2026-04-012025/26:KU30 · p.21KUConstitution
Shareholdings of cabinet ministers and state secretaries
Rules on shareholdings for government ministers and state secretaries
What's at stake: Several ministers and state secretaries in the government hold shares that have raised questions about conflicts of interest. At stake is public trust that government decisions are made in the public interest rather than for private financial gain.
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 rules on shareholdings held by ministers and state secretaries should be tightened now, for example through a ban on trading in individual shares, or whether the current guidelines and ongoing preparatory work are sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee recommends rejecting calls for tighter cooling-off rules and further inquiries, pointing to a recent evaluation already being processed within the Government Offices and to newly updated guidelines on shareholdings that highlight the risk of conflicts of interest.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 13 (S, V)
S and V want the government to immediately review the rules, internal policies and legislation and return to parliament with proposals to ban ministers and state secretaries from personally trading in individual shares. The reasoning is that several government members' shareholdings have raised suspicions of conflicts of interest and may have damaged public trust in politics.
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 13 by S, V.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
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 | No | No 0/17/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/90/0/16 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | Yes 15/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 19/0/0/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 12/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 55/0/0/11 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 59/0/0/11 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2025/26:2790 by Jessica Wetterling et al. (V) items 12 and 13 and 2025/26:3721 by Jennie Nilsson et al. (S) item 10.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2025/26:2790 av Jessica Wetterling m.fl. (V) yrkandena 12 och 13 samt 2025/26:3721 av Jennie Nilsson m.fl. (S) yrkande 10.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected 83 proposals in motions on constitutional matters from the general motion period 2025. The proposals address, among other things, issues about abolishing the monarchy, the head of state's prosecutorial immunity, and increased transparency in the royal household's finances. Other proposals concern political communication, prohibitions on anonymous or foreign party contributions, a national lobby register and constitutional provisions on national minorities and minority languages. The Riksdag refers, among other things, to ongoing work in the areas covered by the proposals.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the monarchy to be abolished and Sweden to become a republic. (S, V) — Reservation 13
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 describes how the upper class converts economic power into political power and warns against a political establishment that stands close to the economic elite.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan describes how the upper class converts economic power into political power and warns against a political establishment that stands close to the economic elite. The exercise of public authority shall be guided by all people's equal value, and the party wants to move towards greater public oversight. A ban for government members from trading individual stocks and a sharpened review of the rules follow from that principle that politics shall stand free from private economic interests.
Original (Swedish)
Planen beskriver hur överklassen omsätter ekonomisk makt i politisk makt och varnar för ett politiskt etablissemang som står nära den ekonomiska eliten. Den offentliga maktutövningen ska vägledas av alla människors lika värde, och partiet vill gå mot större samhällelig insyn. Ett förbud för regeringsmedlemmar att handla med enskilda aktier och en skärpt översyn av reglerna följer av den principen om att politiken ska stå fri från privata ekonomiska intressen.
- economic power becomes political powerdecisive»Överklassen omsätter sin ekonomiska makt i politisk makt genom« (party programme ↗)“The upper class converts its economic power into political power through”
- politics shall stand free from the elite»politiskt etablissemang som står nära dem och lever långt från vanliga« (party programme ↗)“political establishment that stands close to them and lives far from ordinary”
- impartial exercise of authority»Den offentliga maktutövningen ska vägledas av alla människors lika« (party programme ↗)“The exercise of public authority shall be guided by all people's equal”
- increased oversight»Vi vill gå mot en större samhällelig insyn« (party programme ↗)“We want to move towards greater public oversight”
The plan requires prevention of corruption and undue influence and states that citizens' common will comes before capital interests.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires prevention of corruption and undue influence and states that citizens' common will comes before capital interests. Ministers' trading in individual shares raises suspicions of conflict of interest and damages the very confidence in democracy that the plan wants to protect. Stricter rules and an immediate review therefore align with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver förhindrande av korruption och otillbörlig påverkan och slår fast att medborgarnas gemensamma vilja går före kapitalintressen. Statsråds handel med enskilda aktier väcker misstankar om jäv och skadar just den tilltro till demokratin som planen vill värna. Skärpta regler och en omedelbar översyn ligger därför i linje med planen.
- against corruption and conflict of interestdecisive»Förhindrande av korruption och otillbörlig påverkan.« (party programme ↗)“Prevention of corruption and undue influence.”
