Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a multi-party, parliamentary, democratic government. The country has one of the highest Human Development Indexes. King Carl XVI Gustaf performs the role of Head of State although his powers are limited. The Prime Minister is head of government and exercises executive authority. The 2010 national elections which were held on the basis of universal suffrage were deemed free and fair by observers.

The 349 deputies of the Parliament or Riksdag are elected by proportional representation. The Constitution defines the Legislature as the supreme authority of the government and elects the Prime Minister. In the most recent elections which took place in September 2010, 147 women were elected, 45% of the total and parliamentary elections are held every four years. In the most recent, two blocks, the Alliance for Sweden, situated on the right of the political spectrum and made up of the Moderate Party, Liberal People's Party, Christian Democrats and Centre Party fought for re-election, and a coalition of the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party and the Left Party (former communists) recovered the power which the parties had previously lost. Although the coalition, headed by the Prime Minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, won the elections, it lost legislative majority which weakens its ability to approve fundamental laws. The elections represented a historical shift in the political outlook of Sweden, since the far-right party the Sweden Democrats which had based its campaign on the rejection of foreign nationals and which already had a representation of 50 of the 290 municipalities, broke through the barrier of 4% of the vote required to enter parliament, doing so with 20 seats.

The judiciary is independent in law and in practice.

Discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, gender, disability, language or social status although claims are made of discrimination against the Roma and homosexuals. On 1st May 2009 a law came into force authorising same sex marriages. The law was backed by 6 of the 7 parties with parliamentary representation, as well as the Church of Sweden which has allowed homosexual unions since 2007.

Laws against the incitement of hatred prohibit insulting a national, ethnic or other group of people on the basis of race, colour, national or ethnic origin, religious belief or sexual orientation. This legislation has been used to stop neo-Nazis from displaying provocative symbols and allows individuals to receive compensation for discrimination. Human rights organisations have expressed concern over the individual's right to privacy and the surveillance techniques now being used by the police. A public representative's position has been created to protect citizens' rights in cases involving surveillance or telephone hacking. Freedom of expression and of the press is guaranteed by law and is generally respected. The media are independent and express a wide variety of views. Access to the Internet is not restricted and public access to government information is guaranteed, with information being provided upon request. Trafficking is illegal although Sweden is a transit and destination country for victims of people trafficking. The problem most severely affects minors of age 16. Victims receive assistance from NGOs funded by the government and, subject to their cooperation with the investigative authorities, they receive temporary residence permits. Anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic incidents are reported to have increased. Following the elections, the police recorded that some acts of aggression suffered by immigrants during 2010 were of a racist nature.

In December 2010, a suicide attack carried out by an Islamist radical shook the centre of Stockholm, the Swedish capital, although the bomber only succeeded in detonating part of the explosives being carried. The explosion resulted in the death of the perpetrator and various wounded.

Education is compulsory, free and universal from the age of 7 to 16 and remains free up to the age of 18. The enrolment rate is extremely high. Sweden provides an extensive public childcare system which guarantees day care for all children aged 1 to 5. Sami children can receive education in Sami schools for the equivalent of the first 6 years of compulsory schooling. Corporal punishment is illegal, and parents or teachers and other adults are prosecuted if they physically punish a child by slapping or spanking, with children being able to report such abuse to the police.

The language policy provides the right for all to develop and learn the Swedish language, to use one's own mother tongue and minority language, and to have the opportunity learn other languages. Special efforts are made in deprived areas, paying specific attention to mother tongue teaching and teaching Swedish as a second language. Reading is encouraged among children whose first language is not Swedish, and Swedish instruction for immigrants is undergoing reform. Education was the subject of lively debates in Sweden during the past decade. This can partly be explained by changes introduced into the national curriculum in terms of the organisation of teaching institutions. However, the school system is also influenced by issues such as immigration and integration. The debates have both political and educational content and reach the heart of Swedish society and democracy. The goal is to ensure that everyone receives equal treatment in the Swedish education system. The Discrimination Ombudsman (Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO) is responsible for directives regarding programmes for equal treatment, although each institute creates its own programme in collaboration with teachers, pupils and parents. These programmes are a means of ensuring compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A three year programme begins at the age of 4. At this level 14% of education is private and the Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is 99%. There are 33,235 ECE teachers and the pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 10:1.

Education is compulsory from the age of 7 to 16 and primary school begins at 7 and lasts for 6 years. At this level 5% of education is private. The NER is 96% (49% female) and 2% of students repeat grades. There are 69,256 primary teachers (80% female) and the PTR is 9:1.

Secondary education begins at the age of 13 and lasts for 6 years. 49% of students in secondary education study in technical vocational programmes and the NER is 98%. There are 73,132 secondary teachers, 35,380 (63% female) in lower secondary and 36,752 (51% female) in upper secondary. The PTR is 10:1 in lower secondary and 14:1 in upper secondary.

422,580 students (60% female) study in tertiary institutions, with a Gross Enrolment Rate of 72%. International students studying in Sweden come from North America and Western Europe (16,396), Central and Eastern Europe (3,885), Asia (2,927), Latin America and the Caribbean (922), the Arab States (623) and Sub-Saharan Africa (617). In addition to this, 13,392 Swedish students are studying abroad, mainly in the UK (3,379), the USA (3,116), Norway (1,107), Australia (1,049) and Germany (839).

Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a multi-party, parliamentary, democratic government. The country has one of the highest Human Development Indexes. King Carl XVI Gustaf performs the role of Head of State although his powers are limited. The Prime Minister is head of government and exercises executive authority. The 2010 national elections which were held on the basis of universal suffrage were deemed free and fair by observers.

The 349 deputies of the Parliament or Riksdag are elected by proportional representation. The Constitution defines the Legislature as the supreme authority of the government and elects the Prime Minister. In the most recent elections which took place in September 2010, 147 women were elected, 45% of the total and parliamentary elections are held every four years. In the most recent, two blocks, the Alliance for Sweden, situated on the right of the political spectrum and made up of the Moderate Party, Liberal People's Party, Christian Democrats and Centre Party fought for re-election, and a coalition of the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party and the Left Party (former communists) recovered the power which the parties had previously lost. Although the coalition, headed by the Prime Minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, won the elections, it lost legislative majority which weakens its ability to approve fundamental laws. The elections represented a historical shift in the political outlook of Sweden, since the far-right party the Sweden Democrats which had based its campaign on the rejection of foreign nationals and which already had a representation of 50 of the 290 municipalities, broke through the barrier of 4% of the vote required to enter parliament, doing so with 20 seats.

The judiciary is independent in law and in practice.

Discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, gender, disability, language or social status although claims are made of discrimination against the Roma and homosexuals. On 1st May 2009 a law came into force authorising same sex marriages. The law was backed by 6 of the 7 parties with parliamentary representation, as well as the Church of Sweden which has allowed homosexual unions since 2007.

Laws against the incitement of hatred prohibit insulting a national, ethnic or other group of people on the basis of race, colour, national or ethnic origin, religious belief or sexual orientation. This legislation has been used to stop neo-Nazis from displaying provocative symbols and allows individuals to receive compensation for discrimination. Human rights organisations have expressed concern over the individual's right to privacy and the surveillance techniques now being used by the police. A public representative's position has been created to protect citizens' rights in cases involving surveillance or telephone hacking. Freedom of expression and of the press is guaranteed by law and is generally respected. The media are independent and express a wide variety of views. Access to the Internet is not restricted and public access to government information is guaranteed, with information being provided upon request. Trafficking is illegal although Sweden is a transit and destination country for victims of people trafficking. The problem most severely affects minors of age 16. Victims receive assistance from NGOs funded by the government and, subject to their cooperation with the investigative authorities, they receive temporary residence permits. Anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic incidents are reported to have increased. Following the elections, the police recorded that some acts of aggression suffered by immigrants during 2010 were of a racist nature.

In December 2010, a suicide attack carried out by an Islamist radical shook the centre of Stockholm, the Swedish capital, although the bomber only succeeded in detonating part of the explosives being carried. The explosion resulted in the death of the perpetrator and various wounded. Compulsory education includes special schools for students with impaired sight, hearing or speech and special needs schools for students with learning disabilities. Schooling is compulsory and free of charge, including the cost of teaching materials, school meals, healthcare and school transport. Deaf children and children with serious hearing impairments attend special schools with 10 grades of education equivalent to the education provided in compulsory schools. In compulsory institutes for children with special needs, 9 primary and lower secondary grades are taught. There are also special institutes for children with learning disabilities. Universities are prohibited from discriminating against disabled students in the admissions process and businesses are likewise prohibited during the recruitment process. The Peoples Ombudsman handles disability related complaints.

The law provides for the granting of asylum or refugee status in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, and the government has established a system for providing protection to refugees. The government cooperates with the UNHCR and other humanitarian organisations in assisting refugees. There is a law to protect unaccompanied minors who seek asylum. The government appoints a legal guardian to care for such children upon their arrival, and they are entitled to social security support. Children and young people who seek asylum in Sweden have the same right to enrol in childcare, preschool, primary and upper secondary education as other children in the country.

In January 2011, Amnesty International condemned an attempt by the Swedish authorities to return asylum seekers whose requests had been declined to Iraq.

The law recognises Sami, Swedish Finns, Tornedal Finns, the Roma and Jews as national minorities. Minority languages are protected and supported. There are between 17,000 and 20,000 indigenous Sami. The UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination criticised omissions in the issue of Sami land rights. Similarly, the European Union has criticised the government on a number of occasions for not having resolved problems related to Sami land and water rights. The Sami parliament is an advisory body to the government and Sami schools are funded under compulsory education provisions.

Approximately 12% of the population is of foreign origin, with the largest groups coming from Finland, Iraq, Iran and former Yugoslavia. Reports from human rights organisations indicate persistent cases of racism and intolerance towards groups identified as minorities or foreigners. Inequalities in access to the labour and housing markets were identified as problems. A report by school authorities indicates there are certain problems in the provision of teachers and educational materials for minority language teaching. Between 20,000 and 25,000 Roma live in Sweden.

Reports do not indicate restrictions or violations of academic freedom as such, although academics are concerned for two reasons: the first being a reformation of research financing and the second being an increasing tendency for universities to prioritise teaching over research. As a result, responsibility for the funding of research is being taken over by external funding organisations that set their own priorities. Changes in the structure of the funding system are beginning to impact on the activity of academics.

Men and women have equal rights in terms of the family, property and the legal system. In the World Economic Forum's 2010 Global Gender Gap Index , Sweden is ranked 4th out of 134 counties. However, inequalities have not disappeared altogether, with the country having dropped from first place in 2006 to its current 4th. The gender pay gap persists and in 2006, the estimated income for a female was US $21,842, compared with US $31,722 for males. In 2010, women earned US $29,476 and men US $40,000. The Equal Opportunities Ombudsman investigates claims of gender discrimination in the workplace and the majority of claims made by women are related to salaries. Sexual harassment is prohibited, and the law is enforced, although violence against women continues to exist. Around 2,000 women, mostly immigrants, are reported to have suffered the impact of honour related violence. Shelters are available for young women at risk of suffering such violence from relatives. Female genital mutilation is illegal, but reports indicate that some children are sent out of the country to undergo the procedure.

The legal minimum working age is 16, under the supervision of local authorities. Children under 18 may only work during the day and under supervision. With parental permission, children aged 13 may carry out part-time or light work. Policies clearly outline acceptable working conditions, and child labour legislation is implemented rigorously. Union representatives play an important role in controlling child labour and raising awareness of the issue.

Workers have the right to form and join trade unions, and about 80% of the work force is unionised. Collective bargaining is widely practised and over 80% of the work force is covered by collective bargaining agreements. The right to strike is guaranteed, as are employer lockouts. Public sector workers also have the right to strike, provided public health and security are ensured.

However a series of recent government regulations have had negative repercussions on trade union rights. In 2007, following the ruling in the Laval case, new provisions were introduced limiting the rights of unions to undertake collective action and collective bargaining in defence of the rights of foreign workers deployed in the country. The Swedish Labour Court pronounced a final judgement in the Laval case on 2nd December 2009, sentencing the Swedish construction workers' union and the national union of electricians to pay 2.5 million Swedish Kronor (approximately 250,000 euro) for damages and legal costs. The ruling was highly surprising, above all because the Court ruled five years ago, in a provisional verdict, that the collective action was lawful according to Swedish legislation. The final ruling of the Swedish Labour Court with respect to compensation for damages and losses surprisingly made reference to current EU legislation and constitutes a violation of the ILO principles of trade union freedom.

Additionally, in application of the 2009 EU Services Directive, the government abolished a provision requiring foreign companies operating in Sweden to have a legal representative in the country to which trade unions could address their demands for collective bargaining.

Forced or compulsory labour is illegal, but victims of people trafficking often work under such conditions. There is no legal national minimum wage, with wages being set by collective bargaining. Social security and wages fixed by collective bargaining generally provide workers with a decent standard of living. The standard working week is 40 hours.