2024-03-142023/24:KrU2 · p.3KrUCulture
Law on democracy conditions
A statutory democracy condition for state grants to civil society and faith communities
What's at stake: The decision concerns how confident one can be that state grants do not end up with organisations and faith communities that violate democratic principles and human rights - for example by restricting women's right to choose their own marriage or divorce.
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 state funding to civil society and faith communities should be supplemented with a specific law on democracy conditions, including the power to reclaim funds, or whether the administrative control measures and further work already announced by the government are sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee welcomes the Riksrevisionen report and views positively the control measures the government has already taken or announced - including tightened controls at several granting agencies and a forthcoming statement on new democracy conditions - and considers that the government's continued preparatory work should not be pre-empted, and therefore recommends rejecting the motion.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 3 (S)
The reserving party (S) considers the government's measures insufficient and wants state funding supplemented with a law on democracy conditions, pointing out that an earlier bill on this was withdrawn and that several state-funded faith communities have since been shown to deviate from democratic principles and human rights.
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 3 by S.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have gone the other way
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: KDKristdemokraterna, LLiberalerna, MModeraterna, SDSverigedemokraterna
Ja 206–90Nej 58–238
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 | Yes 20/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/89/0/17 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 16/0/0/2 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| M | No | Yes 56/0/0/12 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects motion 2023/24:2759 by Lawen Redar et al. (S).
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2023/24:2759 av Lawen Redar m.fl. (S).
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag has addressed a communication from the government concerning the Swedish National Audit Office's report on state grants to civil society. The National Audit Office has examined whether the state's grants to civil society have been effective. The overall conclusion is that the examined agencies' grant provision is not sufficiently effective and that enhanced control is necessary to maintain and to some extent rebuild confidence in the state grant systems. The National Audit Office submits in the report a number of recommendations to the government. Among other things, to task grant-providing agencies with developing and strengthening their control, for example by increasing the number of risk-based operational visits. Another proposal is to task grant-providing agencies with improving grant recipients' opportunities to meet the grant requirements, for example by providing basic training on what requirements apply to grant-receiving organizations. The government welcomes the examination and essentially agrees with the National Audit Office's observations. In the communication, the government reports measures taken and planned that are in line with the National Audit Office's observations and recommendations. The Riksdag filed the communication for the record, that is, concluded the matter. The Riksdag also rejected motion demands.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to introduce legislation requiring democracy conditions for state support to civil society and religious communities. (S) — Reservation 3
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 respect for human rights should be fundamental to all politics and that discrimination can never be tolerated, which argues for public grants to be recoverable from recipients who violate these principles.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that respect for human rights should be fundamental to all politics and that discrimination can never be tolerated, which argues for public grants to be recoverable from recipients who violate these principles. At the same time, the plan values strong and independent social movements and warns against grant systems that restrict them, which makes the position uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att respekten för de mänskliga rättigheterna ska vara grundläggande för all politik och att diskriminering aldrig kan tolereras, vilket talar för att offentliga bidrag ska kunna återkrävas från mottagare som bryter mot dessa principer. Samtidigt värnar planen starka och självständiga folkrörelser och varnar för bidragssystem som inskränker dem, vilket gör ställningstagandet osäkert.
- human rights fundamentaldecisive»Respekten för de mänskliga rättigheterna ska vara grundläggande för all politik.« (party programme ↗)“Respect for human rights should be fundamental to all politics.”
- discrimination can never be tolerated»Alla människors lika värde innebär att diskriminering på grund av kön, funktionsnedsättning, sexuell läggning eller könsidentitet, ålder,« (party programme ↗)“The equal value of all people means that discrimination based on gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, age,”
- marginalize antidemocratic forces»Vår strategiska målsättning är att marginalisera såväl rasistiska krafter som rasistiska föreställningar.« (party programme ↗)“Our strategic goal is to marginalize both racist forces and racist notions.”
