Today, Regions of Sweden is a topic that arouses great interest and debate in society. Many people are curious to learn more about Regions of Sweden, whether because of its relevance today or its historical impact. In order to shed light on this topic, in this article we will explore different aspects related to Regions of Sweden, from its origins to its influence on today's society. Through detailed analysis, we will seek to better understand Regions of Sweden and its importance in the contemporary world.
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A region (Swedish: region) is a self-governing local authority of Sweden. There are 21 regions (one of which is a municipality having the same responsibilities as a region), each corresponding roughly to a county. Regions are governed by a regional assembly (regionfullmäktige) that is elected every four years in conjunction with the general elections. The most important responsibilities of regions are the public health care system and public transportation. It is one of the principal administrative subdivisions of Sweden.
Within the same geographical borders as the regions, there are county administrative boards, an administrative entity appointed by the government. As of 2010, the different regional assemblies had a combined total of 1,696 seats.
Constitutionally, the regions exercise a degree of municipal self-government provided by the Basic Laws of Sweden. This does not constitute any degree of federalism, which is consistent with Sweden's status as a unitary state.
Within the geographic boundaries of the county there are also several smaller municipalities and administrations that exercise local self-government independent of the regions. These can also be referred to as "primary municipalities" or primärkommuner, while the regions are sekundärkommuner, "secondary municipalities". Gotland Municipality is an exception, due to its geographical boundaries, and also has the responsibilities of a region.
Historically, Stockholm was separate from counties and was not under the jurisdiction of the Stockholm County Council until 1967, and some other large cities were in counties but outside regions. The cities handled the responsibilities. The two last such cities were Malmö and Göteborg until 1998.
In January 2020, the county councils (landsting) of Sweden were officially reclassified as regions (regioner). De facto, the regions had already adopted the term "region" well before the new law was adopted.