Editing Local government (section)

===Sweden===
{{Main article|Municipalities of Sweden|County councils of Sweden}}

Every fourth year general elections are held in Sweden to elect members of the national parliament, 20 county council assemblies and 290 municipal assemblies. As the parliament elects the national government, the local assemblies elect their executive committees and their boards. Members in local committees and boards are elected proportionally by the political parties in the assemblies, giving all the major parties representation. The parties usually cooperate well on the local levels.

The county councils (''landsting'') are responsible for health care and usually provide transportation.

The municipalities (''kommuner'') are responsible for:
*social services, childcare, preschool, [[elderly care]]
*primary and secondary education
*planning and building
*health protection, water, sewerage, refuse, emergency services

On a voluntary basis, the municipalities provide sports, culture, housing, energy as well as commercial service.

The activities are financed by income taxes. Swedes pay around 20% of their taxable income to the municipality and around 11% to the county council. (The national government is financed by VAT and payroll taxes and fees.)