Click the pictures to find out more about the Riksdag year. The texts belonging to the pictures below are also available further down on this page.
A working year in the Riksdag is known as a "Riksdag session". As Head of State, the King opens the Riksdag session in mid-September, except in an election year when the Riksdag session starts in October. At the opening, the Prime Minister presents the Statement of Government Policy, which sets out the policies the Government intends to pursue during the coming year. If a new Government comes into power following a parliamentary election, the Prime Minister presents the Statement of Government Policy a few days after the opening of the new Riksdag session.
The Riksdag session continues throughout the year, but with a break in the activities of the Chamber during summer (the "summer recess"), Christmas and Easter. In the autumn and the spring there is also a break in the activities of the Chamber every four weeks. The workload varies considerably during the year. The autumn and spring are the most work-intensive periods and the number of meetings of the Chamber and committee meetings increase in the run-up to the summer and Christmas recess.
How should the state use the money at its disposal the following year? This is the main question for the Riksdag to adopt a position on during the autumn. The Riksdag's budget work starts on 20 September when the Minister for Finance takes a stroll to the Riksdag to submit the Government's Budget Bill. After the Minister for Finance has presented the Bill in the Chamber, a debate is held between all the parties represented in the Riksdag.
In addition to proposals for expenditure, the Budget Bill contains an estimate of central government revenue. During an election year, in case of a change of government, the new Government can wait until 15 November to submit the Budget Bill to the Riksdag.
About the central government budget
Decision about how the money is to be distributed
After the Government has submitted the Budget Bill, it is considered by the Chamber in two stages. First, the Riksdag determines a maximum total amount for central government expenditure and for the budget's various expenditure areas, such as health care, education and defence. This is done at the end of November. The Riksdag also takes a decision regarding taxation and other sources of central government revenue.
The distribution of the money within each expenditure area is then decided by the Riksdag in late November and December. Once the decisions have been taken, the Riksdag compiles the central government budget for the next year, and submits it to the Government just before Christmas.
Once a year the members of the Riksdag are entitled to submit motions - proposals - on any subject that falls within the jurisdiction of the Riksdag. This is during the general period for the introduction of private members' motions. This period begins with the opening of the Riksdag session and ends fifteen days after the Government has presented the Budget Bill to the Riksdag. The members normally submit thousands of motions during this period.
About the general private members' motions period
In October, after the general private members' motions period, the party leaders meet in the Chamber for the first debate between party leaders of the Riksdag session. The leaders of each of the parties in the Riksdag then have the opportunity to present their policies. Debates are also held in January after the Christmas recess and in June before the summer recess.
Most of the motions from the general private members' motions period that do not concern the central government budget are dealt with by the Chamber during the spring. The Riksdag also adopts a position on a number of Government bills during the spring.
Government bills are proposals for new laws from the Government and they can be submitted to the Riksdag at any time in the year. Once a bill has been submitted, the members of the Riksdag have 15 days during which to submit counter-proposals, in the form of private members' motions. The Riksdag cannot take any decisions before the private members' motions period has expired and the matter has been considered by a parliamentary committee. In general it takes a few months for the Riksdag to consider a matter.
How laws are made
Foreign policy, including Sweden's relations with other countries, is the subject of the foreign policy debate in February. The Minister for Foreign Affairs opens the debate with a presentation of the Statement of Government Policy on Foreign Affairs. A large number of foreign diplomats are invited to listen to the debate.
In May the Riksdag holds a debate on EU affairs. The debate is based on a communication from the Government which has been considered by the Riksdag, about activities in the EU.
The Riksdag scrutinises the GovernmentHow have the Government and Government minsiters performed their duties? This is the topic of the Committee on the Constitution's examination of the Government, which is debated in the Riksdag in May. The Committee on the Constitution's examination is based on reports from members of the Riksdag. They are entitled to submit a report to the Committee at any time during the year if they feel that a minister has behaved inappropriately.
The Committee on the Constitution's examination of the Government
The Chamber is in recess during the summer, Easter and Christmas. In addition there are breaks in the activities of the Chamber every four weeks during the autumn and spring. During these times members take the opportunity to go on study visits and pay visits to various organisations, companies, public agencies, etc. They also work at home in their constitutions, meet voters and take part in party activities.