2025-05-142024/25:AU10 · p.6AULabour market
Discrimination based on disability
Discrimination on grounds of disability - guide and assistance dogs
What's at stake: People who use a guide or assistance dog reportedly often encounter obstacles in everyday life, even though they are already covered by the protection of the Discrimination Act, which limits their ability to participate in society on equal terms with others. The decision affects how strong this protection is in practice and how well the law's application is followed up.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the Discrimination Act should be reviewed and complemented with a new information mandate to strengthen the situation for people who depend on a guide or assistance dog, and whether the law's application in this area should be evaluated, or whether the current legislation and ongoing supervisory work are sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that guide and assistance dog handlers are already covered by the Discrimination Act's ban on discrimination on grounds of disability, and instead sees the importance of spreading information about this protection and conducting active supervision. The committee therefore welcomes the information efforts on guide and assistance dogs by the Equality Ombudsman and the Food Agency's clarified guidance in this area, and assumes the agencies will continue to work actively on this. The committee shares the view that it is important to follow up on the law's application, but sees no grounds for a special statement from parliament on the matter, and therefore rejects the motions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 11 (V)
The reservation (V) calls for the government to review the legislation to strengthen the ability to bring guide and assistance dogs where needed, and for the government to take the initiative to evaluate how the Discrimination Act is being followed with regard to disability as grounds for discrimination. The reasoning is that, according to the Swedish Agency for Participation, guide and assistance dog handlers often encounter obstacles in society despite the existing protection, and that an evaluation of the law's application would show how well the Discrimination Act's good intentions are actually being realised in practice.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 11 by V.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: LLiberalerna, MPMiljöpartiet
Ja 262–21Ja 233–50
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/21/0/3 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | Yes 93/0/0/13 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 15/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Abstain 0/0/21/3 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2024/25:1602 by Rickard Nordin and Ulrika Heie (both C) amendments 1 and 2, 2024/25:1922 by Nadja Awad et al. (V) amendments 4 and 5 and 2024/25:2951 by Martina Johansson et al. (C) amendment 56.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:1602 av Rickard Nordin och Ulrika Heie (båda C) yrkandena 1 och 2, 2024/25:1922 av Nadja Awad m.fl. (V) yrkandena 4 och 5 samt 2024/25:2951 av Martina Johansson m.fl. (C) yrkande 56.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected approximately 60 proposals in motions on equality and measures against discrimination. The Riksdag refers primarily to work already being carried out within the area. The proposals were submitted during the general motion period 2024 and deal, among other things, with equality policy objectives and methods, equality data, discrimination on various grounds, amendments to the Discrimination Act and the Discrimination Ombudsman's activities.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to review legislation to strengthen access for guide and assistance dog handlers and evaluate discrimination law. (V) — Reservation 11
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan establishes that lack of accessibility and adaptation still leads to exclusion and that persons with disabilities should be able to participate on the same conditions as everyone else.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that lack of accessibility and adaptation still leads to exclusion and that persons with disabilities should be able to participate on the same conditions as everyone else. To review the legislation so that guide and service dogs can be taken where needed, and to evaluate how the discrimination law is actually applied, follows from that commitment. The plan also requires active work to prevent discrimination, not just formal protection.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att bristande tillgänglighet och anpassning fortfarande leder till utestängning och att den som har en funktionsnedsättning ska kunna vara delaktig på samma villkor som alla andra. Att se över lagstiftningen så att ledar- och assistanshundar kan tas med där det behövs, och att utvärdera hur diskrimineringslagen faktiskt tillämpas, följer av det åtagandet. Planen kräver också ett aktivt arbete för att hindra diskriminering, inte bara ett formellt skydd.
- accessible societydecisive»Vi vill skapa ett mer inkluderande samhälle genom att stärka välfärden« (party programme ↗)“We want to create a more inclusive society by strengthening welfare”
- participation on the same conditions»Den som har en funktionsnedsättning ska kunna vara delaktig i sam« (party programme ↗)“Those with disabilities should be able to participate on”
- active work against discrimination»Det kräver ett aktivt arbete med att förebygga och« (party programme ↗)“It requires active work to prevent and”
- disability perspective in all policy»Funktionshinder är ett perspektiv som« (party programme ↗)“Disability is a perspective that”
The election manifesto's commitment is that persons with disabilities shall be able to live their lives like others, and the party programme establishes the right to full freedom of movement regardless of functional capacity.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto's commitment is that persons with disabilities shall be able to live their lives like others, and the party programme establishes the right to full freedom of movement regardless of functional capacity. Reviewing legislation so that guide and assistance dogs are allowed to accompany people where needed, and evaluating how anti-discrimination protection works in practice, follow directly from that commitment. The plan does not mention assistance dogs, so the position is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestets åtagande är att personer med funktionsnedsättning ska kunna leva sitt liv som andra, och partiprogrammet slår fast rätten till full rörelsefrihet oavsett funktionsförmåga. Att se över lagstiftningen så att ledar- och assistanshundar får följa med där det behövs, och att utvärdera hur diskrimineringsskyddet fungerar i praktiken, följer direkt av det åtagandet. Planen nämner inte assistanshundar, så ställningstagandet är härlett.
