2023-06-202022/23:UU10 · p.10UUForeign affairs
Terrorist listing of the Wagner group
What's at stake: A formal terrorist listing would supplement sanctions already in place against the Wagner Group (such as asset freezes) and add further pressure on Russia in connection with the group's actions in, among other places, Ukraine, Syria and several African countries. A broader listing that also covers the IRGC, together with eased requirements for such a listing, would widen the range of actors that could be subject to the EU's terrorism sanctions.
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 work within the EU to formally list the Wagner Group as a terrorist organization under the EU's counter-terrorism sanctions regime, and whether this should also extend to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and include a review of the requirement for prior judicial proceedings before such a listing can be made.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee supports the Riksdag calling on the government to work to build EU-wide consensus on listing the Wagner Group as a terrorist group under the EU's counter-terrorism sanctions regime, in light of the group's actions in Russia's war against Ukraine and elsewhere in the world.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 14 (S, V, C, MP)
The reservation (S, V, C, MP) agrees that the Wagner Group should be listed as a terrorist group, but wants to go further: it also considers that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) role in the Iranian regime's domestic repression meets the criteria for a terrorist act, and that the group should therefore also be subject to formal listing. Such a listing currently requires the group to be subject to judicial proceedings for a terrorist offense, and the reservation wants a model to be explored that, with strong legal safeguards, would still allow a listing decision without requiring such prior proceedings.
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: a formal request (tillkännagivande) telling the government to act on en terroristlistning av Wagnergruppen.
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 14 by S, V, C, MP.
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: VVänsterpartiet
Ja 153–150Ja 174–129
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.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | Yes | No 0/21/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | explicit |
| S | No | No 0/94/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | Yes | No 0/15/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | No 0/20/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | No | Yes 62/0/0/10 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | derived |
Committee proposal
Parliament supports what the committee states regarding a terrorist listing of the Wagner group and formally requests this to the government.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen ställer sig bakom det som utskottet anför om en terroristlistning av Wagnergruppen och tillkännager detta för regeringen.
Riksdag decision: Parliament directed a formal request (tillkännagivande) to the government to actively work to achieve consensus within the EU to list the state-sponsored Russian so-called Wagner group as a terrorist group under EU terrorist sanctions. In connection with the formal request, Parliament also points out that there is likely a need to upgrade EU's rules for terrorist listing so that it can better address threats from actors with state connections. According to current rules, a terrorist listing requires that a group is subject to legal proceedings for terrorism offenses. There must therefore be an ongoing or concluded legal process. The formal request came in connection with Parliament handling a statement from the government regarding activities in the European Union in 2022 with accompanying motions, including on sanctions against Russia. Parliament rejected the motions and filed the statement with the records, that is, concluded the matter.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the EU green deal to contain binding targets for 70 percent emissions reductions by 2030 and zero emissions by 2040. (S, V, C, MP) — Reservation 14
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 rejects specific terrorism legislation and means that acts of violence shall be prosecuted within ordinary legal frameworks, and it opposes politically motivated organization bans.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan rejects specific terrorism legislation and means that acts of violence shall be prosecuted within ordinary legal frameworks, and it opposes politically motivated organization bans. The counter-proposal explicitly wants a model that allows listing without prior legal review for terrorist crimes. This conflicts with the plan's requirement for presumption of innocence and rule of law principles, although the plan shares criticism of repressive regimes.
Original (Swedish)
Planen avvisar en särskild terroristlagstiftning och menar att våldsbrott ska lagföras inom ordinarie rättsramar, och den motsätter sig politiskt motiverade organisationsförbud. Motförslaget vill uttryckligen ha en modell som tillåter listning utan föregående rättslig prövning för terroristbrott. Det strider mot planens krav på oskuldspresumtion och rättsstatens grundprinciper, även om planen delar kritiken mot repressiva regimer.
- against specific terrorism legislationdecisive»avvisar en särskild terroristlagstiftning« (party programme ↗)“rejects specific terrorism legislation”
- innocent until proven guilty»anses oskyldiga tills motsatsen är bevisad« (party programme ↗)“are presumed innocent until the opposite is proven”
- against organization bans»politiskt motiverade organisationsförbud« (party programme ↗)“politically motivated organization bans”
- rule of law principles»personliga integriteten och fundamentala principer i en rättsstat« (party programme ↗)“personal integrity and fundamental principles in a rule of law state”
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 grounds EU cooperation in the ability to meet the threat from terrorism and transnational crime, and the party programme states that every form of terrorist act should always be rejected and that the international community must be able to respond when the threat to the population comes from the state power itself.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan grounds EU cooperation in the ability to meet the threat from terrorism and transnational crime, and the party programme states that every form of terrorist act should always be rejected and that the international community must be able to respond when the threat to the population comes from the state power itself. This supports the counter-proposal's demand to also list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and to develop a model for listing. The plan's human rights commitment reinforces the conclusion.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör EU-samarbetet till grunden för att möta hotet från terrorism och gränsöverskridande brottslighet, och partiprogrammet slår fast att varje form av terrorhandling alltid ska avvisas och att världssamfundet måste kunna reagera när hotet mot befolkningen kommer från statsmakten själv. Det bär motförslagets krav på att också revolutionsgardet listas och att en modell tas fram för listning. Planens MR-åtagande förstärker slutsatsen.
