The Swedish constitution consists of four fundamental laws (Swedish: grundlagar):
There is also a law on the internal organisation and procedures of the Riksdag with a special status, although not regarded as a fundamental law, it requires the same amendment procedure as the fundamental laws except that it does not allow for an amendment referendum:
To amend or to make a revision of a fundamental law, the Riksdag needs to approve the changes twice in two successive terms, with a general election having been held in between.
The most important of the fundamental laws is the Instrument of Government (Swedish: Regeringsformen, RF). It sets out the basic principles for political life in Sweden defining rights and freedoms.
The 1974 Instrument of Government grants the power to commission a Prime Minister to the Riksdag, at the nomination of the Speaker of the Riksdag, who following a vote in the Riksdag signs the letter of commission on behalf of the Riksdag. The Prime Minister appoints members of the Government, including heads of ministries. The government collectively decides on issues after hearing the report of the head of the ministry concerned. At least five members of the government need to be present for a decisional quorum to be made. In practice, reports are written and discussions very rare during formal cabinet meetings. It stripped the Swedish monarch of almost all of their powers, leaving them perhaps second only to the Emperor of Japan and the President of Israel in their lack of constitutional authority.