The Riksdag Administration

The Riksdag Administration strives to create the best possible conditions for the work and the members of the Riksdag by:

• providing efficient support to the work in the Chamber and the parliamentary committees, etc;
• providing efficient support and services to members of the Riksdag and party secretariats;
• promoting knowledge about the Riksdag and its work;
  maintaining and preserving the buildings and collections of the Riksdag; and
• being an efficient authority and employer. 

The Riksdag Administration has approximately 700 employees. The Riksdag Administration is led by the Riksdag Board. It is headed by the Secretary-General of the Riksdag.

Organisation

The Riksdag Administration is led by the Riksdag Board.  It is headed by the Secretary-General of the Riksdag.

The organisation of the Riksdag Administration is as follows:

• The Riksdag Board leads the Riksdag Administration and participates in the planning of the work of the Riksdag.  The Speaker is the Chair of the Riksdag Board.
• The Secretary-General of the Riksdag is the Head of the Riksdag Administration.
• The Office of the Speaker and the Secretary-General supports the Speaker and the Secretary-General in their task of leading and managing activities.
• The Secretariat of the Chamber is responsible for the planning and implementation of work in the Chamber, for the Riksdag's international contacts, the Riksdag Research Service and coordination of EU affairs.
• The Committee Division is responsible for support to members in their work in the committees and the Committee on EU Affairs as well as for follow-up, evaluation and research.
• The Administrative Affairs Division is responsible for compensation and economic benefits to members of the Riksdag, HR matters, the Riksdag Administration's budget and finances and legal matters.
• The Property and Service Division is responsible for the Riksdag's properties, premises, furnishings, fittings and works of art, for service in the Chamber and to members, party secretariats and the Riksdag Administration and for printing of parliamentary documents.
• The Security Division is responsible for security work in the Riksdag. It is also responsible for the Riksdag Administration's information and IT security.
• The IT Division is responsible for ensuring that all operations have appropriate and reliable IT support.
• The Communications Division is responsible for providing information and factual background materials about the Riksdag, its work and the EU.

The Riksdag Board

The Riksdag Administration is led by the Riksdag Board, which decides on the Administration's operational planning and draft budgets.

The work of the Riksdag is led by the Speaker.  The Riksdag Board deliberates on the planning of work and may also present proposals to the Riksdag concerning the way the work of the Riksdag should be conducted.

The Council for Members’ Affairs

The Council for Members’ Affairs is a body coming directly under the Riksdag Board and which is headed by the Secretary-General of the Riksdag. The Council deals with practical issues of interest to members of the Riksdag, such as accommodation, travel provisions and technical equipment.

The Council includes one member of each party represented in the Riksdag.  Each member has a deputy.  The members and deputy members are appointed by the Riksdag Board.

The Secretary-General of the Riksdag

The Secretary-General of the Riksdag is the Head of the Riksdag Administration. He or she is responsible for and presides over the Administration in accordance with directives and guidelines from the Riksdag Board.

The Secretary-General of the Riksdag is elected by the Riksdag. The election is prepared by a group consisting of the Speaker and the group leaders of the parties represented in the Riksdag.

The Office of the Speaker and the Secretary-General 

The Office of the Speaker and the Secretary-General supports the Speaker and the Secretary-General in their task of leading and managing activities.

The Chamber Division

The Chamber Division plans and implements the work of the Chamber. The Division consists of the EU Coordination Secretariat, the Secretariat of the Chamber, the Department for the Parliamentary Record, the International Department and the Riksdag Research Service.

The EU Coordination Secretariat

The EU Coordination Secretariat coordinates the Riksdag's work with EU affairs. The Secretariat serves as an internal and external point of contact for the Riksdag's work with EU affairs and is responsible for the handling of EU documents. The Permanent Representative of the Swedish Parliament to the EU institutions is linked to the EU Coordination Secretariat.

The Secretariat of the Chamber

The Secretariat of the Chamber examines the members’ motions, interpellations and written questions to ensure compliance with the Constitution and the Riksdag Act.

Its tasks include:

• preparing order papers for the meetings of the Chamber;
• receiving private members’ motions, government bills, interpellations, answers to interpellations and written questions and notifications from members wishing to participate in debates in the Chamber;
• proposing what committee to refer incoming matters to;
• planning together with the heads of committee secretariats when various matters are to be dealt with in the Chamber; and producing the Riksdag’s written communications to the Government.

The Department for the Parliamentary Record

The official reporters of the parliamentary record write down everything that is said in the Chamber. This is later published in the parliamentary record. The Department for the Parliamentary Record is also responsible for language revision and translation.

