What's at stake: Critics say uranium mining poses risks to the environment and health through the release of radioactive substances and heavy metals, while Sweden's uranium deposits have a very low ore grade. The question is decisive for whether large-scale uranium mines can be established in Sweden and for how local communities and natural environments are affected.
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 Sweden should reintroduce a national ban on uranium extraction, or whether the current regulation without such a ban should stand.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motion for a renewed ban on uranium extraction and stands by the recently adopted arrangement, which instead regulates the activity through appropriate safety and radiation-protection requirements.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 5 (V, MP)
The reserving members consider that uranium mining entails significant risks to the environment and health through radioactive substances and heavy metals that can leak into soil, water and ecosystems, that proven technology to manage the risks of large-scale mining is lacking, and that Sweden's low-grade uranium deposits mean extensive damage to the natural environment without any notable energy benefit; they therefore want Sweden to reintroduce a clear, national ban on all uranium mining.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
V–
S–
MP–
C–
L–
KD–
M–
SD–
YesNoAbstainAbsent
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 5 by V, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The plan's stance / Actual vote
AI
Vote
Confidence
Evidence
Vown reservation
–
No 0/21/0/0
S
–
Yes 104/0/0/2
MPown reservation
–
No 0/18/0/0
C
–
Yes 24/0/0/0
L
–
Yes 16/0/0/0
KD
–
Yes 19/0/0/0
M
–
Yes 66/0/0/0
SD
–
Yes 70/0/0/0
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects motion
2025/26:3982 by Katarina Luhr et al. (MP) request 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion
2025/26:3982 av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP) yrkande 2.
Riksdag decision: The Government wants extraction and processing of nuclear materials to be treated the same way as other metals and minerals within the scope of the comprehensive licensing process. The Riksdag approved the Government's proposal.
The aim of the Government's proposal is that the evaluation process for activities involving both extraction and processing of nuclear materials should more closely resemble the evaluation process for other mining activities. This means that the process for initiating such activities becomes more transparent and efficient.
The changes are made to create an appropriate regulation for extraction and processing of nuclear materials, where radiation protection and safety requirements are adapted to the risks of the activity. The proposals mean that extraction and processing of uranium at a general level will be treated the same way as other metals and minerals within the scope of the comprehensive licensing process. Among other things, this means that the Government's permissibility assessment under the Environmental Code will no longer cover facilities for extraction and processing of nuclear materials. This also means that municipal council approval will no longer be required for such activities to be permitted.
The Commerce Committee agrees with the Government's assessment that this adaptation of the regulations means that it becomes more logical and predictable. In total, this creates better conditions for activities of strategic importance for the country's energy supply, as well as for Sweden to be able to contribute to both a higher degree of self-sufficiency in critical metals and minerals within the EU and the green transition.
The legislative amendments enter into force on 15 July 2026.
Counter-proposals
The counter-proposal opposes classifying uranium extraction as nuclear activity in order to preserve municipal influence. (V, MP) — Reservation 5
Motion 2025/26:3959 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:168 Ändamålsenliga säkerhets- och strålskyddskrav för utvinning och bearbetning av kärnämnen av Birger Lahti m.fl. (V)
Motion 2025/26:3973 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:168 Ändamålsenliga säkerhets- och strålskyddskrav för utvinning och bearbetning av kärnämnen av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S)
Motion 2025/26:3982 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:168 Ändamålsenliga säkerhets- och strålskyddskrav för utvinning och bearbetning av kärnämnen av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP)
Proposition 2025/26:168 — Ändamålsenliga säkerhets- och strålskyddskrav för utvinning och bearbetning av kärnämnen