Traditional openings of the Parliaments in Sweden and Holland

The new working year for the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) started on Sep 16 with the traditional ceremonial opening by the King Carl XVI Gustaf. At the request of the Speaker, the King declared the session open. Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt then gave an inaugural speech presenting Statement of Government Policy, with main emphasis on tax cuts and a number of different reforms.

Prinsjesdag (Day of the Princes) is the day on which the Queen of the Netherlands addresses a joint session of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament in the Ridderzaal (Hall of Knights) in The Hague. It is traditionally on the third Tuesday of September. The Speech from the Throne (Dutch: Troonrede) sets out the main features of government policy for the coming parliamentary session.