- live like othersdecisive»Personer med funktionsnedsättning ska kunna leva sitt liv som andra.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Persons with disabilities shall be able to live their lives like others.”
- full freedom of movement»funktionsförmåga, har rätt till arbete, eget boende, full rörelsefrihet och ett aktivt liv.« (party programme ↗)“functional capacity, have the right to work, independent housing, full freedom of movement, and an active life.”
- equal participation in social life»Vi socialdemokrater vill att alla ska ha lika förutsättningar och lika möjlighet till delaktighet« (party programme ↗)“We social democrats want everyone to have equal conditions and equal opportunity for participation”
- counteract discrimination»Diskrimineringen på arbetsmarknaden ska motarbetas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Discrimination in the labor market shall be counteracted.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan commits to strengthening legislation against discrimination and to ensuring that lack of accessibility in itself is counted as discrimination, with a strong discrimination ombudsman as guarantor.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits to strengthening legislation against discrimination and to ensuring that lack of accessibility in itself is counted as discrimination, with a strong discrimination ombudsman as guarantor. The counter-proposal's requirement for a review that strengthens the ability to bring guide and assistance dogs, and for an evaluation of how the law is applied, is directly in line with this. The plan's requirement for systematic statistics on discrimination also supports the follow-up component.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig att stärka lagstiftningen mot diskriminering och att bristande tillgänglighet i sig ska räknas som diskriminering, med en stark diskrimineringsombudsman som garant. Motförslagets krav på en översyn som stärker möjligheten att ta med ledar- och assistanshund, och på en utvärdering av hur lagen tillämpas, ligger direkt i linje med detta. Planens krav på systematisk statistik om diskriminering stöder också uppföljningsdelen.
- strengthened discrimination legislationdecisive»stärka lagstiftningen mot diskriminering och se över rätten till rättshjälp i diskrimineringsfall.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen legislation against discrimination and review the right to legal aid in discrimination cases.”
- lack of accessibility is discrimination»Bristande tillgänglighet är i sig en typ av« (party programme ↗)“Lack of accessibility is in itself a type of”
- strong oversight against discrimination»Det krävs också en stark lagstiftning och en stark diskrimineringsombudsman.« (party programme ↗)“A strong legislation and a strong discrimination ombudsman are also required.”
- systematic follow-up»ta fram systematisk statistik för att belysa diskriminering och rasism i samhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“produce systematic statistics to illuminate discrimination and racism in society.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan establishes that more must be done against discrimination and wants to strengthen government agencies' work and expand protection where it is lacking.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that more must be done against discrimination and wants to strengthen government agencies' work and expand protection where it is lacking. To review the legislation on guide and assistance dogs and evaluate how the discrimination law is actually applied for disability addresses that commitment, as does the plan's goal of full accessibility in everyday life. The plan thus supports the counter-proposal in substance.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att mer måste göras mot diskriminering och vill stärka myndigheternas arbete samt utvidga skyddet där det brister. Att se över lagstiftningen kring ledar- och assistanshundar och utvärdera hur diskrimineringslagen faktiskt tillämpas för funktionsnedsättning svarar mot det åtagandet, liksom mot planens mål om full tillgänglighet i vardagen. Planen stödjer därmed motförslaget i sak.
- intensified work against discriminationdecisive»Mer måste göras mot diskriminering. Vi vill stärka myndigheternas arbete mot diskriminering och höja ersättningen till dem som utsatts, samt lägga till kön och funktionsnedsättning som hatbrottsgrunder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More must be done against discrimination. We want to strengthen government agencies' work against discrimination and increase compensation for those who have been subjected to it, and add gender and disability as hate crime grounds.”
- support for disability»Du som har en funktionsnedsättning ska få det stöd du behöver, och staten ska ta ett större ansvar för att LSS fungerar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“You who have a disability should receive the support you need, and the state should take greater responsibility for disability services to function.”