- popular will before capital interests»medborgarnas gemensamma vilja före andra maktanspråk och kapitalintressen.« (party programme ↗)“citizens' common will before other claims to power and capital interests.”
- protect democratic institutions»De demokratiska institutionerna måste skyddas.« (party programme ↗)“Democratic institutions must be protected.”
- democratic confidence»Skydd för medborgerliga fri- och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Protection of civil liberties and rights.”
The plan establishes that power corrupts and should always be examined critically, and that the opportunity to examine power is something the party particularly values.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that power corrupts and should always be examined critically, and that the opportunity to examine power is something the party particularly values. To immediately review the rules and prohibit government members from trading individual stocks counters precisely the suspicion of conflict of interest that undermines confidence in institutions. The plan does not specifically address cabinet ministers' stock holdings, which is why the position is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att makt korrumperar och alltid ska granskas kritiskt, och att möjligheten att granska makten är något partiet särskilt värnar. Att omedelbart se över reglerna och förbjuda regeringsmedlemmar att handla med enskilda aktier motverkar just den misstanke om jäv som urholkar förtroendet för institutionerna. Planen behandlar inte statsråds aktieinnehav specifikt, varför ställningstagandet är härlett.
- power shall be scrutinizeddecisive»Överdriven maktkoncentration är odemokratiskt och korrumperar. Därför bör makt delas och alltid granskas kritiskt.« (party programme ↗)“Excessive concentration of power is undemocratic and corrupts. Therefore, power should be shared and always examined critically.”
- scrutiny of power holders»Att människor och institutioner ges möjlighet att kritiskt granska makten värnas av Miljöpartiet.« (party programme ↗)“That people and institutions are given the opportunity to critically examine power is valued by the Green Party.”
- rule of law principles»En förutsättning för demokratin är att rättsstatens principer värnas.« (party programme ↗)“A prerequisite for democracy is that the principles of the rule of law are protected.”
- ethical requirements for public investments»Offentliga medel och pensionsfonder ska inte placeras i verksamheter som bidrar till miljöförstöring, krig eller kränkningar av mänskliga rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Public funds and pension funds shall not be invested in activities that contribute to environmental destruction, war or violations of human rights.”
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 wants to make Sweden even more transparent, establish an anti-corruption agency, tighten rules against corruption and introduce a lobbying register.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to make Sweden even more transparent, establish an anti-corruption agency, tighten rules against corruption and introduce a lobbying register. Tighter rules for ministers' share ownership is directly in line with that commitment and with the party programme's requirement for openness to prevent corruption. However, restricting private individuals' ownership is not the plan's starting point, which somewhat dampens the conclusion.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill göra Sverige ännu mer transparent, inrätta en antikorruptionsmyndighet, skärpa reglerna mot korruption och införa ett lobbyregister. Skärpta regler för statsråds aktieinnehav ligger direkt i linje med det åtagandet och med partiprogrammets krav på öppenhet för att förhindra korruption. Att inskränka enskildas ägande är dock inte planens utgångspunkt, vilket något dämpar slutsatsen.
- tightened rules against corruptiondecisive»Sverige ska bli ännu mer transparent. Vi vill inrätta en antikorruptionsmyndighet, skärpa regler mot korruption och införa ett lobbyregister.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become even more transparent. We want to establish an anti-corruption agency, tighten rules against corruption and introduce a lobbying register.”
- transparency against corruption»Öppenhet och transparens är grundförutsättningar för frihet, demokrati och för att förhindra korruption och övergrepp.« (party programme ↗)“Openness and transparency are fundamental prerequisites for freedom, democracy and for preventing corruption and abuse.”
- tightened rules for politics»Reglerna för finansiering av politiska partier bör skärpas och deras motståndskraft mot yttre påverkan och infiltration rustas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Rules for financing political parties should be tightened and their resilience against external influence and infiltration strengthened.”
- property rights»Äganderätten är central för ett samhälle där människor kan förverkliga sig själva och sina drömmar.« (party programme ↗)“Property rights are central to a society where people can realize themselves and their dreams.”
