The December Crisis is described as the only occasion when the Swedish king himself attempted to assert his power; previous attempts had always been staged by his queen, Louisa Ulrika of Prussia.

In 1767, French envoy Louis Auguste Le Tonnelier de Breteuil had suggested a coup to increase royal power to the Hovpartiet, a political group whose goal is the strengthening of royal power against the parliament of the Riksdag of the Estates.

In December 1768, the king refuses to sign state documents in protest to his limited power and on December 15, the king formally resigns his throne in order to bring about the gathering of a new Riksdag, during which a reform to increase his capacity could be introduced.

This creates a difficult political situation, as he had thereby technically abdicated and the nation is in interregnum.

The Hovpartiet suggests that the crisis could be used to stage a coup to establish absolute monarchy.

The queen, whose Coup of 1756 was a Hovpartiet project, opposes because she does not consider the time right for such a step and advocated negotiation with the Hats (party) and the Caps (party), but at this point, the Hovpartiet for the first time turns to the Crown Prince rather than the queen; however, the crisis cannot be used for a coup because the Caps party breaks an agreement.

On December 20, the government agrees to assemble the Riksdag and promises new reforms, and the king hereby agrees to retake the throne.

Thus the crisis is averted and the government can function again.

The Riksdag will however not be assembled until 1769, and it does not give the royal house more than an increased allowance.