| Regions of Sweden Sveriges regioner (Swedish) | |
|---|---|
 Sweden's regional borders | |
| Category | Self-governing administrative division |
| Location | Sweden |
| Found in | Counties |
| Number | 21 |
| Government |
|
In Sweden, aregion (Swedish:[rɛɡɪˈuːn]) is a self-governing administrative division responsible primarily forhealthcare andpublic transport. Sweden's regions correspond geographically to Sweden's 21counties (Swedish:län) and were previously known ascounty councils (Swedish:landsting) until they were restructured and renamed in 2020. Regions (Swedish:regioner) are one of the principaladministrative subdivisions of Sweden.
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According to theBasic Laws of Sweden, regions are described as"municipalities at the regional level".[1] Constitutionally, regions exercise a degree ofself-government that does not constitute any degree of federalism, which is consistent with Sweden's status as aunitary state.[2]Regions are responsible for tasks in county-wide geographical areas that often require significant financial resources: primarily healthcare and public transport, but also culture and regional growth and development.[3]
Sweden's regions are not an intermediate level of government between Sweden'snational government andmunicipalities, as there is no hierarchical relationship between Regions and municipalities.[3] Each operates independently with distinct roles. One notable exception isRegion Gotland, which serves as both a Region and a municipality due to its unique geographical boundaries.
Each region is governed by a Regional Assembly (Swedish:regionfullmäktige) that is elected every four years in conjunction with thegeneral election and municipal elections. Sweden's regions have financial and political autonomy within their responsibilities, and are entitled to levyincome taxes to cover their costs.[4] As of 2010, the regional assemblies had a combined total of 1,696 seats.[5] Within the same geographical borders as the regions, there arecounty administrative boards, which are appointed by the national government to implement national policy, separate from regional responsibilities.[6]
The process of restructuring county councils into regions began gradually in 1999. As part of this reform, certain responsibilities, such as regional development, previously managed by thecounty administrative boards, were transferred to the regions.[7] Notably,Region Skåne andRegion Västra Götaland were formed as trial regions in 1999, merging counties and expanding their responsibilities, including regional development.[7]
Historically, six cities were not part of any county council. These wereGävle (until 1963),Helsingborg (1963),Norrköping (1967),Stockholm (1967),Gothenburg (1997), andMalmö (1997). These cities managed their own responsibilities until they were integrated into the county council system, with Stockholm joining in 1967, and Gothenburg and Malmö in 1997.[8]
In the late 1990s, discussions began on a new regional organization for Sweden. Trial regional self-governing bodies were established inKalmar County andGotland. Further reforms saw the merger of counties in Skåne and Västra Götaland, which affected the structure and responsibilities of the relevant county councils. These changes laid the foundation for the formation ofRegion Skåne andRegion Västra Götaland.
In the early 2000s a government committee was tasked with investigating the future responsibilities, structure, and number of councils. The committee's report, published in 2007, suggested reducing the number of counties to between six and nine, and transforming them into Regions that would handle both state responsibilities (previously managed by the County Administrative Boards) and the responsibilities of the county councils. The committee proposed that each Regionshould manage advanced healthcare and have a large university.[9] The committee's recommendations did not result in a nationwide solution, but the trials in Skåne and Västra Götaland were formalised in 2011. This also extended regional responsibilities toRegion Gotland andRegion Halland.[10]
In 2015, further restructuring took place, with the counties ofÖrebro,Gävleborg, andJönköping officially becoming regions. This change also includedÖstergötland,Kronoberg, andJämtland. By January 2017,Norrbotten,Uppsala,Västernorrland, andVästmanland were reclassified as regions.Stockholm,Värmland,Kalmar, andSödermanland followed suit in January 2019.[11] Finally, on 1 January 2020, the term County Council was officially replaced by Region in the relevant laws.[12][11][13]