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 explicitly accepts that government ministers' and state secretaries' authority is regulated to avoid conflicts of interest, through a cooling-off rule, and wants to regulate by law parties' disclosure of funding sources.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme explicitly accepts that government ministers' and state secretaries' authority is regulated to avoid conflicts of interest, through a cooling-off rule, and wants to regulate by law parties' disclosure of funding sources. Reviewing the rules for government members' stock trading follows from the same concern about trust, transparency and oversight. The plan's protection of individual savings, however, argues against going further than what trust concerns require.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet accepterar uttryckligen att statsråds och statssekreterares handlingsutrymme regleras för att undvika intressekonflikter, genom en karensregel, och vill lagreglera partiernas redovisning av finansieringskällor. Att se över reglerna för regeringsmedlemmars aktiehandel följer av samma omsorg om förtroende, insyn och granskning. Planens värn om enskilt sparande talar dock emot att gå längre än vad förtroendeskälen kräver.
- cooling-off rules against conflicts of interestdecisive»En karensregel ska finnas för statsråd och statssekreterare som går vidare till enskilda uppdrag där känslig regeringsinformation kan komma till användning.« (party programme ↗)“A cooling-off rule shall exist for government ministers and state secretaries moving to private positions where sensitive government information could be used.”
- legally regulated transparency»Partiernas skyldighet att redovisa källorna för sin finansiering ska vara reglerad i lag.« (party programme ↗)“Parties' obligation to disclose the sources of their financing shall be regulated by law.”
- transparency and oversight»Offentlighetsprincipen har en grundläggande betydelse för att förankra och fördjupa folkstyret, och är en förutsättning för granskning och debatt.« (party programme ↗)“The principle of public access to information has fundamental importance for anchoring and deepening democracy, and is a prerequisite for oversight and debate.”
- protected individual savings»Det ska löna sig bättre för den enskilde att spara.« (party programme ↗)“It should pay better for the individual to save.”
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 is built on integrity and personal responsibility as a foundation and requires effective means against abuse of power and concentration of power.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan is built on integrity and personal responsibility as a foundation and requires effective means against abuse of power and concentration of power. Prohibiting government members from trading individual stocks and reviewing the rules counters precisely the conflicts of interest that damage trust in the exercise of power. The right to property is at the same time a human right in the plan, which makes the limitation a balance rather than obvious.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bygger på hederlighet och personligt ansvarstagande som fundament och kräver effektiva medel mot maktmissbruk och maktkoncentration. Att förbjuda regeringsmedlemmar att handla med enskilda aktier och se över reglerna motverkar just jävssituationer som skadar förtroendet för maktutövningen. Rätten till egendom är samtidigt en mänsklig rättighet i planen, vilket gör begränsningen till en avvägning snarare än en självklarhet.
- protection against abuse of powerdecisive»Det måste finnas effektiva medel mot maktmissbruk och maktkoncentration.« (party programme ↗)“There must be effective means against abuse of power and concentration of power.”
- integrity as foundation»Hederlighet och personligt ansvarstagande är viktiga fundament.« (party programme ↗)“Integrity and personal responsibility are important foundations.”
- integrity as a political value»goda värden som medmänsklighet ansvarstagande, förvaltarskap, hederlighet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“good values such as compassion responsibility, stewardship, integrity”
- the right to property»Rätten till egendom är en mänsklig rättighet« (party programme ↗)“The right to property is a human right”
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 tightening official responsibility so that all exercise of public power is followed by responsibility for decisions, and the party programme requires that the state acts with impartiality and integrity.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto commits to tightening official responsibility so that all exercise of public power is followed by responsibility for decisions, and the party programme requires that the state acts with impartiality and integrity. A review of rules against conflicts of interest regarding cabinet ministers' shareholdings follows from these commitments. Banning individual share trading also affects the right of ownership, which the plan strongly protects, making the assessment uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet åtar sig att skärpa tjänstemannaansvaret så att all offentlig maktutövning följs av ett ansvar för besluten, och partiprogrammet kräver att staten agerar med opartiskhet och integritet. En översyn av regler mot intressekonflikter vid statsråds aktieinnehav följer av dessa åtaganden. Att förbjuda enskild aktiehandel berör samtidigt äganderätten, som planen värnar starkt, vilket gör bedömningen osäker.
- tightened responsibility for exercise of powerdecisive»Skärpa tjänstemannaansvaret så att du som skattebetalare vet att med all offentlig maktutövning följer ett ansvar för de beslut som fattas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tighten official responsibility so that you as a taxpayer know that with all exercise of public power comes responsibility for the decisions made”
- impartiality and integrity»och den agerar med opartiskhet och integritet. Den är lagstyrd, professionell och underkastad konstitutionell, politisk« (party programme ↗)“and it acts with impartiality and integrity. It is governed by law, professional and subject to constitutional, political”
- accountability»Vi ser stora behov av att förstärka domstolarnas oberoende och förtydliga hur ansvar kan utkrävas för offentliga beslut.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We see a great need to strengthen the independence of the courts and clarify how responsibility can be demanded for public decisions.”
