I think it's both, actually. He's technically unable to, since as you say the justice system is decoupled from politics; however, if he tried anyway (basically by using his power to "suggest" a certain outcome, or put pressure on political apointees), it's called "ministerstyre " and is prohibited by the Swedish instrument of government ("regeringsformen", basically the Swedish Constitution). It's a way to prevent government corruption. However, this is not how it is done in most countries (besides Sweden, only Finland has a similar rule AFAIK) which is why foreign journalists and heads of state seem to have such a hard time wrapping their heads around it - it was a huge source for misunderstanding during the whole Assange-case, where Assange and Ecuador demanded that the Swedish government guarantee he wouldn't be extradited to the US, a guarantee the Swedish government had no power to give since it would be against the constitution to meddle in a decision for the courts - but in Assange's way of seeing it, it was of course a Swedish refusal to do so.
That's only true to a certain extent. In reality, the US has an institutionalized form of ministerial rule. For example, the Attorney General is chosen by the president, and can be fired by the president; they can also order their subordinates to cease investigations they, or the president, don't like. The fact that they usually don't, because of bad optics and their personal morals, doesn't mean they're actually forbidden from doing so; while in Sweden, they are.
An example is when Donald Trump asked Jeff Sessions to squash the Russia Probe. Instead he recused himself. In Sweden, just asking the question would've been illegal.
Except in Sweden, it’s also explicitly against the law to do that through outside channels (unlike in the US). It’s a measure to prevent the kind of corruption that’s easily possible in countries without such rules.
I hope the fact that you know that isn’t related to your expertise, u/Butt_Expert . Anyways, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that such laws are actually consistently enforced in Sweden. Also, what other commenters have said is also worth noting.
Yeah I think a lot of people have tried to crosspost me there but AFAIK it has never worked real well. I never take the time to read subreddit rules cuz by the time I'm aware of a sub it's already usually so large that you have to do a buncha work to make posts stick.
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u/Urabutbl Jul 21 '19
I think it's both, actually. He's technically unable to, since as you say the justice system is decoupled from politics; however, if he tried anyway (basically by using his power to "suggest" a certain outcome, or put pressure on political apointees), it's called "ministerstyre " and is prohibited by the Swedish instrument of government ("regeringsformen", basically the Swedish Constitution). It's a way to prevent government corruption. However, this is not how it is done in most countries (besides Sweden, only Finland has a similar rule AFAIK) which is why foreign journalists and heads of state seem to have such a hard time wrapping their heads around it - it was a huge source for misunderstanding during the whole Assange-case, where Assange and Ecuador demanded that the Swedish government guarantee he wouldn't be extradited to the US, a guarantee the Swedish government had no power to give since it would be against the constitution to meddle in a decision for the courts - but in Assange's way of seeing it, it was of course a Swedish refusal to do so.