The Riksdag to meet in August

The Speaker Andreas Norlén has consulted the party group leaders on the handling of government bills that have been introduced late. The Speaker has taken into consideration the various points of view expressed in the discussions and has decided to schedule plenary meetings on 12 and 13 August. 

Government bills that are introduced by the spring deadline (17 March this year), are normally considered before the break in meetings of the Chamber for the summer, which starts at the end of June. However, it is customary for the Government to introduce bills after the spring deadline and to ask the Riksdag to consider them during the spring, which the Riksdag generally does. This year, the Government plans to introduce a number of bills so late that they cannot be considered in June. In a written communication to the Speaker, the group leader of the Moderate Party has requested that these government bills be considered in the Chamber in August.  

The Speaker decides on the planning of the work of the Chamber and when the Chamber should meet. Both the Government and a minority of a minimum of 115 of the members of the Riksdag can, however, request that the Speaker call a meeting of the Chamber. 

The committees decide independently when to meet and are therefore not bound by whether or not the Chamber meets. A majority of members of the Riksdag, and thus a majority of the committees concerned, consider that the government bills in question should be prepared in the committees and decided on in the Chamber in July and August.  

In addition to the originally mentioned eight government bills, the Riksdag Administration has been informed that a small number of other bills that the Government has announced will be submitted late in the spring. These may also need to be considered in July and August. 

In view of this, the Speaker’s assessment is that it is suitable, for practical and planning purposes, to determine a supplementary meeting schedule now.

During the party group leaders’ discussions, they expressed a wish for a meeting for replies to interpellations to be scheduled if the Chamber is to consider committee reports in August. Such a meeting will therefore be held on Tuesday 11 August.

Contact person for the media

Pernilla Eldblom, Press Secretary to the Speaker, tel. 08-786 59 14, email: pernilla.eldblom@riksdagen.se