- strong property rights»Där äganderätten undergrävs, där undergrävs alltid friheten.« (party programme ↗)“Where the right of ownership is undermined, freedom is always undermined.”
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 increased transparency and accountability and seeks to reinstate personal liability for civil servants, and it wants to strengthen accountability when the handling of public resources falls short.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires increased transparency and accountability and seeks to reinstate personal liability for civil servants, and it wants to strengthen accountability when the handling of public resources falls short. Suspicions of conflicts of interest regarding ministers' share dealings are directly addressed by that principle, which argues for immediate review and clear limits. According to the plan, respect for taxpayers' money should permeate all public activity.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att transparensen och möjligheten att utkräva politiskt ansvar ökar och att tjänstemannaansvaret återinförs, och den vill stärka ansvarsutkrävandet när hanteringen av offentliga resurser brister. Misstankar om jäv kring statsråds aktieaffärer träffas direkt av den principen, vilket talar för en omedelbar översyn och tydliga begränsningar. Respekten för skattebetalarnas pengar ska enligt planen genomsyra all offentlig verksamhet.
- transparency and accountabilitydecisive»Tjänstemannaansvar ska införas och åtgärder ska genomföras för att öka transparensen och möjligheten att utkräva politiskt ansvarsutkrävande.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Personal liability for civil servants shall be introduced and measures shall be implemented to increase transparency and the possibility of holding politicians accountable.”
- accountability for failures»Sverigedemokraterna vill stärka möjligheter för ansvarsutkrävande när hanteringen av de offentliga resurserna brister.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats wish to strengthen opportunities for accountability when the handling of public resources falls short.”
- personal liability for civil servants»Återinför tjänstemannaansvaret« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reinstate personal liability for civil servants”
- respect for tax funds»respekt för skattebetalarnas pengar« (party programme ↗)“respect for taxpayers' money”
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 (2025/26:KU30)
- Committee report full text (HD01KU30)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:1049 — Representativ demokrati och vikten av förankring av Jamal El-Haj (-)
- Motion 2025/26:1271 — Skydd för gemensam egendom av Niklas Karlsson och Joakim Sandell (båda S)
- Motion 2025/26:1384 — Avskaffande av den kungliga dispositionsrätten till statens fastigheter av Karin Sundin (S) och Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2025/26:1385 — Ett modernt statsskick av Karin Sundin m.fl. (S, V, MP, C, L)
- Motion 2025/26:1556 — Ansvar för granskning av kommunsektorn under Riksrevisionen av Yusuf Aydin (KD)
- Motion 2025/26:1647 — Grundlagsskydd för rätten att behålla minst hälften av sin inkomst av Ludvig Ceimertz och Noria Manouchi (båda M)
- Motion 2025/26:1698 — Skydda även svensk kultur i regeringsformen av Staffan Eklöf (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1703 — Folklig granskning inför ratificering av internationella avtal av Staffan Eklöf (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1708 — Former för att säkerställa medborgarnas informerade och fria åsikter vid folkomröstning av Staffan Eklöf (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1710 — En mer demokratisk process vid ingående av avtal för Sveriges räkning av Staffan Eklöf (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1711 — Förstärkt skydd av vår demokrati av Ann-Sofie Alm (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1741 — Minskning av antalet riksdagsledamöter av Jan Ericson (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1743 — Utöka Riksrevisionens uppdrag av Jan Ericson m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1757 — Granskning av partinära affärsverksamheter av Boriana Åberg (M)
- Motion 2025/26:193 — Om krav på enbart svenskt medborgarskap för statsråd och riksdagsledamöter av Rashid Farivar (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1950 — Reglering av hemlig politisk påverkan av Mattias Vepsä m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:2163 — Minskning av antalet ledamöter i Sveriges riksdag av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2025/26:2290 — Införande av ett lobbyregister av Linnéa Wickman (S)
- Motion 2025/26:2576 — Skydd från påtvingad partisponsring för arbetare av Oliver Rosengren och Lars Beckman (båda M)
- Motion 2025/26:2751 — Om transparens och ett lobbyregister av Mathias Tegnér m.fl. (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament