Democracy

Democracy means government by the people or people's power. A fundamental idea behind democracy is that the citizens or residents in a county should have the opportunity to exercise political influence, for example, by means of regular elections.

Illustration of Akropolis
Illustration: The Riksdag Administration

What is democracy?

Democracy means government by the people or people's power. A fundamental idea behind democracy is that the citizens or residents in a county should have the opportunity to exercise political influence, for example, by means of regular elections.

Another fundamental idea behind democracy is that all human beings are of equal value and should enjoy the same rights. In a democracy, everyone is free to think and believe what they want and to express their opinions openly in speech or writing.

Illustration of polling booth.
Illustration: The Riksdag Administration

Elections and referendums

Elections to the Riksdag are held every four years, on the second Sunday in September. This is a chance for the voters to visit the polling stations to determine which individuals will represent them in parliament. 

A referendum is where an electorate can vote directly on a political matter. The decision to hold a national referendum is made by the Riksdag. Referendums can also be held in municipalities and regions.

Illustration of Rosenbad
Illustration: The Riksdag Administration

Forming a government

A new government needs to be formed when a previous government has resigned. This normally occurs after a parliamentary election. However, a new government may also need to be formed if the previous government resigns following a declaration of no confidence towards the prime minister from the Riksdag, or if the prime minister chooses to resign for other reasons.

About the page

Published