Organisation
The Ministry of Defence has existed in its present form since 1920. The ministry has been in its present premises at Gustav Adolfs torg in Stockholm since 1966.
The Ministry of Defence has a staff of 150: political advisers, officials, assistants, clerical officers, military advisers in military issues, etc.
The Minister of Defence, Sten Tolgfors, is head of the Ministry of Defence.
Political leadership
Subject to the overall authority of the Minister, ministry business is directed by the State Secretary.
The Ministry also has a Press Secretary and Political Advisers whose job is to serve the Minister as political colleagues. This group is generally described as the Ministry's political leadership. Unlike other Government Offices officials, ministers and political appointees leave their posts when there is a change of government.
Senior officials
There are two senior officials at the Ministry of Defence. These are the State Secretary and the Director-General for Administrative and Legal Affairs. The State Secretary is a member of the political staff, while the Director-General for Administrative and Legal Affairs is not a political appointee.
Director-General for Administrative and Legal Affairs
The Director-General for Administrative and Legal Affairs sees to it that Ministry of Defence business is conducted properly and is responsible for the drafting of proposals for laws and other regulations. The Director-General for Administrative and Legal Affairs is also responsible for intelligence and preparedness issues and crisis management within the Ministrys area of activities, for issues relating to incidents and violations of Swedish territory and for permission to enter Swedish territory.
The Director-General for Administrative and Legal Affairs is also in charge of the Ministry's intelligence and preparedness section. The tasks performed by this group include compiling information on which to base decisions in case of crises and other extreme events.
Departments and secretariats
The Ministry's day-to-day business is conducted by the various departments. The title given to a head of department is Director. The departments process business prior to Government decisions. They also take care of contacts with the agencies that are answerable to the Ministry and monitor their activities.
EU and international efforts
In addition, the Ministry of Defence is represented by special attachés at the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the European Union in Brussels, the Delegation to NATO at the Swedish Embassy in Brussels and the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations in New York. One Ministry official, moreover, is stationed at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.
The Minister of Defence takes part in the formal meetings of EU Ministers of Defence. These meetings take place within the framework of the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC). Click on the link above to the right for more information before and after GAERC council meetings.