The Research Service

The Riksdag Research Service is an internal research service. Its activities are determined by the assignments it receives, and it primarily carries out research assignments on behalf of members of the Riksdag and party secretariats.

Some assignments are available for download. 

The International Department of the Riksdag

The International Department of the Riksdag manages the Riksdag’s international contacts and helps the Speaker and Deputy Speakers with their international commitments.

The Riksdag’s international activities include the Speaker’s visits and trips around the world, visits during which the parliamentary committees exchange experience with committees from other parliaments and visits and study trips by various Riksdag delegations. The Riksdag also helps to support young democracies in their parliamentary development.

The International work of the Riksdag

The Administrative Affairs Division

The Administrative Affairs Division comprises the Finance Department, the Department for Remuneration to Members, the Human Resources Department and the Legal Services Department. The Division also provides certain administrative support to the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsmen and coordinates administrative support to boards under the Riksdag such as the Election Review Board and the Riksdag Remunerations Board.

The Finance Department

The Finance Department is responsible for tasks relating to financial administration. In addition, one of its primary responsibilities is to prepare proposals for appropriations in the central government budget for the Riksdag and Riksdag Administration. The Finance Department also prepares proposals for the annual reports of the Riksdag Administration and for appropriation directions for the authorities under the Riksdag.

The Department coordinates procurement activities and pays out financial support to the parties and party groups in the Riksdag.

The Human Resources Department

The Human Resources Department is responsible for tasks relating to human resources and salary administration. It is also responsible for negotiations on collective agreements for the Riksdag Administration and centrally for the authorities under the Riksdag. Support to managers in human resources matters and for overall skills development are also among the responsibilities of the Department.

In addition, the Department coordinates work environment and accessibility issues, is responsible for preventive healthcare and mediates occupational health services for members and employees.

The Department for Remuneration to Members

The Department for Remuneration to Members is responsible for matters relating to administration of members’ affairs, for example, members’ pay, economic benefits and pensions.

The Department also coordinates the introduction of new members and alternate members of the Riksdag. When a member leaves his or her assignment, the Department helps with matters relating to guaranteed income and financial redeployment support. Matters relating to travel by MPs and employees of the Riksdag Administration are also dealt with by the Department.

The Legal Services Department

The Legal Services Department deals with legal aspects of the Administration's work, drawing up statutes and other rules, as well as the Riksdag Administration's central register of documents. It is also responsible for the Riksdag Archives and Registry.

The Committee Division

Secretariats staffed by non-party political officials help the members of the Riksdag in their work in the parliamentary committees and the Committee on EU Affairs. Together the secretariats and the Evaluation and Research Secretariat make up the Committee Division.

The secretariats of the parliamentary committees and the Committee on EU Affairs

The Riksdag has 15 parliamentary committees and one Committee on EU Affairs. They each have their own secretariat, consisting of a head of secretariat and five to ten officials

The committee secretariats help the members with background materials for decisions, writing statements on certain EU documents and following up and evaluating the Riksdag's decisions. They also assist with matters relating to research and the future.

The officials who are responsible for preparing and presenting business to the members of the committee are known as committee secretaries. The officials also include office staff who are responsible for the everyday work of the secretariat.

The officials are non-party political employees, and keep their jobs even when the political majority changes after an election.

The Government is to consult the Committee on EU Affairs on matters relating to the EU.

The Evaluation and Research Secretariat

A special secretariat is responsible for supporting the committees in their work with follow-up and evaluation of the Riksdag's decisions and with research and future issues. The committees’ follow-ups, evaluations and research reports are published in the series Reports from the Riksdag (RFR).  The RFR series also includes the committees’ public hearings.

Reports from the Riksdag (in Swedish)

The Property and Service Division

The Property and Service Division is responsible for support and services to the Riksdag, members, party secretariats and Riksdag Administration. The Division includes the Property Management Department, the In-house Services Department and the Department for Parliamentary Documents.

The Property Management Department

The Riksdag buildings are part of Sweden's cultural heritage and should at the same time serve as a modern workplace for the members of the Riksdag, the Riksdag Administration and the party secretariats. The Property Management Department is responsible for renovation and development of the buildings, for provision of premises and for purchases and maintenance of furniture, fittings and works of art. Management of the Riksdag buildings is based on a long-term plan designed to create the best possible conditions for the members and the work of the Riksdag, today and in the future.

