$Unique_ID{COW03506}
$Pretitle{441}
$Title{Sweden
Chapter 7. The Business of the Government}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{The Swedish Riksdag}
$Affiliation{Swedish Institute}
$Subject{government
minister
art
prime
business
cabinet
meetings
ministers
ministry
}
$Date{1989}
$Log{}
Country:     Sweden
Book:        The Constitution of Sweden 1989 The Swedish Riksdaf
Author:      The Swedish Riksdag
Affiliation: Swedish Institute
Date:        1989

Chapter 7. The Business of the Government

     Art. 1. A Government Chancery shall exist for the preparation of
Government business. This Chancery shall comprise ministries for different
fields of activity. The Government distributes business between the
ministries. The Prime Minister appoints the heads of the respective ministries
from among the Ministers.

     Art. 2. In the preparation of Government business the necessary
information and opinions shall be obtained from the authorities concerned.
Associations and private individuals shall be given an opportunity to express
their views where necessary.

     Art. 3. Decisions concerning Government business shall be taken at
Cabinet meetings. Government business relating to the implementation of
statutory instruments or special Government decisions within the armed forces
may however be approved by the head of the ministry responsible for such
matters, under the supervision of the Prime Minister and to the extent laid
down in law.

     Art. 4. The Prime Minister shall summon the other Ministers to attend
Cabinet meetings and shall preside at such meetings. At least five Ministers
shall be present at a Cabinet meeting.

     Art. 5. At Cabinet meetings the head of a ministry presents business
falling within the purview of his ministry. The Prime Minister may, however,
order an item or group of items belonging to a particular ministry to be
presented by a Minister other than the head of the ministry concerned.

     Art. 6. Minutes shall be kept of Cabinet meetings. Dissenting opinions
are to be recorded in the minutes.

     Art. 7. Laws and other statutes, Bills for submission to the Riksdag, and
any other despatches of Cabinet decisions must be signed by the Prime Minister
or another Minister on behalf of the Government in order to be valid.

     The Government may, however, decree that in particular cases an official
may sign a Government despatch.

     Art. 8. The Prime Minister may nominate one of the other Ministers to
deputize for him in the event that he is unavoidably prevented from carrying
out his duties himself. If a deputy has not been nominated by the Prime
Minister, or if the deputy is also prevented from carrying out the duties of
Prime Minister, these duties shall be assumed by that Minister among those in
office who has been a member of the Government longest. Where two or more
Ministers have been members of the Government for the same length of time the
oldest shall have precedence.