ADJUSTING TO A NEW POLITICAL CONTEXT - A study of the civil servants’ possibilities to influence policymaking at the Government Offices in a new political context

Sammanfattning: Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to study if the civil servants’ possibilities to influence the policymaking process at the Government Offices (Regeringskansliet) has been affected by the new political concept. The new political concept refers to the simultaneous occurrence of contract parliamentarism and a coalition government, which has been the arrangement in Sweden after the two most recent general elections. In this way, the study aims to contribute to the research on the relationship between politics and administration. Theory: The theoretical framework builds on the assumption that the civil servants’ knowledge and expertise allow them to influence the policymaking process. The civil servants’ influence is analyzed at the different stages of the policymaking process through norms directed to their role, as the norms are expected to express the civil servants’ possibilities to influence. Method: The study is conducted through semi-structured interviews with civil servants at the Government Offices. The interview material is studied through a type of meaning condensation analysis based on the study’s theoretical framework. Results: The results of the study indicate that the civil servants’ possibilities to influence the policymaking process has decreased as a result of the new political context. The main explanation is that the political agreements set the agenda and leave less room for the civil servants to initiate policy. The proposals in the political agreements become highly prioritized why less resources are left for the civil servants to work with other questions.