- full accessibility»Tillgängligheten är avgörande för människor med olika funktionsnedsättningar.« (party programme ↗)“Accessibility is crucial for people with different disabilities.”
- strengthened discrimination ban»Vi vill stärka bland annat äganderätten, diskrimineringsförbudet, minoritetsskyddet och minoritetsspråkens ställning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to strengthen, among other things, property rights, the discrimination ban, minority protection, and the status of minority languages”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan explicitly commits to modernizing the Discrimination Act and establishes that Sweden shall be an accessible country where systematic oversight is needed to remove readily avoidable barriers.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly commits to modernizing the Discrimination Act and establishes that Sweden shall be an accessible country where systematic oversight is needed to remove readily avoidable barriers. The counter-proposal's two demands – a review of legislation on guide and assistance dogs and an evaluation of how the Discrimination Act is enforced on the grounds of disability – are precisely this modernization and this monitoring. The plan also establishes that discrimination must have a price and that the person affected shall be able to receive redress.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig uttryckligen att modernisera diskrimineringslagen och slår fast att Sverige ska vara ett tillgängligt land där systematisk tillsyn behövs för att få bort enkelt avhjälpta hinder. Motförslagets båda krav - en översyn av lagstiftningen om ledar- och assistanshundar och en utvärdering av hur diskrimineringslagen efterlevs på funktionsnedsättningsgrunden - är precis den moderniseringen och den uppföljningen. Planen slår också fast att det ska kosta att diskriminera och att den drabbade ska kunna få upprättelse.
- modernize the Discrimination Actdecisive»Vi vill modernisera diskrimineringslagen, prioritera polisens hatbrottsverksamhet och säkerställa att alla skolor står upp för alla människors lika värde.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to modernize the Discrimination Act, prioritize the police's hate crime work and ensure that all schools stand up for all human beings' equal worth.”
- an accessible Sweden»Sverige ska vara ett tillgängligt land.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall be an accessible country.”
- systematic oversight against barriers»Systematisk tillsyn behövs för att få bort enkelt avhjälpta hinder.« (party programme ↗)“Systematic oversight is needed to remove readily avoidable barriers.”
- discrimination must have consequences»kosta att diskriminera och den som drabbas ska kunna få hjälp att få upprättelse.« (party programme ↗)“discrimination must have a price and the person affected shall be able to receive help to obtain redress.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The party programme establishes that it is justified to use the legislative instrument to facilitate the situation for persons with disabilities and that increased accessibility is a central way to reduce the significance of disability.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that it is justified to use the legislative instrument to facilitate the situation for persons with disabilities and that increased accessibility is a central way to reduce the significance of disability. A review of the rules for guide and assistance dogs and an evaluation of how the discrimination law is applied follow from that commitment. Discrimination can never be tolerated according to the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att det är befogat att använda lagstiftningsinstrumentet för att underlätta situationen för personer med funktionsnedsättning och att ökad tillgänglighet är ett centralt sätt att minska funktionsnedsättningens betydelse. En översyn av reglerna för ledar- och assistanshundar och en utvärdering av hur diskrimineringslagen tillämpas följer av det åtagandet. Diskriminering kan enligt planen aldrig tolereras.
- legislation for disableddecisive»Det är befogat att använda lagstiftningsinstrumentet för att underlätta situationen för personer« (party programme ↗)“It is justified to use the legislative instrument to facilitate the situation for persons”
- increased accessibility»Ett annat viktigt sätt att minska funktionsnedsättningens betydelse är att öka tillgängligheten i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Another important way to reduce the significance of disability is to increase accessibility in society.”
- legislation against discrimination»Därför behöver det finnas en lagstiftning mot diskriminering.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore, there must be legislation against discrimination.”
- self-determination with disability»SJÄLVBESTÄMMANDE VID FUNKTIONSNEDSÄTTNING« (2022 manifesto ↗)“SELF-DETERMINATION WITH DISABILITY”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan addresses neither guide dogs and assistance dogs nor the application of the anti-discrimination law.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan addresses neither guide dogs and assistance dogs nor the application of the anti-discrimination law. The closest principle is that every human being deserves basic respect and that it is the task of politics to ensure that the possibilities of freedom are not denied anyone, combined with the party's stated readiness to evaluate and reconsider legislation that has been passed. On this basis, the plan supports a review and an evaluation of how the protection works in practice.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar varken ledar- och assistanshundar eller diskrimineringslagens tillämpning. Närmast liggande princip är att varje människa förtjänar grundläggande respekt och att politikens uppgift är att se till att frihetens möjligheter inte förvägras någon, i kombination med partiets uttalade beredskap att utvärdera och ompröva genomförd lagstiftning. Utifrån detta stöder planen en översyn och en utvärdering av hur skyddet fungerar i praktiken.