- social movements' independence»Vänsterpartiet värnar starka och självständiga folkrörelser som kan bidra till progressiva samhällsförändringar« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party values strong and independent social movements that can contribute to progressive social change”
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 party programme requires nationally established regulations for all activities financed by tax revenue and that citizens shall be able to scrutinise it and hold it accountable.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires nationally established regulations for all activities financed by tax revenue and that citizens shall be able to scrutinise it and hold it accountable. The foundation is a society built on democracy's ideals and all humans' equal worth. A law on democracy conditions that enables reclamation from grant recipients who violate these principles follows from the commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver nationellt fastställda regelverk för all verksamhet som finansieras med skattemedel och att medborgarna ska kunna granska den och utkräva ansvar. Grunden är ett samhälle byggt på demokratins ideal och alla människors lika värde. En lag om demokrativillkor som möjliggör återkrav från bidragsmottagare som bryter mot dessa principer följer av åtagandena.
- national regulations for tax-financed activitiesdecisive»För all verksamhet som drivs på uppdrag av det offentliga och finansieras med skattemedel ska det finnas nationellt fastställda regelverk.« (party programme ↗)“For all activities carried out on behalf of the public and financed by tax revenue, nationally established regulations shall exist.”
- democracy's ideals and equal worth»Socialdemokratin vill forma ett samhälle grundat på demokratins ideal och alla människors lika värde och lika rätt.« (party programme ↗)“Social Democracy wants to form a society based on democracy's ideals and all humans' equal worth and equal rights.”
- scrutiny of tax-financed activities»Oavsett i vilken form skattefinansierad verksamhet drivs ska medborgarna ha möjlighet att granska den och utkräva politiskt ansvar.« (party programme ↗)“Regardless of the form in which tax-financed activities are conducted, citizens shall have the opportunity to scrutinise it and hold it politically accountable.”
- stop misuse of public funds»Skattefusk, välfärdsbrottslighet och penningtvätt ska stoppas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tax fraud, welfare crime and money laundering shall be stopped.”
The plan states that religion can never be an excuse to limit others' freedoms and rights, that all discrimination shall be countered and that the party works powerfully against racism and fascism.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that religion can never be an excuse to limit others' freedoms and rights, that all discrimination shall be countered and that the party works powerfully against racism and fascism. A law on democracy requirements that makes it possible to reclaim support from recipients who violate democratic principles and human rights is an application of this. The plan also demands that public funds are used for their intended purpose.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att religion aldrig kan vara en ursäkt för att begränsa andras friheter och rättigheter, att all diskriminering ska motverkas och att partiet arbetar kraftfullt mot rasism och fascism. En lag om demokrativillkor som gör det möjligt att återkräva stöd från mottagare som bryter mot demokratiska principer och mänskliga rättigheter är en tillämpning av det. Planen kräver dessutom att offentliga medel används till det de är avsedda för.
- rights before religious claimsdecisive»Religion kan heller aldrig vara en ursäkt för att begränsa andras friheter och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Religion can never be an excuse to limit others' freedoms and rights.”
- counter discrimination»All diskriminering ska motverkas.« (party programme ↗)“All discrimination shall be countered.”
- tax funds for intended purpose»Det som är viktigt är kvaliteten på välfärden, att skattemedel används till den verksamhet de är avsedda för« (party programme ↗)“What is important is the quality of welfare, that tax funds are used for the activity they are intended for”
- against antidemocratic forces»Vi arbetar kraftfullt mot rasism och fascism.« (party programme ↗)“We work powerfully against racism and fascism.”
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 makes defending liberal democracy and equal value for all into a commitment, and requires that politics husband the taxpayer's money.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes defending liberal democracy and equal value for all into a commitment, and requires that politics husband the taxpayer's money. Being able to demand back grants from organisations that breach democratic principles and human rights follows from these commitments. The plan emphasises civil society's independence at the same time, but the legal requirement targets grant conditions, not associational freedom.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör försvaret av den liberala demokratin och allas lika värde till ett åtagande och kräver att politiken hushållar med skattebetalarnas pengar. Att kunna kräva tillbaka bidrag från organisationer som bryter mot demokratiska principer och mänskliga rättigheter följer av dessa åtaganden. Planen betonar samtidigt civilsamhällets självständighet, men lagkravet riktar sig mot bidragsvillkor och inte mot föreningsfriheten.