Riksdag buildings for the future

The In-house Services Department

Everyday services should enable the members of the Riksdag to focus on their political assignment. The In-house Services Department is responsible for catering, child care, postal services, cleaning, booking of premises, the Riksdag switchboard, Service Centre and service in the Chamber.

The Department for Parliamentary Documents

The work of the Riksdag is documented in the parliamentary documents. The parliamentary documents include government bills, motions, committee reports and communications from the Riksdag. The Department for Parliamentary Documents produces, coordinates and distributes parliamentary documents. The Department also provides in-house printing services for the members, the Riksdag Administration, party secretariats, authorities under the Riksdag etc.

The Security Division

The work of the Security Division is designed so that the Riksdag can be an open and accessible parliament. The Security Division works to ensure that protective security measures in the Riksdag Administration and the Riksdag are in relation to the interests being safeguarded and to threats and vulnerabilities.

Measures should also ensure the Riksdag's ability to take action at all levels of the threat scale, that is both in everyday activities, incidents or crises and in the event of danger of war or war. In addition, the Division is responsible for information security in the Riksdag Administration.

The Security Division comprises the Security Operations Department, the Emergency Services Department, the Protective Security Department and the Emergency Management Department.

The Security Operations Department

The Security Operations Department is responsible for security in the Riksdag buildings and in connection with events and meetings. The Department carries out security checks and deals with incidents relating to medical care, fire and security.

The Emergency Services Department

The Emergency Services Department works with signal protection and carries out technical surveillance of the Riksdag buildings and IT systems.

The Protective Security Department

The Protective Security Department works with specification, coordination and follow-up of the Riksdag Administration's protective security and with processing of matters relating to personnel security and protective security agreements.

The Emergency Management Department

The Emergency Management Department coordinates, supports and follows up the Riksdag Administration's work with crisis management and total defence. The Department coordinates the necessary preparations for the Riksdag and Riksdag Administration to be able to fulfil their tasks in any circumstances.

The IT Division

The IT Division is responsible for providing IT support to the members of the Riksdag, the Riksdag Administration and the party secretariats. The Division develops and maintains IT services and is responsible for the Riksdag's IT architecture and technical infrastructure. It also produces all television broadcasts from the Riksdag.

The IT Division comprises the Department for IT Business Support, the Department for IT Infrastructure and Operations, the Department for IT Development and Projects, the Department for IT Development and Architecture and the Department for IT Support and Training.

The Department for IT Business Support

The Department for IT Business Support provides administrative support and is responsible for process coordination within the IT Division. It is also responsible for communication between the IT Division and other authorities under the Riksdag as well as the party secretariats.

The Department for IT Infrastructure and Operations

The Department for IT Infrastructure and Operations is responsible for operation of the Chamber system, TV production and conference technology. It is also responsible for the Riksdag Administration's IT security in the IT environment, and maintains the technical infrastructure.

The Department for IT Development and Projects

The Department for IT Development and Projects is responsible for IT project management, system documentation and the IT Division's document structure.

The Department for IT Development and Architecture

The Department for IT Development and Architecture is responsible for systems architecture, quality assurance and frameworks for systems integration.

The Department for IT Support and Training

The Department for IT Support and Training is responsible for the IT Service Centre, including system support and digital meetings, and organises IT training.

The Communications Division

The Communications Division is responsible for promoting increased openness and access to information about the Riksdag, its work and the EU.

The Communications Division comprises the Department for Communications Planning, the Department for Media, Communications and Digital Development, the Department for Visits, Education and Events and the Riksdag Library. 

The Department for Communications Planning

The Department for Communications Planning is responsible for communications strategy, the Riksdag's graphic profile and brand, plain language, the Riksdag intranet and printed material.

The Department for Media, Communications and Digital Development

The Department for Media, Communications and Digital Development is responsible for press matters, the Riksdag website and the Riksdag's EU Information, the Riksdag's open data and the Riksdag Information Service for questions about the Riksdag and the EU.

The Department for Visits, Education and Events

The Department for Visits, Education and Events is responsible for visits to the Riksdag. Guided tours of the Riksdag are organised for the public every week. School classes are also received for study visits and special materials are produced about the work of the Riksdag and the EU, which can be used by teachers in the classroom. Furthermore, the Department is responsible for planning and managing events.  

Visit the Riksdag

The Riksdag Library

The primary task of the Riksdag Library is to provide the Riksdag with background materials for decisions. It also offers monitoring and information retrieval services for members and officials of the Riksdag.

The Riksdag Library specialises in law, political science and parliamentary documents, and is open to the public.

The Riksdag Library