- EU against terrorismdecisive»Inte minst klimatfrågan, migrationen och hotet från terrorism och gränsöverskridande brottslighet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Not least the climate issue, migration and the threat from terrorism and transnational crime.”
- terrorist acts always rejected»Varje form av terrorhandling, liksom organiserat våld riktat« (party programme ↗)“Every form of terrorist act, as well as organized violence directed”
- respond to state repression»kunna reagera vid allvarliga hot mot befolkningsgrupper, även när hotet kommer från dem« (party programme ↗)“able to respond to serious threats against population groups, even when the threat comes from them”
- human rights globally»Vi kommer att fortsätta arbetet för att öka respekten för de mänskliga rättigheterna, demokratin och en regelbaserad världsordning och global säkerhet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We will continue the work to increase respect for human rights, democracy and a rules-based world order and global security.”
The plan supports developed sanction tools against violations of human rights, but at the same time states that legal security must be ensured and that crime and counter-terrorism prevention must not occur at the expense of human rights.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan supports developed sanction tools against violations of human rights, but at the same time states that legal security must be ensured and that crime and counter-terrorism prevention must not occur at the expense of human rights. The counter-proposal's specific demand is a model that allows terrorist listing without prior judicial review, which contradicts that commitment. The plan's international law and legal security principle therefore weighs more heavily than the expanded listing requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planen stöder utvecklade sanktionsverktyg mot brott mot mänskliga rättigheter, men slår samtidigt fast att rättssäkerheten ska tryggas och att brotts- och terrorbekämpning inte får ske på bekostnad av mänskliga rättigheter. Motförslagets distinkta krav är en modell som tillåter terroristlistning utan föregående rättslig prövning, vilket går emot det åtagandet. Planens folkrätts- och rättssäkerhetsprincip väger därför tyngre än det utvidgade listningskravet.
- counter-terrorism within HRdecisive»viktigt men ska inte ske på bekostnad av mänskliga« (party programme ↗)“important but must not occur at the expense of human”
- legal security must be ensured»Rättssäkerheten ska tryggas samtidigt som de« (party programme ↗)“Legal security must be ensured while”
- international law in the centre»Miljöpartiet de gröna sätter folkrätten och de« (party programme ↗)“The Greens place international law and”
- developed EU sanctions system»unionen, och sanktionssystemet behöver utvecklas.« (party programme ↗)“union, and the sanctions system needs to be developed.”
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 sees the fight against authoritarian forces as decisive and states that foreign policy ultimately aims to protect universal freedoms and rights, and that we must not compromise with our ideals when people live under oppression.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan sees the fight against authoritarian forces as decisive and states that foreign policy ultimately aims to protect universal freedoms and rights, and that we must not compromise with our ideals when people live under oppression. Also listing the Revolutionary Guards, whose role in domestic repression is documented, follows from this. However, the plan's rule-of-law requirements mean that a listing model must contain strong legal certainty guarantees.
Original (Swedish)
Planen ser kampen mot auktoritära krafter som avgörande och slår fast att utrikespolitiken ytterst syftar till att värna universella fri- och rättigheter, och att vi inte får kompromissa med idealen när människor lever i förtryck. Att också lista revolutionsgardet, vars roll i den inhemska repressionen är dokumenterad, följer av detta. Planens rättsstatliga krav gör dock att en listningsmodell måste innehålla starka rättssäkerhetsgarantier.
- fight authoritarian forcesdecisive»Runtom i världen pågår en kamp mellan anhängare av den liberala demokratin och auktoritära krafter. Den måste vi vinna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Around the world there is a struggle between supporters of liberal democracy and authoritarian forces. We must win it.”
- human rights as foreign policy goal»Utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiken syftar ytterst till att värna universella mänskliga fri- och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Foreign and security policy ultimately aims to protect universal human freedoms and rights.”