- protect liberal democracydecisive»Den liberala demokratin får aldrig tas för given. Den ska vårdas, värnas och vidareutvecklas — idag och för kommande generationer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Liberal democracy must never be taken for granted. It shall be cared for, protected and developed—today and for future generations.”
- equal rights and value for all»Vi bekämpar alla strukturer, formella och informella, som förtrycker eller diskriminerar människor.« (party programme ↗)“We combat all structures, formal and informal, that oppress or discriminate against people.”
- husband public funds»Politiken ska hushålla med skattebetalarnas pengar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Politics shall husband the taxpayer's money.”
- protect democratic institutions»Våra demokratiska institutioner behöver skydd. Vi vill göra det svårare att ändra grundlagen, skydda oppositionens ställning i riksdagen och stärka domstolarnas oberoende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Our democratic institutions need protection. We want to make it harder to amend the constitution, protect the opposition's position in the Riksdag and strengthen the courts' independence.”
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 establishes that no tax funds shall go to activities that seek to alter the democratic society by violence or otherwise undermine fundamental democratic values.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that no tax funds shall go to activities that seek to alter the democratic society by violence or otherwise undermine fundamental democratic values. The election manifesto moreover states that much more must be done when extremist environments are financed by taxpayer money, and wishes to strengthen the monitoring of grant-giving. A democracy clause in law with the ability to demand support back is exactly that tool.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att inga skattemedel ska gå till verksamheter som vill förändra det demokratiska samhället med våld eller på annat sätt motarbetar grundläggande demokratiska värderingar. Valmanifestet säger dessutom att mycket mer måste göras när extremistmiljöer finansieras av skattepengar, och vill stärka uppföljningen av bidragsgivningen. Ett demokrativillkor i lag med möjlighet att kräva tillbaka stöd är just det verktyget.
- no grants to anti-democratsdecisive»Inga skattemedel ska gå till verksamheter som vill förändra det demokratiska samhället med våld« (party programme ↗)“No tax funds shall go to activities that seek to alter the democratic society by violence”
- strengthened monitoring of grants»Vi vill både stärka uppföljningen av bidragsgivning och stoppa dold finansiering av trossamfund så att de inte blir verktyg för extremistiska krafter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want both to strengthen the monitoring of grant-giving and stop hidden financing of religious congregations so that they do not become tools for extremist forces.”
- insufficient measures today»När Säpo säger att flera organisationer från extremistmiljöer finansieras av skattepengar måste mycket mer göras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“When the Security Police state that several organisations from extremist environments are financed by taxpayer money, much more must be done.”
- stop the separatists»Islamister och kriminella klaner spär på segregationen och hotar sammanhållningen i Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Islamists and criminal gangs fuel segregation and threaten cohesion in Sweden.”
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 explicitly conditions support for faith communities: it shall go to communities whose activities are in accordance with fundamental principles about every person's absolute and inviolable worth.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly conditions support for faith communities: it shall go to communities whose activities are in accordance with fundamental principles about every person's absolute and inviolable worth. It also states that freedom of religion must never be used to infringe on others. A law on democracy conditions that makes it possible to demand repayment of support follows from this.
Original (Swedish)
Planen villkorar uttryckligen stödet till trossamfund: det ska utgå till samfund vars verksamhet står i överensstämmelse med grundläggande principer om varje människas absoluta och okränkbara värde. Den slår också fast att religionsfriheten aldrig får användas för att kränka andra. En lag om demokrativillkor som gör det möjligt att kräva tillbaka stöd följer av det.
- conditional support for faith communitiesdecisive»Stöd ska därför utgå till de trossamfund som bedriver« (party programme ↗)“Support shall therefore go to faith communities that conduct”
- support presupposes human dignity»verksamhet vars karaktär och ändamål står i överensstämmelse med grundläggande principer om att varje« (party programme ↗)“activities whose character and purpose are in accordance with fundamental principles about that every”
- freedom of religion has limits»i trons namn kränker andra människor.« (party programme ↗)“in the name of faith infringe on other people.”
