2024-03-142023/24:KU15 · p.2KUConstitution
New free municipality experiment
A new free-municipality trial for municipalities and regions
What's at stake: The decision affects whether municipalities and regions get the chance to test new working methods, simplified decision-making and exemptions from national rules now, or whether such changes must wait until the ongoing inquiry is complete, which matters for how quickly local government can evolve.
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 Riksdag should call on the government to launch a new free-municipality trial in which municipalities and regions can test exemptions from national rules, or whether the outcome of the ongoing inquiry into municipal pilot schemes should be awaited.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that the question of municipal pilot schemes has recently been examined by the Inquiry on Pilot Activities and that the ongoing processing of its proposals should not be preempted, and therefore rejects the motion for a new free-municipality trial.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 2 (C)
The reservation wants the government to launch a new, more far-reaching free-municipality trial in which municipalities and regions, through legislative amendments, dispensations and exemptions, can test ideas that strengthen the sector's capacity, competitiveness and self-governance, including simplified decision-making for small municipalities, such as directly elected municipal executive boards and a review of the number of alternates.
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 C.
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 275–20Ja 262–33
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 | Yes 20/0/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | Yes | Yes 89/0/0/17 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 16/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | No 0/20/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: high | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | departs from the planagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 56/0/0/12 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects motion 2023/24:2457 by Muharrem Demirok et al. (C) demand 47.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2023/24:2457 av Muharrem Demirok m.fl. (C) yrkande 47.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected approximately 30 proposals in motions on municipal and regional matters from the general motion period 2023. The motions deal, among other things, with asymmetric distribution of responsibility, a new free municipality experiment, and municipal enterprises. The Riksdag refers, among other things, to ongoing work.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to enable differentiated responsibility distribution where municipalities can voluntarily transfer areas of operation to other municipalities or regional level. (C) — 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 establishes that an excessively far-reaching decentralisation of political power undermines the possibilities of pursuing a coherent policy for justice and equality, and that local freedom must not be used to mask cuts or evade political responsibility.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that an excessively far-reaching decentralisation of political power undermines the possibilities of pursuing a coherent policy for justice and equality, and that local freedom must not be used to mask cuts or evade political responsibility. A far-reaching free municipality experiment with exemptions and exceptions goes against it. The plan wants instead to move school ownership back to the state, although municipal self-government is highly valued.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att en alltför långtgående decentralisering av den politiska makten undergräver möjligheterna att föra en sammanhållen politik för rättvisa och jämlikhet, och att lokal frihet inte får användas för att maskera nedskärningar eller undfly politiskt ansvar. Ett långtgående frikommunförsök med dispenser och undantag går emot det. Planen vill i stället flytta huvudmannaskapet för skolan tillbaka till staten, även om den kommunala självstyrelsen värderas högt.
- against far-reaching decentralisationdecisive»men en alltför långtgående decentralisering av den politiska makten undergräver möjligheterna att föra en sammanhållen politik för rättvisa och jämlikhet.« (party programme ↗)“but an excessively far-reaching decentralisation of political power undermines the possibilities of pursuing a coherent policy for justice and equality.”
- local freedom must not hide cuts»Engagemang och lokal aktivitet ska uppmuntras men får inte utnyttjas för att maskera sociala nedskärningar eller undfly politiskt ansvar.« (party programme ↗)“Engagement and local activity should be encouraged but must not be used to mask social cuts or evade political responsibility.”
- re-nationalised school»Därför bör huvudmannaskapet för skolan återgå till staten.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore, school ownership should return to the state.”
- value in municipal self-government»Den kommunala självstyrelsen, lokalt och regionalt, är en viktig del« (party programme ↗)“Municipal self-government, locally and regionally, is an important part”
The counter-proposal wants to give municipalities exemptions and exceptions from legislation.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants to give municipalities exemptions and exceptions from legislation. The party programme on the other hand requires nationally established rules for all tax-financed activities and that all inhabitants throughout the country have equal access to education, healthcare and care. The plan's response to weak municipalities' capacity is a reviewed tax equalization system, not exceptions, although municipalities shall have freedom to choose operational forms.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill ge kommuner dispenser och undantag från lagstiftningen. Partiprogrammet kräver tvärtom nationellt fastställda regelverk för all skattefinansierad verksamhet och att alla invånare i hela landet har likvärdig tillgång till skola, vård och omsorg. Planens svar på svaga kommuners kapacitet är ett översett skatteutjämningssystem, inte undantag, även om kommunerna ska ha frihet att välja driftsformer.
