This chapter is about democracy, a system which means that the people govern through free and fair elections. Everyone has the right to influence society and to be politically active. Everyone is equal before the law.

Democracy means rule by the people
Democracy is a political system where power comes from the people and citizens have the opportunity to influence decisions. The word democracy comes from Greek and means rule by the people. In a democracy, citizens must be able to choose between several different political alternatives. Those who gain power must be able to be replaced.
In a democratic society, people have the right to vote in free elections. Free elections mean that everyone who has the right to vote has one vote each and that everyone can express their opinions without threat or coercion. There must be several parties to vote for. Elections must be secret so that no one has to reveal how they vote. You also have the right not to participate in the election.
All people, groups, and parties have the right to try to convince other people of their political ideas. Everyone has freedom of expression, that is, the right to write and say what they think.
An important prerequisite for democracy is also that the laws apply to everyone in Sweden. No one may be convicted without a fair trial. This is called the rule of law (rättssäkerhet).

A strong democracy
For a democracy to function, everyone needs to take responsibility. Education in Sweden is based on democratic values. For example, students in compulsory school learn about their rights, how society works, and why it is important to participate in civic life and vote. Democracy becomes stronger when many vote, get involved, and acquire knowledge about societal issues. For example, you can join parties or associations and talk about politics with others.
To influence and participate in society, you can:
Vote in political elections.
Become a member of a political party, an interest organization, or start your own association.
Contact politicians.
Demonstrate.
Start or sign a petition.
Discuss politics with friends and acquaintances.
Contact journalists or write debate articles in various media.
Influence your workplace, for example through trade unions.
Leave feedback and suggestions to your municipality.

Threats to democracy
There are problems that can affect democracy. A low voter turnout is one such problem. It can lead to people having fewer opportunities to influence political decisions in their everyday lives. A low voter turnout can be due to people not trusting politicians or feeling that their vote makes no difference. This in turn can increase the differences between different groups in society.
Another problem is that false information and hate are sometimes spread on, for example, social media to create conflicts in society. Sometimes politicians, journalists, and others who talk about societal issues are threatened. They can then be intimidated from participating in the democratic debate.
For democracy to function well, it is therefore important that many can participate and influence, that the information they receive is true, and that society protects those who participate in public debate.

Segregation and integration
Segregation means, among other things, that people live separately depending on how much money they earn or what ethnic background they have. Integration means that people with different backgrounds and finances live closer to each other and feel involved in society.
When a society is segregated, people can have different access to public services and culture. Certain areas may also be perceived as less safe.
Sometimes it can lead to people living with very little contact with the rest of society. This in turn can lead to decreased trust in authorities and less political engagement. A segregated society can therefore weaken democracy.
To counteract segregation and facilitate integration, politicians usually propose, for example, language education and that there should be different types of housing in an area.