Elections in Sweden
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Ordinary general elections are held in Sweden every four years to elect a new Riksdag, which is the Swedish parliament. County Council and Municipal Council elections take place at the same time. The next elections will be held in September, 2006. There is a barrier rule intended to prevent very small parties from gaining representation in the Parliament. A party must thus receive at least 4 percent of the votes in the entire country or 12 percent in a single electoral district to qualify for any seats. Every five years there is also an election to the European Parliament.
In the election the voter chooses between the different running parties. Each party is represented by a ballot listing their candidates. On the ballot the voter can indicate his or her preference for a particular candidate. Eligible to vote and stand for elections are Swedish Citizens who turn 18 years old no later than on the day of the election.
A party must also pass a set limit of 4 percent nationally, or 12 percent in one of the 29 electoral districts, in order to be awarded seats in parliament. Elections are held on the third Sunday of September every four years. The next elections are due in September, 2006
Riksdag elections
The unicameral parliament has 349 members, out of which 310 are elected on a proportional system in each of the 29 national electoral districts. The remaining 39 seats are awarded on a national basis to further secure a proportional representation.Election results
See for a table of results from 1911 to 2002.European Parliament elections
Elections for the European Parliament held in Sweden.See also
References