- stand against oppression»Vi lever i en tid då diktaturerna och dess företrädare retirerar, men där en stor del av världens befolkning fortfarande lever i förtryck.« (party programme ↗)“We live in a time when dictatorships and their representatives are retreating, but where a large part of the world's population still lives under oppression.”
- rule-of-law requirements»Rättsstaten och individens rättigheter gentemot staten måste försvaras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The rule of law and the individual's rights against the state must be defended.”
The plan makes value-driven foreign policy the main line and wants Sweden to be driving force for comprehensive sanctions as possible against those who threaten the security order, and a voice for those who challenge oppression.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes value-driven foreign policy the main line and wants Sweden to be driving force for comprehensive sanctions as possible against those who threaten the security order, and a voice for those who challenge oppression. To also list Iran's Revolutionary Guard and seek a model that enables listing is in line with that. The plan's requirement for strengthened legal certainty however qualifies how such a model may be designed.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör en värderingsstyrd utrikespolitik till huvudlinje och vill att Sverige är pådrivande för så heltäckande sanktioner som möjligt mot dem som hotar säkerhetsordningen, samt en röst för dem som utmanar förtrycket. Att också lista Irans revolutionsgarde och söka en modell som möjliggör listning är i linje med det. Planens krav på förstärkt rättssäkerhet kvalificerar dock hur en sådan modell får utformas.
- value-driven foreign policydecisive»Vi kallar det för vad det är: en ny värderingsstyrd utrikespolitik.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We call it what it is: a new value-driven foreign policy.”
- driving force for sanctions»Sverige ska vara pådrivande för att så breda globala koalitioner som möjligt bygger ut en så heltäckande sanktionsregim mot Ryssland som möjligt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall be the driving force for the broadest global coalitions possible to build the most comprehensive sanctions regime possible against Russia.”
- support against domestic repression»Sverige ska vara en röst för global frihet och ge stöd åt de modiga människor som verkar för demokratisering« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall be a voice for global freedom and provide support to the courageous people working for democratization”
- legal certainty guarantees required»Rättssäkerheten och skyddet för de medborgerliga fri- och rättigheterna behöver förstärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Legal certainty and protection of civil liberties need to be strengthened.”
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 requires that Sweden can counter attacks from international crime and terrorism and makes the protection of human rights a main goal of foreign policy; sanctions can be resorted to as a last resort.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that Sweden can counter attacks from international crime and terrorism and makes the protection of human rights a main goal of foreign policy; sanctions can be resorted to as a last resort. Also listing the Revolutionary Guard against the background of domestic repression fits within this. The plan's requirement for clearly defined authority, however, speaks against listing without prior legal review.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att Sverige kan möta angrepp från internationell kriminalitet och terrorism och gör skyddet av mänskliga rättigheter till ett huvudmål för utrikespolitiken; sanktioner kan tillgripas som sista utväg. Att också lista revolutionsgardet mot bakgrund av inhemsk repression ryms i detta. Planens krav på tydligt avgränsade befogenheter talar dock mot listning utan föregående rättslig prövning.
- resist terrorismdecisive»möta angrepp från internationell kriminalitet, terrorism, cyberkrigföring« (party programme ↗)“counter attacks from international crime, terrorism, cyber warfare”
- HR as foreign policy goal»Människovärdet ska stå i fokus och arbetet för att skydda och värna mänskliga fri- och rättigheter« (party programme ↗)“Human dignity shall be in focus and work to protect and uphold human rights and freedoms”
- dialogue before sanctions»positiva verkningsmedel användas, som till exempel finansiellt stöd, samarbetsprojekt, samtal och dialoger för att främja mänskliga rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“positive impact measures be used, such as for example financial support, cooperation projects, dialogue and dialogues to promote human rights.”
- defined authority»Det europeiska polissamarbetet ska vara väl utvecklat samtidigt som dess befogenheter ska vara tydligt avgränsade« (party programme ↗)“European police cooperation should be well developed while its authority shall be clearly defined”
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 wants to ban participation in organisations with violent activities and stop tax money to extremists, and the programme makes the fight against violent ideologies and the ability to withstand authoritarian regimes' power language into a main issue.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to ban participation in organisations with violent activities and stop tax money to extremists, and the programme makes the fight against violent ideologies and the ability to withstand authoritarian regimes' power language into a main issue. To also list Iran's Revolutionary Guard and create a model that enables listing is in line with this. The demand for legal security guarantees corresponds to the plan's demand for law-governed exercise of power.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill förbjuda deltagande i organisationer med våldsbejakande verksamhet och stoppa skattemedel till extremister, och programmet gör kampen mot våldsbejakande ideologier och förmågan att stå emot auktoritära regimers maktspråk till en huvudsak. Att också lista Irans revolutionsgarde och att skapa en modell som möjliggör listning ligger i linje med detta. Kravet på rättssäkerhetsgarantier motsvarar planens krav på lagstyrd maktutövning.
