ery third year the
representatives choose from among the members of the council a
chairman and a deputy chairman; and, under the presidency of the
Amtmand, the chairmen of the rural communes within each county meet
yearly as an Amtsthing, or county diet, and adopt the budget of the
county. Since the municipal electoral law of 1910 members of the
communal councils are chosen on a basis of universal suffrage for both
men and women.

CHAPTER XXXII (p. 589)

THE GOVERNMENT OF SWEDEN

I. THE CONSTITUTION--THE CROWN AND THE MINISTRY

*650. The Fundamental Laws.*--The constitution of the kingdom of Sweden
is one of the most elaborate instruments of its kind in existence. It
comprises a group of fundamental laws of which the most comprehensive
is the _regerings-formen_ of June 6, 1809, in 114 articles.[823]
Closely related are (1) the law of royal succession of September 26,
1810; (2) the law of July 16, 1812, on the liberty of the press; and
(3) the law of June 26, 1866, providing for a reorganization of the
legislative chambers. The organs and powers of government are defined
in much detail, but there is nothing equivalent to the bill of rights
which finds a place in most European constitutions. The process of
amendment is easy and minor amendments have been frequent. Amendments
may originate with either the crown or the legislative houses, and any
amendment which receives the assent of the crown is declared to be
adopted if, after having been proposed or approved by one Riksdag, it
is sanctioned by the succeeding one. Through the re-election of the
lower chamber, which must intervene between the two stages, the people
have some opportunity to participate in the amending process.[824]

[Footnote 823: See p. 572.]

[Footnote 824: Arts. 81-82. Dodd, Modern
Constitutions, II., 240. In 1908 the ex-premier
Staaff proposed that when the two chambers should
disagree upon questions concerning the constitution
and general laws resort should be had to a popular
referendum; but the suggestion was negatived by the
upper house unanimously and by the lower by a vote
of 115 to 78. The text of the Swedish constitution,
together with the supplementary fundamental laws of