The Political Systems of Northern Europe

Prof. Dr. Bernd Henningsen; Prof. Dr. Sven Jochem

doi:10.5771/9783748972730

Summary

The Northern European countries are stable democracies, they are regarded as classic consensus democracies and the Scandinavian welfare model is much admired. What is the basis for these judgements? How do the political systems of the three monarchies of Denmark, Sweden and Norway, the two republics of Finland and Iceland, the autonomous territories of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, the Åland Islands and the institutions of the Sápmi region work? This study focuses on parliamentarism, elections, parties, governments, administrations, legal systems and the countries’ cultural and historical roots. It is aimed at students of the social sciences as well as teachers and all those interested in Northern European politics and society.
The editors Bernd Henningsen is em. Professor for Culture and Politics of Northern Europe and Honorary Professor at the Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany. Sven Jochem is Professor of Political Science at the University of Konstanz, Germany.
With contributions by Sofie Blombäck | Peter Munk Christiansen | Torvald Falch | Jan Erik Grindheim | Bernd Henningsen | Sven Jochem | Peter Nedergaard | Eva H. Önnudóttir | Evangelia Petridou | Tapio Raunio | Per Selle | Johan Strang

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/2026
Copyright Year: 2026
ISBN-Print: 978-3-7560-4186-2
ISBN-Online: 978-3-7489-7273-0
Publisher: Nomos, Baden-Baden
Series: NomosTextbook
Language: English
Pages: 254
Product Type: Textbook

Preface No access Pages 1 - 10
Authors:
1. Bibliography No access
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1. Foreign perceptions and their contradictions No access
2. Lutheranism and civil society No access
3. The public and authorities No access
4. The discourse on national identities No access
5. Immigration and defence policies No access
6. Security policy, a turning point and identity No access
7. Conclusion No access
8. Bibliography No access
Authors:
1. Introduction No access
2. First milestone: The Reformation in the 16th century No access
3. Second milestone: Nation-building No access
4. Third milestone: Democratisation No access
5. Fourth milestone: The welfare state No access
6. Conclusion No access
7. Bibliography No access
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1. Introduction No access
2. Measuring democratic forms No access
3. Measuring democratic processes No access
4. Assessing democratic content No access
5. Conclusion No access
6. Bibliography No access
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1. 1. The Constitution No access
  2. The monarchy No access
  3. The Folketing No access
  4. The government No access
  5. The judiciary No access
  6. The conglomerate state No access
  7. Political culture No access
  8. Integration into the European Union No access
2. 1. Voters No access
  2. Political parties and the party system No access
  3. Parliament No access
  4. Interest groups No access
  5. Greenland No access
  6. The Faroe Islands No access
3. 1. 1. Nation state No access
    2. Regions No access
    3. Municipalities No access
  2. 1. Greenland No access
    2. The Faroe Islands No access
4. 1. Welfare state No access
  2. Economic policy No access
  3. Labour market policy No access
  4. Immigration policy No access
  5. EU policy No access
5. Conclusion No access
6. Bibliography No access
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1. Introduction No access
2. 1. Candidate-centred campaigns No access
  2. Fragmented party system and the rise of the far right No access
  3. Changing cleavage structures and party-political polarisation No access
3. 1. From a strong to a weakened presidency No access
  2. Coalition governments No access
  3. Ideologically heterogeneous cabinets No access
  4. Prime ministers as coalition managers No access
  5. Relations between the legislature and the executive No access
4. 1. Corporatism No access
  2. The welfare state and the changing political agenda No access
  3. Regions, municipalities, and the autonomous Åland Islands No access
  4. Courts and direct democracy No access
  5. The media No access
  6. Turning attention from the UN to the EU No access
  7. From neutrality to NATO No access
5. Conclusion No access
6. Bibliography No access
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1. Introduction No access
2. 1. The Icelandic Constitution No access
  2. European cooperation No access
  3. Political culture No access
3. 1. Political divisions No access
  2. Political parties and the party system No access
  3. Voters and voting behaviour No access
  4. The parliament No access
  5. Corporatism No access
  6. Media landscape No access
4. 1. The national executive No access
  2. The local executive No access
  3. The judiciary No access
5. 1. Welfare state No access
  2. Isolation versus integration No access
  3. Rural vs. urban / centre vs. periphery No access
  4. Gender equality No access
6. Conclusion No access
7. Bibliography No access
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1. 1. Constitution No access
  2. The monarchy No access
  3. The parliament (Stortinget) No access
  4. The Sámi Parliament No access
  5. Minority governments No access
  6. The judiciary No access
  7. Relationship with the European Union (EU) No access
  8. Political culture No access
2. 1. Voters No access
  2. Political parties and party system No access
  3. Parliament No access
  4. Civil society No access
3. 1. The executive at the national level No access
  2. The executive at the county (regional) level No access
  3. The executive at the municipal level No access
  4. The judiciary No access
4. 1. Welfare state No access
  2. The economy No access
  3. The labour market No access
  4. Migration No access
  5. European policy No access
5. Conclusion No access
6. Bibliography No access
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1. Introduction No access
2. Constitutional principles and constitutional development No access
3. Political culture No access
4. Folkhemmet No access
5. Elections No access
6. Parliament No access
7. Parties No access
8. Party competition No access
9. Interest groups No access
10. The media and the public No access
11. Governments at the national and subnational levels No access
12. Direct democracy No access
13. Forms of administration and reforms No access
14. Policy areas No access
15. The welfare state No access
16. Gender equality No access
17. Education policy No access
18. Environmental policy No access
19. The EU No access
20. Migration No access
21. Security No access
22. Conclusion No access
23. Bibliography No access
Authors:
1. Introduction No access
2. Sámi politics and parliaments in three countries No access
3. 1. Finland No access
  2. Norway No access
  3. Sweden No access
4. Conclusion No access
5. Bibliography No access
Authors:
1. Bibliography No access
List of Authors No access Pages 249 - 250
Index No access Pages 251 - 254