2026-05-262025/26:MJU23 · p.3MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Wildlife management marking and euthanasia on animal welfare grounds
Management tagging of wildlife and euthanising injured wildlife on animal-welfare grounds
What's at stake: The decision affects how the wolf population and other large predators are managed and protected, weighing the benefit of reducing individual animals' suffering against the risk that the tools are misused to suppress already-threatened populations or to facilitate illegal hunting.
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 management tagging of wildlife, such as wolves, and a right for hunting-rights holders to search for, track and pursue injured wildlife for euthanasia on animal-welfare grounds should be introduced without further criteria, or whether such criteria should first be developed given the risks of misuse and increased illegal hunting.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee welcomes introducing management tagging - for example of wolves - as a tool within wildlife management, aimed at protecting and conserving wildlife while allowing the wolf population to persist long-term in Sweden, albeit at a significantly reduced size; the government can specify the conditions for tagging at ordinance level. The committee also shares the view that rules are needed enabling the search for, tracking and pursuit of injured wildlife for euthanasia on animal-welfare grounds, and holds that the benefit of reducing animal suffering outweighs the risk of misuse, since the right is limited to the hunting-rights holder, illegal hunting already carries a high penalty, and a national collaboration group against illegal hunting of large predators already exists alongside ongoing preventive work.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 2 (MP)
The reservation (MP) shares the view that some management tagging, for example of wolves that migrated in from the east, can be relevant for strengthening the wolf population's genetics, but sees a risk that the government's proposal, in its current form, could be used to suppress the wolf population further, in tension with legal requirements for long-term conservation. It instead wants the wolf population rebuilt to sustainable levels alongside investment in coexistence, and argues that management tagging should not be used until criteria - potentially including an animal-testing ethics review - have been developed. It also sees value in the euthanasia proposal but fears that, in its current form, it could increase the already inadequately combated illegal hunting of large predators, and wants criteria set for the circumstances under which pursuing injured wildlife is allowed.
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 2 by 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: LLiberalerna
Ja 326–21Ja 310–37
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 21/0/0/0 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | Yes 106/0/0/0 | differs | confidence: low | derived |
| MP | No | No 0/18/0/0 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Yes 24/0/0/0 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 16/0/0/0 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: medium | explicit |
| KD | Yes | Yes 19/0/0/0 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 65/0/0/1 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | Yes | Yes 69/0/0/1 | match | confidence: medium | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects motion 2025/26:4068 by Emma Nohrén et al. (MP) demands 2 and 3.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2025/26:4068 av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 2 och 3.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag said yes to the government's proposal to simplify hunting opportunities. The proposal means that the government is given the right to decide on regulations that make it possible to capture wildlife on someone else's land for marking, examination, or other measures to protect and conserve wildlife. The proposal also means that a new provision is introduced that makes it possible for the hunting rights holder to search for, track, or pursue wildlife in order to euthanize it on animal welfare grounds. The proposal also means that it shall be permitted to hunt on public water following notification and to hunt seals in Sweden's economic zone following notification, with the aim of improving conditions for commercial fishing and facilitating for hunters to hunt on public water. Furthermore, a new secrecy provision is introduced in the Act on Public Access to Information and Secrecy to protect information that could reveal a person's identity in matters concerning hunting of large predators and compensation for damage caused by large predators. The legal changes enter into force on 1 July 2026.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants criteria for wolf management marking to be established before implementation and for parliament to reject the proposals for hunting on public water and seal hunting in Sweden's economic zone. (MP) — Reservation 2
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 requires deliberate and comprehensive work for rich ecosystems and ambitious environmental goals that are monitored with strict legislation, and establishes that animals are sentient beings that should live good lives.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires deliberate and comprehensive work for rich ecosystems and ambitious environmental goals that are monitored with strict legislation, and establishes that animals are sentient beings that should live good lives. A marking tool that can be used to further press down a predator population, and culling rules without criteria, goes against this. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demand for criteria and for building up the population to viable levels.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver ett medvetet och heltäckande arbete för rika ekosystem och ambitiösa miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning, och slår fast att djur är kännande varelser som ska leva goda liv. Ett märkningsverktyg som kan användas för att pressa ned en rovdjursstam ytterligare, och avlivningsregler utan kriterier, går emot detta. Planen stöder därför motförslagets krav på kriterier och på att stammen byggs upp till livskraftiga nivåer.
