The aim of this article is to explore the interrelationships between a national government andthe Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in terms of the powerand legitimization of education reforms, here based on the reciprocal dependence of the twoactors. Although the current case study only analyses the shifting relationships betweenSweden and the OECD, the assumption is that the case is quite representative of theambiguities of power in the relationships between the OECD and its smaller membercountries and the Nordic countries in particular. To explore the relationship between theSwedish national government and OECD, we make use of discursive institutionalism asa general framework. For a closer understanding of the standpoints of the OECD andSweden on different matters and at different times, two explanation logics are used. Thediscourses we found characterizing the different kinds of relationships over time area discourse of opposition, a discourse of mentorship and a discourse of subordination. Weargue that there are both ideational and institutional reasons affecting the conditions forcooperation on educational policy. Although institutional reasons strengthen the maintenanceof the cooperation, ideational reasons both challenge and develop the nature of thecollaboration between the OECD and Sweden.