A King with the Times

With a flourish of the pomp and ceremony that his single-class country paradoxically enjoys, curly-haired Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus Bernadotte was formally installed last week as King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. At 27, the handsome bachelor is Europe's youngest monarch; he succeeds the oldest, his grandfather Gustaf VI Adolf, who had died four days earlier at the age of 90.

Speaking from an ermine-draped silver throne, Carl Gustaf solemnly swore that he would "seek to do all within our power to further the veritable weal and welfare of the realm and its every inhabitant." He proclaimed that his royal motto would be: "For Sweden--With the Times."

Those times may be achanging. The day after Gustaf Adolf died, Sweden's Social Democratic Party suffered one of its biggest electoral setbacks since it came to power 41 years ago and started turning the country into a welfare state.

Hurt by voter discontent over unemployment, the world's highest income taxes and soaring inflation, the government bloc, which includes a smattering of Communist supporters, emerged from a national election with exactly the same number of seats--175--as the three-party, nonsocialist opposition. First reports had indicated that the Social Democrats would squeak through with a bare two-vote majority.

Though Prime Minister Olof Palme seems determined to cling to office, he may have some problems. Until a new constitution goes into effect in 1975, the only way to break a tied vote in the one-chamber legislature is by lottery. According to an unusual provision of Sweden's current constitution, tie votes in the Riksdag are resolved by placing one yes and one no ballot in an urn; under the watchful eye of two legislators representing both sides, a third Riksdag member draws one of the tickets from the urn to decide the fate of the bill.

Theoretically, the new young king could get involved in the political crisis.

He still has the limited power that his grandfather once used: to call political leaders in and command one to attempt to form a new government, and to perform such traditionally kingly duties as opening Parliament. Chances are that Carl Gustaf will prefer to ride with the times, rather than direct them. Under the new constitution, he will not even have a choice. The monarchy will be stripped of virtually all its powers and Carl Gustaf's role will become symbolic and ceremonial. He will no longer, for example, have the authority to appoint new governments, endorse legislation, or be commander in chief of the armed forces. One personally important right that the somewhat shy, sports-loving new king will retain: he can choose his own queen.

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