- good conditions for ecosystemsdecisive»Sverige behöver också ett medvetet och heltäckande arbete med att« (party programme ↗)“Sweden also needs deliberate and comprehensive work on”
- protect biodiversity»Vi måste lösa klimatkrisen och skydda den biologiska mångfalden« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We must solve the climate crisis and protect biodiversity”
- animals are sentient beings»All djurhållning ska utgå från att djur är kännande« (party programme ↗)“All animal keeping should be based on the fact that animals are sentient”
- strict environmental goals»miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och praktiskt arbete.« (party programme ↗)“environmental goals that are monitored with strict legislation and practical work.”
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 protecting biological diversity and Sweden's valuable nature, and notes that species extinction is accelerating.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits to protecting biological diversity and Sweden's valuable nature, and notes that species extinction is accelerating. Requiring established criteria before management marking is used, so the tool cannot further depress a predator population, aligns with that commitment. However, the plan does not address predator management or culling, which makes certainty low.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig att värna den biologiska mångfalden och Sveriges värdefulla natur, och konstaterar att artdöden accelererar. Att kräva fastställda kriterier innan förvaltningsmärkning används, så att verktyget inte kan pressa ned en rovdjursstam ytterligare, ligger i linje med det åtagandet. Planen behandlar inte rovdjursförvaltning eller eftersök, varför säkerheten är låg.
- protected biological diversitydecisive»Värn av biologisk mångfald och Sveriges värdefulla natur och vattenmiljöer.« (party programme ↗)“Protection of biological diversity and Sweden's valuable nature and aquatic environments.”
- stop species extinction»Samtidigt accelererar artdöden och den biologiska mångfalden hotas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time, species extinction accelerates and biological diversity is threatened.”
- protection of nature»Stark allemansrätt och skydd av natur« (party programme ↗)“Strong public right of access and protection of nature”
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 demands viable populations of, among others, wolves, lynx, bears and wolverines and that poaching is actively combated, and that all hunting is conducted with good hunting ethics.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands viable populations of, among others, wolves, lynx, bears and wolverines and that poaching is actively combated, and that all hunting is conducted with good hunting ethics. A tagging tool that can be used to further press down the population, and a search right without criteria, goes against this. The counter-proposal's demand for criteria and for first building up the population is therefore in line with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver livskraftiga stammar av bland annat varg, lo, björn och järv och att tjuvjakt bekämpas aktivt, samt att all jakt bedrivs med god jaktetik. Ett märkningsverktyg som kan användas för att pressa ned stammen ytterligare, och en eftersöksrätt utan kriterier, går emot detta. Motförslagets krav på kriterier och på att först bygga upp stammen ligger därför i linje med planen.
- viable large carnivore populationsdecisive»Vi ska ha livskraftiga stammar av bland annat varg, lo, björn« (party programme ↗)“We shall have viable populations of among others wolves, lynx, bears”
- combat illegal hunting»Sverige ska arbeta aktivt för att bekämpa tjuvjakt och handel« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall work actively to combat poaching and trafficking”
- good hunting ethics»All jakt ska bedrivas med god jaktetik.« (party programme ↗)“All hunting shall be conducted with good hunting ethics.”
- intrinsic value of animals»Djuren har ett egenvärde, inte bara en ekonomisk och ekologisk funktion.« (party programme ↗)“Animals have an intrinsic value, not just an economic and ecological function.”
The plan states that responsibility for animals and nature shall be combined with active management of large predators and strong property rights, and that conservation must harmonise with rural populations' opportunities to live and work without losing animals and property.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that responsibility for animals and nature shall be combined with active management of large predators and strong property rights, and that conservation must harmonise with rural populations' opportunities to live and work without losing animals and property. The counter-proposal's requirement to build up the large predator population to higher levels and to make the marking tool conditional on new criteria runs counter to that line. The plan supports, however, that suffering in injured wildlife be shortened, which the counter-proposal does not dispute on substance.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att ansvar för djur och natur ska kombineras med en aktiv förvaltning av rovdjur och en stark äganderätt, och att bevarandet måste harmoniera med landsbygdsbefolkningens möjligheter att leva och verka utan att förlora djur och egendom. Motförslagets krav på att bygga upp rovdjursstammen till högre nivåer och att villkora märkningsverktyget med nya kriterier går emot den linjen. Planen stödjer däremot att lidande hos skadat vilt kortas, vilket motförslaget inte bestrider i sak.