- ban on violent organisationsdecisive»Förbjuda deltagande i organisationer med våldsbejakande verksamhet samt förbjuda deltagande i kriminella gäng« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ban participation in organisations with violent activities and ban participation in criminal gangs”
- fight against violent ideologies»kampen mot fascismen, kommunismen, nazismen« (party programme ↗)“the fight against fascism, communism, Nazism”
- withstand authoritarian regimes»att stå emot andra länders aggressiva maktspråk.« (party programme ↗)“to withstand other countries' aggressive power language.”
- starved resources to extremists»Stoppa utbetalningar av skattemedel till extremister« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop payments of tax money to extremists”
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 election manifesto commits to combating international terrorism and Islamism and to strengthening European cooperation against Islamist organizations and terrorism.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto commits to combating international terrorism and Islamism and to strengthening European cooperation against Islamist organizations and terrorism. The plan particularly points out the aggressive Islamist influence in the Middle East as a threat to Sweden and wants Sweden to work for clear sanctions against states with negative development. Listing the Revolutionary Guards and enabling listing without prior court review therefore follows the plan's direction.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet åtar sig att bekämpa internationell terrorism och islamism och att förstärka det europeiska samarbetet mot islamistiska organisationer och terrorism. Planen pekar särskilt ut det aggressiva islamistiska inflytandet i Mellanöstern som ett hot mot Sverige och vill att Sverige verkar för tydliga sanktioner mot stater med negativ utveckling. Att även lista revolutionsgardet och möjliggöra listning utan föregående domstolsprövning följer därför planens inriktning.
- combat Islamismdecisive»Bekämpa internationell terrorism och islamism« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Combat international terrorism and Islamism”
- Islamist threat to Sweden»Ett allt mer aggressivt islamistiskt inflytande i mellanöstern och Afrika innebär att risken för terrorism ökar i Sverige och att mänskliga rättigheter och respekten för kvinnor trycks tillbaka i världen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“An increasingly aggressive Islamist influence in the Middle East and Africa means that the risk of terrorism increases in Sweden and that human rights and respect for women are pushed back in the world.”
- European cooperation against terrorism»Förstärka det europeiska samarbetet mot islamistiska organisationer, hybridhot och terrorism« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen European cooperation against Islamist organizations, hybrid threats and terrorism”
- clear sanctions»Sverige bör verka för tydliga sanktioner mot Turkiet, Belarus, Ryssland och andra länder med en negativ utveckling.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden should work for clear sanctions against Turkey, Belarus, Russia and other countries with negative development.”
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 (2022/23:UU10)
- Committee report full text (HA01UU10)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:1288 — Lagstiftning om ekocid av Anna Vikström och Mathias Tegnér (båda S)
- Motion 2022/23:1366 — En ny svensk Israelpolitik av Mikael Oscarsson och Magnus Oscarsson (båda KD)
- Motion 2022/23:1455 — Fred i Palestina av Jacob Risberg och Bassem Nasr (båda MP)
- Motion 2022/23:1615 — Belarus av Martin Ådahl (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1744 — Kuba av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1749 — Sverigedemokraternas biståndspolitik av Mats Nordberg m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1752 — Demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter i utrikespolitiken av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1764 — Säkerhetspolitik av Aron Emilsson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1769 — Mellanöstern av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1804 — Balkankonferens för handel och försoning av Magnus Jacobsson (KD)
- Motion 2022/23:1879 — En fokuserad utvecklingsagenda bortom 2030 av Kerstin Lundgren m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1882 — En starkare liberal demokrati av Malin Björk m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1960 — Ekocid som brott vid ICC i Haag av Gunilla Carlsson (S)
- Motion 2022/23:1965 — Åtgärder mot regimen i Iran av Lawen Redar m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:2040 — Omprövning av Iranpolitiken av Azadeh Rojhan m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:2048 — Skärpning av EU:s sanktioner mot regimen i Belarus av Mikael Oscarsson (KD)
- Motion 2022/23:2247 — Iran av Alireza Akhondi och Martin Ådahl (båda C)
- Motion 2022/23:2278 — Initiativ till ekocidlagstiftning av Rebecka Le Moine (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:2364 — med anledning av skr. 2022/23:115 Verksamheten i Europeiska unionen under 2022 av Håkan Svenneling m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2022/23:53 — Hbtqi-frågor i världen av Lotta Johnsson Fornarve m.fl. (V)
Source: The Swedish Parliament