ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the historical origin of Scandinavian legislatures and their institutional characteristics. It analyses the defining features of the Scandinavian parliaments, pointing out the similarities and differences between them. The chapter assesses the extent to which Scandinavian parliaments are still to be considered 'strong' and 'influential' or if they have become victims of the same 'decline' as other national parliaments. The chapter discusses the historical origins of the Nordic parliaments in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, as well as the dependencies Aland, Faroe Islands and Greenland. It provides an analysis of the institutional characteristics of the parliaments, including a section on the committee system. Assessment is then made of the contemporary challenges to the parliaments in Scandinavia and parliamentary adjustments to European integration. The chapter focuses on some general observations on the current trends and challenges for parliamentary strength in Scandinavia.
