The Citizens’ Room
The Citizen’s Room is located in the passageway between the East Wing and the West Wing of the Riksdag. Here, a number of objects and images are on display that illustrate the importance of the free formation of public opinion for democracy.
At the beginning of the 20th century, popular movements were an important school for prospective politicians, as they helped urge on the process of democratisation. One of these was the women’s suffrage movement, which is represented here with pictures from the Signe Bergman collection in the form of postcards, posters and suffrage pamphlets.
As examples of how parliamentary processes worked, and still work today, visitors can see how the Riksdag decision that led to universal and equal suffrage evolved. It emerged as a result of political events both in Sweden and abroad – and particularly as a result of a willingness to compromise on the part of leading politicians of the time.
The Citizens’ Room deals with free speech, the free formation and shaping of opinions and the freedom of opinion itself, the very foundations of our democracy.