- possibilities of freedom for everyonedecisive»det är politikens uppgift att sörja för att frihetens möjligheter inte förvägras någon« (party programme ↗)“it is the task of politics to ensure that the possibilities of freedom are not denied anyone”
- equal respect for every person»förtjänar grundläggande respekt« (party programme ↗)“deserve basic respect”
- evaluate enacted legislation»beredskap för att utvärdera, ompröva, förändra och förbättra« (party programme ↗)“readiness to evaluate, reconsider, change and improve”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan states that citizens who face challenges beyond their control should not be limited in their access to social or working life and that participation by people with disabilities must be strengthened.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that citizens who face challenges beyond their control should not be limited in their access to social or working life and that participation by people with disabilities must be strengthened. Obstacles for someone who depends on a guide or assistance dog are precisely such a limitation. A review of legislation and an evaluation of how the protection works in practice is therefore in line with the plan, even if it does not mention the issue.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att medborgare som möter utmaningar bortom egen kontroll inte ska begränsas i sin tillgång till samhälls- eller arbetslivet och att funktionsnedsattas deltagande måste stärkas. Hinder för den som är beroende av ledar- eller assistanshund är just en sådan begränsning. En översyn av lagstiftningen och en utvärdering av hur skyddet fungerar i praktiken ligger därför i linje med planen, även om den inte nämner frågan.
- full access to social lifedecisive»Medborgare som på grund av omständigheter bortom egen kontroll möter andra utmaningar i vardagen ska inte begränsas i sin tillgång till samhälls- eller arbetslivet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Citizens who due to circumstances beyond their control face other challenges in daily life should not be limited in their access to social or working life.”
- strengthened participation for people with disabilities»Funktionsnedsattas och funktionsvarierades möjligheter till deltagande på arbetsmarknaden måste stärkas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The opportunities for people with disabilities and functional variations to participate in the labor market must be strengthened.”
- good life despite disability»Alla medborgare ska ha rätt till ett gott liv och en fullgod levnadsstandard, även om man är född med eller råkar ut för något som gjort att man har fysiska eller kognitiva begränsningar eller variationer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“All citizens should have the right to a good life and an adequate standard of living, even if one is born with or experiences something that has made one have physical or cognitive limitations or variations.”
- participation based on conditions»Sverigedemokraterna vill stärka möjligheten för personer med nedsatt arbetsförmåga att delta i arbetslivet och i sysselsättning utifrån individuella förutsättningar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to strengthen the opportunity for people with reduced work capacity to participate in working life and employment based on individual conditions.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:AU10)
- Committee report full text (HC01AU10)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1260 — Översyn av strukturell diskriminering på arbetsmarknaden av Dzenan Cisija (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1310 — Tillgång till rättslig prövning för den som utsatts för diskriminering av Rasmus Ling m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1395 — Jordbruk - ökad konkurrenskraft utan förlust av biologisk mångfald av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1412 — Jämställdhet och diskriminering av Michael Rubbestad m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1602 — Förbättrad situation för personer i behov av ledar- eller assistanshund av Rickard Nordin och Ulrika Heie (båda C)
- Motion 2024/25:1650 — Motverkande av diskriminering i Sverige av Lawen Redar (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1722 — Islamofobi och antisemitism av Jamal El-Haj (-)
- Motion 2024/25:1723 — Ett land i förändring av Jamal El-Haj (-)
- Motion 2024/25:1745 — Politik för minoriteter av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1747 — Politik för sverigefinländarna av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1754 — Politik för samer av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:176 — Handlingsplan för hbtqi-personers lika rättigheter och möjligheter av Anna Wallentheim (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1775 — Utveckling av Diskrimineringsombudsmannens arbete av Leila Ali Elmi m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1922 — En funktionsrättspolitik för trygghet och delaktighet av Nadja Awad m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:1929 — Rättsväsendet av Gudrun Nordborg m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:1935 — Åtgärder för de nationella minoriteterna och minoritetsspråken av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:204 — Nedläggning av Jämställdhetsmyndigheten av Josef Fransson (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:2618 — Åtgärder för att bekämpa mäns våld mot kvinnor av Rasmus Ling m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:2643 — En rättvis framtid: strategier för att bekämpa rasism och främja social rättvisa av Leila Ali Elmi m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:2951 — Familjerätt, socialtjänst, hbtqi-frågor och funktionsrätt av Martina Johansson m.fl. (C)
Source: The Swedish Parliament