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r9i4] A CHANGE OF MINISTRY 267
the King and the Cabinet differ about a law, a
government measure or a principle, the King has the right not
only to dismiss his Ministers but also to dissolve the
Riksdag. Only the Riksdag resulting from the new
elections may give an opinion, solely and exclusively, on
the subject of the law, measure or principle which had
caused the difference between the King and the former
Ministry. The question under discussion once solved,
the Riksdag retires, and makes -way for fresh elections,
whence issues a new Chamber, normal this time. The
Cabinet appointed by the King must also resign as soon
as the normal Chamber is elected and convened.
The King entrusted the formation of the Cabinet to
M. de Hammarskiold, professor of international law, and
former plenipotentiary of Sweden at the Congress of the
Hague, who was made Prime Minister; and M. Knut
Wallenberg was made Minister for Foreign Affairs.1
Both were at that time far from realising that their term
of office, which should have been temporary, would be
prolonged for three years, amidst the greatest
difficulties that any Swedish statesman should have had to
face for ages.
The new elections (shortly after my arrival in Sweden)
yielded results favourable to the principle of the increase
in the Budget for national defence. This last question
forming the crux of the difference on which the new
Chamber had to give an opinion, this Chamber as usual
received the name of Vorsvar-Riksdag (the Chamber of
" national defence "), and the Minister that of
Vorsvar-Regeringen (Cabinet of National Defence).
Such was the political situation in Sweden at the
time when I disembarked at Stockholm, and took up my
post there.
1 In Sweden there are really only two actual Ministers (with the title
of Excellency) : the Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
It is they who give the tone to the Cabinet, the rest are more in the position
of secretaries to the State.
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