Sweden's government is rather complex, and there are many parallels to the US' government within it. Sweden's political system take's place in the form of, what is often referred to, as a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. Now, a Constitutional monarchy is a system in which the king or queen acts as Head of State, but, typically, they are only there to perform ceremonial functions. The ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected Parliament, not with the monarch. In Sweden, at the national level, the people are represented by the Swedish Parliament, also know as the Riksdag, which holds some of the legislative power. This legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament, elected within a multi-party system. Essentially, the government implements the Riksdag's decisions and is responsible for the proposal of new laws or amendments. This multi-party system is somewhat similar to the US House of Representatives and Senate. Sweden's executive power, on the other hand, is exercised entirely by the government, led by the Prime Minister of Sweden. The judiciary is independent, appointed by the government and employed until retirement, which is also a parallel to US …show more content…
The Riksdag has been unicameral since 1971, meaning it only consists of one chamber. Much like the House of Representatives in the US, each member is chosen by direct elections (in Sweden, all citizens 18 and over are eligible to vote), and these general elections to the Riksdag, which are held every four years, are crucial to the success of the country's democracy. The elections are always held on the third Sunday of September. Surprisingly, for one to sit on the Riksdag, all that is required of an individual is Swedish citizenship and to be of legal voting age. Although it may seem simple, the Riksdag is the focal point of Sweden's