The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions SALAR

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The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and
Regions (SALAR)

• SALAR represents Swedens 290 municipalities and
  20 county councils/regions.
• It acts as an employers organisation, and it
  defends and promotes the interests of its
  members, for example by working to strengthen
  local selfgovernment and the development of
  regional and local democracy.

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The political organisation of the Association
after the 2007 Congress
Swedish Association of Local Authorities and
Regions Congress
Board Executive Committee

• Permanent Committees
• Committee on Democracy
• International Committee
• Committee on Culture and Leisure
• Committee on Primary Healthcare and Elderly
  Care
• Committee on Planning and
• Community Development
• Committee on Social Policy
• Committee on Growth and Regional
  Development
• Committee on Education

• Delegations
• Delegation for Negotiations
• Delegation on Healthcare

Temporary Programme Committees Committee on
Freedom of choice Committee on Welfare funding
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The priority issues of the Association 2009

• 1. Strong regional and local self-government
• 2. The content and financing of welfare
• 3. Open comparisons
• 4. Reliable health care
• 5. Greater patient and user influence
• 6. Simplified procurement
• 7. Investments in infrastructure
• 8. Better school results
• 9. A good employer
• 10. Climate change mitigation
• 11. Security and safety
• 12. Better environment for enterprises

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A country full of contrasts

• Population 9 million inhabitants
• Form of government Constitutional monarchy,
  parliamentary democracy. Parliament The Riksdag,
  with 349 members in one chamber.Capital
  Stockholm. The largest city in Sweden.
  Population 1 974 827
• Göteborg/Gothenburg Swedens second largest
  city. Population 499 747
• Malmö The third largest city in Sweden.
  Population 285 514
• Bjurholm The smallest municipality in Sweden, 2
  517 inhabitants.

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The current Local Government Act defines the
roles

• Municipalities are responsible for matters
  relating to the inhabitants of the municipality
  and their immediate environment.
• The main task of the county councils and regions
  is healthcare.
• Parliament, Riksdagen, which has 349 members, is
  the supreme political decision-making body in
  Sweden

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The Constitution
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• Art. 1. Swedish democracy is founded on the free
  formation of opinion and on universal and equal
  suffrage. It shall be realised through a
  representative and parliamentary polity and
  through local self-government.
• Art. 7. Sweden has municipalities and county
  councils. The decision-making power in these
  local authorities is exercised by elected
  assemblies.
• The local authorities may levy taxes in order to
  perform their tasks.

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The three democratic levels
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Local self-government

• The Swedish municipalities and county councils
  /regions are responsible for providing a major
  part of all public services.
• They have a considerable degree of autonomy and
  have independent powers of taxation.

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The role of the municipalities

• Required by law
• Social services
• Childcare and preschools
• Elderly care
• Care for the physically and intellectually
  disabled
• Primary and secondary education
• Planning and building issues
• Health and environmental protection
• Refuse collection and waste management
• Emergency services and emergency preparedness
• Water and sewerage

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Revenues of the municipalities
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and their expenditure
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Employees of the muncipalities
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The activities of the county councils and regions.

• The activities of the county councils and regions
  cover two main areas healthcare and regional
  development.
• The county councils and regions are responsible
  for ensuring that everyone living in Sweden has
  access to good healthcare.

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Revenues of the county councils/regions
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and their expenditure
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Regional development

• The European Union has great impact on regional
  development.
• The County Administrative Boards are responsible
  for regional development
• Municipalities and county councils/regions have
  developed various forms of regional co-operation
  in regional matters.
• Two regions have been formed by the merger of a
  number of county councils. These are the Västra
  Götaland Region and Region Skåne.

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Elections 2002, 2006, 2010

• Parliament 7 parties (4 in government
  2006-2010)
• Municipal Councils 7 national 140 local
  parties (Different majorities)

• General elections every four year
• General election Parliament
• Swedish citizens 18 can vote
• Election to County and Regional Councils
• Election to Municipal Councils
• Swedish, EU, Nordic citizens 18 can vote
• In June every five years
• Election to the European Parliament
• Swedish, EU citizens 18 can vote

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Elections

• Centre Party (c)
• the Liberal Party (fp)
• the Moderate Party (m)
• the Christian Democrats (kd)
• Social Democrats (s)
• Left Party (v)
• The Green Party (mp)