History of the Riksdag that the number of seats from 1977 were to be reduced to 349. In 1974 a new Instrument of Government was established as a vital part of the Constitution and for the system of government. The monarchy was retained, whereas the monarch lost all formal political influence and became only a symbolic head of state. Several of the traditional head-of-state functions have instead been transferred to the Speaker of the Riksdag. History of the Riksdag The Riksdag is the national legislature of Sweden. However, when it was founded in 1866 Sweden did not have a parliamentary system of government. The
Riksdag Estonian Riigikogu, as well as the historical German "Reichstag" and the Danish "Rigsdagen". In Swedish use, "riksdagen" is usually uncapitalized. "Riksdag" derives from the genitive of "rike", referring to royal power, and "dag", meaning diet or conference; the German word "Reichstag" and the Danish "Rigsdag" are cognate. The "Oxford English Dictionary" traces English use of the term "Riksdag" in reference to the Swedish assembly back to 1855. The roots of the modern Riksdag can be found in a 1435 meeting of the Swedish nobility in the city of Arboga. This informal organization was modified in 1527 by the first modern