- equal welfare throughout the countrydecisive»Alla invånare i hela landet ska ha likvärdig tillgång till skola, vård och omsorg.« (party programme ↗)“All inhabitants throughout the country shall have equal access to education, healthcare and care.”
- nationally established rules»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 conducted on behalf of the public and financed with tax funds there shall be nationally established rules.”
- tax equalization ahead of exceptions»För att säkra välfärden i hela landet behöver vi se över skatteutjämningssystemet, så att det garanterar offentlig service av hög kvalitet i hela landet, även i små kommuner som kämpar med sitt befolkningsunderlag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To ensure welfare throughout the country, we need to review the tax equalization system so that it guarantees high-quality public service throughout the country, even in small municipalities struggling with their population base.”
- municipal freedom over operational forms»De politiskt beslutande församlingarna i kommuner och landsting ska ha frihet att för de skattefinansierade verksamheterna välja de driftsformer, som de anser stämma bäst med de redovisade politiska målen.« (party programme ↗)“The politically deciding assemblies in municipalities and regions shall have the freedom to choose the operational forms for the tax-financed activities that they consider best match the stated political goals.”
The plan is explicitly decentralist and wishes regions and municipalities to be given increased responsibility and influence over decisions that affect them, with decisions made as close as possible to citizens.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan is explicitly decentralist and wishes regions and municipalities to be given increased responsibility and influence over decisions that affect them, with decisions made as close as possible to citizens. A new free municipality experiment with exemptions and exceptions that strengthen self-governance follows from that, as does the requirement that state regulations shall work also for small municipalities. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal.
Original (Swedish)
Planen är uttalat decentralistisk och vill att regioner och kommuner ges ökat ansvar och inflytande över de beslut som berör dem, med beslut fattade så nära medborgarna som möjligt. Ett nytt frikommunförsök med dispenser och undantag som stärker självstyret följer av det, liksom kravet på att statliga regelverk ska fungera även för små kommuner. Planen talar därför för motförslaget.
- decentralization to municipalitiesdecisive»Miljöpartiet har en decentralistisk grundsyn som bland annat tar sig uttryck i att vi vill att regioner och kommuner ges ett ökat ansvar och inflytande över de politiska beslut som berör regionen och kommunen.« (party programme ↗)“The Greens have a decentralist basic outlook which among other things expresses itself in that we wish regions and municipalities to be given increased responsibility and influence over the political decisions that affect the region and municipality.”
- the proximity principle»Beslut bör tas så nära medborgarna som möjligt.« (party programme ↗)“Decisions should be made as close as possible to citizens.”
- regulations for small municipalities»Statliga regelverk ska fungera lika bra för små kommuner som för stora tillväxtkommuner.« (party programme ↗)“State regulations shall work equally well for small municipalities as for large growth municipalities.”
- strengthened self-governance»Vi vill stärka egenmakten och inflytandet över välfärden.« (party programme ↗)“We wish to strengthen self-governance and influence over welfare.”
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.
Decentralization is a bearing commitment in the plan: power shall be moved closer to people and every part of the country should have power to address its own challenges, while new solutions shall be stimulated and tested.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
Decentralization is a bearing commitment in the plan: power shall be moved closer to people and every part of the country should have power to address its own challenges, while new solutions shall be stimulated and tested. A free municipality experiment with exemptions and exceptions that strengthen self-governance is precisely such a test. The plan moreover wants to clear away unnecessary rules and bureaucracy.
Original (Swedish)
Decentralisering är ett bärande åtagande i planen: makten ska flyttas närmare människor och varje del av landet ska få makt att ta itu med sina egna utmaningar, samtidigt som nya lösningar ska stimuleras och prövas. Ett frikommunförsök med dispenser och undantag som stärker självstyret är precis en sådan prövning. Planen vill dessutom rensa bort överflödiga regler och byråkrati.
