Page:The Constitution of Sweden (2016).pdf/222

 The majority of democratic countries have a written constitution which regulates how society shall be governed. Sweden has four fundamental laws: the Instrument of Government, the Act of Succession, the Freedom of the Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. These establish among other things how parliament and government are to be appointed and how they shall function. The fundamental laws also include protection for citizens’ rights and freedoms.

The organisation and working procedures of the Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament) are regulated in more detail in the Riksdag Act, which occupies an intermediate position between fundamental law and ordinary law. On 1 September 2014, a new Riksdag Act came into force.

The Constitution of Sweden contains an introduction describing the Swedish form of government and how it developed, followed by the law texts in their entirety in English translation, as of 1 January 2015.

The Swedish Parliament • SE-100 12 Stockholm • Phone: +46 8 7864000 • www.riksdagen.se