Roughly a decade later in 1991, a Moderate-led government under Carl Bildt as prime minister had made its way to power. The party emphasizes personal freedom, free enterprise, and reduction of the publicsector growth rate, while still supporting most of the social benefits introduced since the 1930s. The party also supports a strong defense and Sweden's membership in the European Union. Its voter base is urban businesspeople and professionals, but the party also attracts young voters, main-street shop owners, and, to a modest extent, blue-collar workers.

Another party, the Christian Democrats, or Kristdemokraterna, was founded in the 1960s but did not enter parliament until 1985, in an electoral alliance with the Center Party and on its own accord in 1991. The leader since April 3, 2004, is Goran Hagglund. He succeeded Alf Svensson, who had been the party's leader since 1973. Ideologically, it is a Nordic Christian Democrat party, having a big part of its voter base among those who belong to free churches, Methodists, Baptists, etc. They seek better ethical practices in government and the teaching of traditional values in the schools. They also want to improve care for the elderly and have an extensive family policy program.

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