- decentralize moredecisive»Decentralisera mera. Människor ska få bestämma mer själva, och politiska beslut ska fattas nära dem som berörs.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Decentralize more. People should be able to decide more for themselves, and political decisions should be made close to those affected.”
- local self-determination»Med decentralisering som verktyg vill Centerpartiet ge varje människa och varje del av landet makt att ta itu« (party programme ↗)“With decentralization as a tool, the Centre Party wants to give every person and every part of the country power to address”
- test new solutions»Samtidigt behöver vi stimulera och pröva nya lösningar.« (party programme ↗)“At the same time, we need to stimulate and test new solutions.”
- away with bureaucracy»Vi ska rensa upp bland överflödiga regler och byråkrati.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall clear up among unnecessary rules and bureaucracy.”
The plan explicitly states that it should become easier for municipalities to test new organizational forms during a trial period to facilitate local reform work.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly states that it should become easier for municipalities to test new organizational forms during a trial period to facilitate local reform work. That is exactly what a new free municipality experiment with exemptions and exceptions entails. That the plan at the same time wants to shift the financing responsibility for schools and LSS to the state concerns governance, not the right to test new working methods locally.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger uttryckligen att det ska bli lättare för kommuner att under en försöksperiod pröva nya organisationsformer, för att underlätta lokalt reformarbete. Det är precis vad ett nytt frikommunförsök med dispenser och undantag innebär. Att planen samtidigt vill flytta finansieringsansvaret för skolan och LSS till staten rör huvudmannaskapet, inte rätten att pröva nya arbetssätt lokalt.
- municipal trial activitiesdecisive»lättare för kommuner att under en försöksperiod pröva nya organisationsformer« (party programme ↗)“easier for municipalities to test new organizational forms during a trial period”
- challenger rights in municipalities»finnas möjlighet att utmana offentligt driven verksamhet« (party programme ↗)“have the possibility to challenge publicly driven activities”
- state financing responsibility»Vi vill skapa mer likvärdiga villkor och skatter genom att flytta finansieringsansvaret för bland annat skolan och LSS till staten.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to create more equal conditions and taxes by shifting the financing responsibility for schools and LSS, among other things, to the 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 requires strong municipal self-determination and that what a smaller community can manage itself should also be handled there, with the burden of proof on whoever wants to take over the task.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires strong municipal self-determination and that what a smaller community can manage itself should also be handled there, with the burden of proof on whoever wants to take over the task. It also establishes that bureaucracy and unnecessary rules must not prevent a municipality from fulfilling its responsibility. A new free municipality experiment with exemptions and exceptions lies in that direction.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver en stark kommunal självstyrelse och att det som en mindre gemenskap själv klarar också ska skötas där, med bevisbördan hos den som vill ta över uppgiften. Den slår också fast att krångel och onödiga regler inte får hindra en kommun att leva upp till sitt ansvar. Ett nytt frikommunförsök med dispenser och undantag ligger i den linjen.
- stark kommunal självstyrelsedecisive»Den kommunala självstyrelsen ska vara stark« (party programme ↗)“Strong municipal self-determination should be”
- subsidiaritetsprincipen»Subsidiaritetsprincipen innebär att det som en liten« (party programme ↗)“The subsidiarity principle means that what a small”
- regelkrångel hindrar kommuner»och onödiga regler får inte stå i vägen för en kommun« (party programme ↗)“and unnecessary rules must not stand in the way of a municipality”
- bevisbörda hos högre nivå»Denna princip innebär att bevisbördan vilar på dem« (party programme ↗)“This principle means that the burden of proof rests on those”
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.
Both the election manifesto and the party programme establish that decisions shall be made at the lowest possible level and that decentralised decision-making makes society more robust and adaptable.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
Both the election manifesto and the party programme establish that decisions shall be made at the lowest possible level and that decentralised decision-making makes society more robust and adaptable. A free municipality experiment where municipalities and regions through exemptions and exceptions get to try their own solutions is one way to realise precisely that, and the party programme calls for a multitude of solutions that can be measured against each other. However, pilot activities are not mentioned explicitly.
