Constitution of Sweden

Constitution Of Sweden

The Swedish Constitution consists of four fundamental laws (Swedish: grundlagar):

• The 1810 Act of Succession (Swedish: Successionsordningen)
• The 1949 Freedom of the Press Act (Swedish: Tryckfrihetsförordningen)
• The 1974 Instrument of Government (Swedish: Regeringsformen)
• The 1991 Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression (Swedish: Yttrandefrihetsgrundlagen)

There is also a law on the working order of the Parliament of Sweden with a special status but which does not qualify as a fundamental law, although certain parts of it are harder to change than ordinary laws:

• The 1974 Riksdag Act (Swedish: Riksdagsordningen)

To amend or to make a revision of a fundamental law, the Parliament needs to approve the changes twice in two successive terms, with a general election having been held in between. The change can be dismissed but not formally approved by a popular vote coinciding with such a general election, although this option has never been used. If the people do not dismiss a change, it still has to be ratified by the newly elected Parliament.