- active large predator managementdecisive»ska kombineras med en aktiv förvaltning av rovdjur och klövvilt« (party programme ↗)“shall be combined with active management of large predators and hoofed wild animals”
- conservation in balance with rural areas»Värnandet av den biologiska mångfalden måste harmoniera med landsbygdsbefolkningens« (party programme ↗)“Protection of biological diversity must harmonise with rural populations'”
- voluntary effort and property rights in nature conservation»Mer måste göras för att restaurera våtmarker, bekämpa invasiva arter och underlätta för markägare att bidra, då frivillighet och äganderätt är grunden för en bättre naturvård.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More must be done to restore wetlands, combat invasive species and facilitate for landowners to contribute, since voluntary effort and property rights are the foundation for better nature conservation.”
- biological diversity»Sveriges natur ska vårdas och den biologiska mångfalden utvecklas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden's nature shall be cared for and biological diversity developed.”
The plan requires that Sweden shall have viable populations of all five large predators, explicitly including the wolf.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that Sweden shall have viable populations of all five large predators, explicitly including the wolf. The counter-proposal wishes that marking not be used until criteria ensure that the tool does not press down the population further, which follows directly from that commitment. The plan moreover wishes to deepen the work against illegal hunting, which supports the requirement for criteria for tracking.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att Sverige ska ha livskraftiga stammar av alla fem stora rovdjur, uttryckligen inklusive vargen. Motförslaget vill att märkning inte används förrän kriterier säkrar att verktyget inte pressar ned stammen ytterligare, vilket följer direkt av det åtagandet. Planen vill dessutom fördjupa arbetet mot olovlig jakt, vilket stöder kravet på kriterier för eftersök.
- viable predator populationsdecisive»Sverige ska ha livskraftiga stammar av alla de fem stora rovdjuren: björn, järv, lo, varg och kungsörn.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall have viable populations of all five large predators: bear, wolverine, lynx, wolf and golden eagle.”
- combat illegal hunting»Det internationella samarbetet mot smuggling och olovlig jakt ska fördjupas.« (party programme ↗)“International cooperation against smuggling and illegal hunting shall be deepened.”
- protect threatened species»Hotade växter och djur ska skyddas genom fridlysning, information och biotopskydd.« (party programme ↗)“Threatened plants and animals shall be protected through protection orders, information and habitat protection.”
- dialogue in predator management»Dialog med lokalbefolkningen i berörda områden är en viktig del av rovdjursförvaltningen.« (party programme ↗)“Dialogue with local populations in affected areas is an important part of predator management.”
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 is explicit that the Swedish wolf population shall be reduced, while the counter-proposal wants to build up the population and condition the marking tool so that it cannot be used to reduce it.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto is explicit that the Swedish wolf population shall be reduced, while the counter-proposal wants to build up the population and condition the marking tool so that it cannot be used to reduce it. The party programme does require viable populations of large predators, but they should be managed so that coexistence with other interests is possible and in consultation with the rural population. The plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal's demands.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet är uttryckligt om att den svenska vargstammen ska minskas, medan motförslaget vill bygga upp stammen och villkora märkningsverktyget så att det inte kan användas för att minska den. Partiprogrammet kräver visserligen livskraftiga rovdjursstammar, men de ska förvaltas så att samexistens med andra intressen är möjlig och i samråd med landsbygdsbefolkningen. Planen talar därför emot motförslagets krav.
- reduced wolf populationdecisive»Den svenska vargstammen ska minskas till 170 individer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Swedish wolf population shall be reduced to 170 individuals.”
- coexistence in predator management»Det ska finnas livskraftiga stammar av våra fyra stora rovdjur: björn, lo, järv och varg. De ska förvaltas så att samexistens med andra intressen är möjlig.« (party programme ↗)“There shall be viable populations of our four large predators: bear, lynx, wolverine and wolf. They shall be managed so that coexistence with other interests is possible.”