Original (Swedish)
Både valmanifestet och partiprogrammet slår fast att beslut ska fattas på lägsta möjliga nivå och att decentraliserat beslutsfattande gör samhället mer robust och anpassligt. Ett frikommunförsök där kommuner och regioner genom dispenser och undantag får pröva egna lösningar är ett sätt att förverkliga just det, och partiprogrammet efterlyser en mångfald av lösningar som kan mätas mot varandra. Försöksverksamhet nämns dock inte uttryckligen.
- decisions at lowest possible leveldecisive»Beslut ska fattas på lägsta möjliga nivå, så nära medborgarna som möjligt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Decisions shall be made at the lowest possible level, as close to the citizens as possible.”
- decentralised decision-making»Decentraliserat beslutsfattande gör samhället mer robust« (party programme ↗)“Decentralised decision-making makes society more robust”
- multitude of solutions»Det behövs en mångfald av olika lösningar som kan mätas« (party programme ↗)“There is a need for a multitude of different solutions that can be measured”
- limited state power»En stor stat leder till ett svagare samhälle.« (party programme ↗)“A large state leads to a weaker society.”
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 views municipal self-determination as a central part of democracy and wants decisions to be brought closer to citizens, while a minimum of bureaucracy should permeate all public activity.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme views municipal self-determination as a central part of democracy and wants decisions to be brought closer to citizens, while a minimum of bureaucracy should permeate all public activity. A free municipality experiment with exemptions and simplified decision processes for small municipalities goes in that direction. The plan does not, however, address pilot activities as a tool, and the balancing requirement for equivalent welfare pulls partly in the opposite direction.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet betraktar det kommunala självbestämmandet som en central del av demokratin och vill att beslut ska föras närmare medborgarna, samtidigt som ett minimum av byråkrati ska genomsyra all offentlig verksamhet. Ett frikommunförsök med dispenser och förenklade beslutsprocesser för små kommuner ligger i den riktningen. Planen behandlar dock inte försöksverksamhet som instrument, och balanskravet om likvärdig välfärd drar delvis åt andra hållet.
- municipal self-governmentdecisive»Vi betraktar det kommunala självbestämmandet som en central del av demokratin,« (party programme ↗)“We regard municipal self-determination as a central part of democracy,”
- decisions close to citizens»För att öka den demokratiska legitimiteten bör beslut så långt det går föras närmre medborgarna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To increase democratic legitimacy, decisions should as far as possible be brought closer to citizens.”
- minimum possible bureaucracy»minimum av byråkrati skall genomsyra all offentlig verksamhet.« (party programme ↗)“minimum of bureaucracy shall permeate all public activity.”
- equivalent welfare as counterweight»medborgare skall ha rätt till en likvärdig välfärd och samhällsservice.« (party programme ↗)“citizens shall have the right to equivalent welfare and public services.”
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 (2023/24:KU15)
- Committee report full text (HB01KU15)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1088 — Öppna omröstningar i kommunfullmäktige - en demokratifråga av Dan Hovskär (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:126 — Regelverk för kommunala konkurser av Eric Palmqvist (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1473 — Förtroendevaldas närvaro och arvodessystemet av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1553 — Politiska vildar av Mattias Ottosson (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1756 — Möjliggörande av fyllnadsval i lagen (1992:339) om proportionellt valsätt av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1765 — Ansvarsfrihet och anmärkning i kommunallagen (2017:725) av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1766 — Talartid i fullmäktige enligt kommunallagen av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1952 — Flytta ut Almedalsveckan i landet av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2457 — Livskraft och framtidstro i Sveriges landsbygder av Muharrem Demirok m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2492 — En näringspolitik för tillväxt av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2523 — En uppdaterad kommunallag i Sverige av Mattias Eriksson Falk m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2524 — Förändringar av kommunallagen för bättre protokollföring av Mattias Eriksson Falk m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2617 — Utgiftsområde 9 Hälsovård, sjukvård och social omsorg av Fredrik Lundh Sammeli m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:469 — Några kommunala frågor av Matheus Enholm m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:471 — Några valfrågor av Matheus Enholm m.fl. (SD)
Source: The Swedish Parliament