Institution of Parliamentary Ombudsmen in Sweden
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Abstract
Institution of Ombudsman was founded in Sweden. The office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman was created in 1809 as a part of the new constitution that was adopted that year. Today the most important provisions concerning the Parliamentary Ombudsmen are to be found in the Constitution of 1974, which is based on the principle of the sovereignty of the people. The activities of the Ombudsmen form part of the parliamentary control of government. The Riksdag itself through the Constitutional Committee supervises the Cabinet and the Cabinet ministers, whereas the Ombudsmen (nowadays for of them) on behalf of the Riksdag supervise the Courts of Law, the administrative authorities and the local government. And the main object of the Ombudsmen's activities is to safeguard the principle of rule of law and to protect the rights and freedoms of the individual as laid down in the Constitution and Swedish law.
The oldest Swedish Ombudsman institution is the Chancellor of Justice, which was originally known as the office of the Highest Ombudsman. The Chancellor of Justice now can be described as the Government's Ombudsman. To a certain extent he has the same supervisory function as the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The Chancellor of Justice also has other important functions. Thus he is representing the state in cases concerning damages and he is the prosecutor in cases concerning the freedom of the press.
Only about 10–14 percent of all cases give rise to some kind of criticism by the Parliamentary Ombudsman. No less than 40 percent are even dismissed without any investigation although they do not fall outside the Ombudsmen's jurisdiction. People also often want the Ombudsman to change a judgement or order an authority to decide in their favour. This is not a matter for the ombudsmen; the correct course is, instead, to appeal against the judgement at the competent Court of Law.
The public debate in Sweden concerning the Parliamentary Ombudsmen has never questioned the existence of the Office.
The oldest Swedish Ombudsman institution is the Chancellor of Justice, which was originally known as the office of the Highest Ombudsman. The Chancellor of Justice now can be described as the Government's Ombudsman. To a certain extent he has the same supervisory function as the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The Chancellor of Justice also has other important functions. Thus he is representing the state in cases concerning damages and he is the prosecutor in cases concerning the freedom of the press.
Only about 10–14 percent of all cases give rise to some kind of criticism by the Parliamentary Ombudsman. No less than 40 percent are even dismissed without any investigation although they do not fall outside the Ombudsmen's jurisdiction. People also often want the Ombudsman to change a judgement or order an authority to decide in their favour. This is not a matter for the ombudsmen; the correct course is, instead, to appeal against the judgement at the competent Court of Law.
The public debate in Sweden concerning the Parliamentary Ombudsmen has never questioned the existence of the Office.
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Please see Copyright and Licence Agreement for further details.