- consultation with rural communities»En långsiktigt hållbar rovdjurspolitik måste utformas i samråd med den berörda landsbygdsbefolkningen.« (party programme ↗)“A long-term sustainable predator policy must be designed in consultation with the affected rural population.”
- avoid unnecessary animal suffering»Utgångspunkten för människans umgänge med djur bör vara, att så långt det är möjligt, undvika stress, smärta och skador för djuren.« (party programme ↗)“The starting point for how humans treat animals should be, as far as possible, to avoid stress, pain and injury to animals.”
The plan has an explicit goal of reducing the wolf population to 170 wolves through increased hunting, which is the opposite of the counter-proposal's demand to first build the population to viable levels and set criteria that prevent marking from being used to reduce it.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan has an explicit goal of reducing the wolf population to 170 wolves through increased hunting, which is the opposite of the counter-proposal's demand to first build the population to viable levels and set criteria that prevent marking from being used to reduce it. The plan also wants to strengthen hunters' position and establish a new wildlife authority. The demand for additional conditions before marking and follow-up thus goes against the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen har ett uttryckligt mål om att minska vargstammen till 170 vargar genom ökad jakt, vilket är motsatsen till motförslagets krav på att först bygga upp stammen till livskraftiga nivåer och sätta kriterier som hindrar att märkning används för att minska den. Planen vill också stärka jägarnas ställning och inrätta en ny viltmyndighet. Kravet på ytterligare villkor före märkning och eftersök går därför emot planen.
- reduced wolf populationdecisive»Verka för att minska vargstammen i Sverige till 170 vargar – genom ökad jakt« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work to reduce the wolf population in Sweden to 170 wolves—through increased hunting”
- safeguarded hunting»Vi ska stoppa jakten på jägarna och rädda fiskerinäringen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall stop the hunting of hunters and save the fishing industry”
- hunters' role in wildlife management»Jägarnas insatser är en starkt bidragande orsak till att vi har livskraftiga viltstammar i landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Hunters' work is a strongly contributing factor to the fact that we have viable wildlife populations in the country.”
- protection against predator attacks»Höja ersättningsnivåerna för rovdjursangrepp så att de ligger i nivå med de faktiska kostnaderna« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Raise compensation levels for predator attacks so that they are in line with actual costs”
The plan requires that large carnivores be managed responsibly and that the total predator pressure be maintained at reasonable levels in all parts of the country, with greater local influence over carnivore policy.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that large carnivores be managed responsibly and that the total predator pressure be maintained at reasonable levels in all parts of the country, with greater local influence over carnivore policy. The counter-proposal instead wants to build up the population and condition the marking tool with new criteria, which goes against that direction. The plan's animal welfare commitment also speaks for rules that can quickly end the suffering of injured wildlife.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att de stora rovdjuren förvaltas ansvarsfullt och att det sammantagna rovdjurstrycket hålls på rimliga nivåer i alla delar av landet, med större lokalt inflytande över rovdjurspolitiken. Motförslaget vill i stället bygga upp stammen och villkora märkningsverktyget med nya kriterier, vilket går emot den inriktningen. Planens djurskyddsåtagande talar dessutom för regler som snabbt kan avsluta skadat vilts lidande.
- limited predator pressuredecisive»De stora rovdjuren måste förvaltas på ett ansvarsfullt sätt och det sammantagna rovdjurstrycket måste hållas på rimliga nivåer i alla delar av landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Large carnivores must be managed in a responsible manner and the total predator pressure must be maintained at reasonable levels in all parts of the country.”
- local influence on carnivores»Ett större lokalt inflytande bör råda över rovdjurspolitiken.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Greater local influence should prevail over carnivore policy.”
- stop unnecessary suffering»Djur ska behandlas med respekt och djurplågeri stoppas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Animals shall be treated with respect and animal cruelty stopped.”
- Swedish self-determination on hunting»Sverigedemokraterna vill minska EU:s inflytande över svensk jakt och viltvård.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to reduce the EU's influence over Swedish hunting and wildlife management.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:MJU23)
- Committee report full text (HD01MJU23)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:4030 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:211 Förenklingar i jaktlagstiftningen av Kajsa Fredholm m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:4068 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:211 Förenklingar i jaktlagstiftningen av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP)
- Proposition 2025/26:211 — Förenklingar i jaktlagstiftningen
Source: The Swedish Parliament