- control of public funds»Utvärdering, kostnadsuppföljning och kvalitetskontroll är därför viktiga politiska« (party programme ↗)“Evaluation, cost monitoring and quality control are therefore important political”
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 election manifesto explicitly commits to stopping disbursements of taxpayers' money to organizations that do not share Swedish society's fundamental democratic values, and to stopping disbursements to extremists.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly commits to stopping disbursements of taxpayers' money to organizations that do not share Swedish society's fundamental democratic values, and to stopping disbursements to extremists. A law on democratic conditions that makes it possible to reclaim support from religious communities and organizations that breach democratic principles is precisely a tool for that commitment. The party programme also states that tolerance does not extend to enemies of the open society.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet lovar uttryckligen att stoppa utbetalningar av skattepengar till organisationer som inte delar det svenska samhällets grundläggande demokratiska värderingar, och att stoppa utbetalningar till extremister. En lag om demokrativillkor som gör det möjligt att återkräva stöd från trossamfund och organisationer som bryter mot demokratiska principer är just ett verktyg för det åtagandet. Partiprogrammet slår dessutom fast att toleransen inte omfattar det öppna samhällets fiender.
- no subsidies to undemocratic organizationsdecisive»Stoppa utbetalningar av skattepengar till organisationer som inte delar det svenska samhällets grundläggande demokratiska värderingar utan som hotar människors frihet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop disbursements of taxpayers' money to organizations that do not share Swedish society's fundamental democratic values but that threaten people's freedom”
- no public funds to extremists»Stoppa utbetalningar av skattemedel till extremister« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop disbursements of public funds to extremists”
- no subsidies to hate-spreaders»Stoppa utbetalningar av skattemedel till organisationer som hetsar och sprider hat mot hbtq-personer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop disbursements of public funds to organizations that incite and spread hate against LGBTQ persons”
- tolerance has limits»Den kan inte utsträckas till det öppna samhällets fiender.« (party programme ↗)“It cannot extend to enemies of the open 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 explicitly requires that state support to extremist organizations and groups acting to segregate be stopped, and that religious communities engaging in extremism receive neither public grants nor foreign financing.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires that state support to extremist organizations and groups acting to segregate be stopped, and that religious communities engaging in extremism receive neither public grants nor foreign financing. A law on democracy conditions with reclaim possibilities is the direct tool for that commitment. The party programme also makes all public support to civil society conditional on compatibility with democratic values.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen att statligt stöd till extremistiska organisationer och grupper som verkar segregerande stoppas, och att trossamfund som verkar för extremism varken ska få offentliga bidrag eller utländsk finansiering. En lag om demokrativillkor med återkravsmöjlighet är det direkta verktyget för det åtagandet. Partiprogrammet villkorar dessutom allt offentligt stöd till civilsamhället med förenlighet med demokratiska värderingar.
- stop grants for extremismdecisive»Stoppa statligt stöd till extremistiska organisationer och andra grupper som verkar segregerande« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop state support to extremist organizations and other groups acting to segregate”
- no grants for extremist communities»Moskéer och andra trossamfund eller organisationer som verkar för extremism ska vare sig få bidrag från det offentliga eller utländska regimer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Mosques and other religious communities or organizations that engage in extremism shall receive neither grants from the public sector nor financing from foreign regimes.”
- democracy conditions for grants»En förutsättning för att kunna erhålla stöd från det offentliga skall dock« (party programme ↗)“A precondition for being able to receive support from the public sector shall however”
- stop extremist financing»Hindra utländsk finansiering av extremistiska trossamfund och organisationer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prevent foreign financing of extremist religious communities and organizations”
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.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:KrU2)
- Committee report full text (HB01KrU2)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:2413 — Kampen mot separatismen av Mauricio Rojas m.fl. (L)
- Motion 2023/24:2759 — med anledning av skr. 2023/24:22 Riksrevisionens rapport om statlig bidragsgivning till civilsamhället av Lawen Redar m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2762 — med anledning av skr. 2023/24:22 Riksrevisionens rapport om statlig bidragsgivning till civilsamhället av Jonas Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:359 — Åtgärder mot extremism i civilsamhället av Jonas Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Regeringens skrivelse 2023/24:22 — Riksrevisionens rapport om statlig bidragsgivning till civilsamhället
Source: The Swedish Parliament