Reparlamentariseringen av Sverige? Bruket av och betydelsen av riksdagens tillkännagivanden till regeringen

Abstract

In contrast to the theory of deparliamentarization amongst parliamentary democracies, this article points to the Riksdag’s use of so-called resolutions (tillkännagivanden) to the Government as a sign of growing reparliamentarization. Resolutions in the Swedish context are constitutionally non-binding but politically coercing. From this first study of a hitherto uncharted parliamentary instrument some preliminary conclusions materialise: Resolutions are more complex nowadays than 15–20 years ago requiring more effort from the Government. Parliament’s use of resolutions has, broadly pictured, evolved from unanimous or bipartisan demands on often technical issues to an increasingly politicized tool of reining in minority governments. In some exceptional cases even issuing a few so-called negative resolutions which essentially seek to infringe the Government’s executive powers. Resolutions may offer a complementary measurement of a government’s parliamentary strength and provide additional insights into the workings of Swedish (and potentially other countries) parliamentarism given additional research.