2023-05-102022/23:KU23 · p.3KUConstitution
Lowered Voting Age
Lowering the voting age
What's at stake: A lower voting age would let more young people vote earlier and could affect voter turnout and young people's sense of participation, but it also raises questions about maturity and consistency in the law.
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 work toward a pilot scheme lowering the voting age to 16 in local elections, or whether the current voting age of 18 should be retained.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee finds no reason for the Riksdag to take any initiative regarding changes to the voting age, and therefore rejects the motion.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (V, MP)
The reservation wants to lower the voting age to 16 and work toward a pilot scheme in local elections, in order to broaden and strengthen democracy, since many young people do not feel included or feel they have influence over politics, and the average age of first-time voters in Sweden is already the highest in Europe.
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 1 by V, MP.
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 0/21/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 94/0/0/13 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/14/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Yes 21/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| L | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| KD | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| M | Yes | Yes 60/0/0/8 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 63/0/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motion 2022/23:181 by Märta Stenevi et al. (MP) motion 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2022/23:181 av Märta Stenevi m.fl. (MP) yrkande 2.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected approximately 40 motions on electoral issues submitted during the ordinary motion period 2022. The proposals concern among other things separate election days, voting rights and electoral eligibility, lowered voting age, Swedish expatriates, electoral districts, personal votes, voting procedures, voters with impaired vision or other functional impairment, the electoral system, incident reporting, publication of opinion polls, geographical representation, municipal election information officers, increased voter turnout and appeal and return of mandates. Parliament refers among other things to the fact that measures have already been taken in the areas that the motions address.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to initiate a pilot project with voting age 16 for local elections. (V, MP) — Reservation 1
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 party programme demands a deepened democratisation of Swedish society and greater opportunities for popular influence, and states that democracy is more than universal suffrage and formal freedoms.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme demands a deepened democratisation of Swedish society and greater opportunities for popular influence, and states that democracy is more than universal suffrage and formal freedoms. Lowering the voting age to 16 and testing it in local elections broadens the circle of those who exercise the people's political power through free and fair elections. The plan does not address voting age as such, so the position is derived from these democracy commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver en fördjupad demokratisering av det svenska samhället och större möjligheter för folkligt inflytande, och slår fast att demokratin är mer än allmän rösträtt och formella friheter. Att sänka rösträttsåldern till 16 år och pröva det i lokala val vidgar den krets som utövar folkets politiska makt genom fria och rättvisa val. Planen behandlar inte rösträttsåldern som sådan, så ställningstagandet är härlett ur dessa demokratiåtaganden.
- deepened democratisationdecisive»en fördjupad demokratisering av det svenska samhället« (party programme ↗)“a deepened democratisation of Swedish society”
- increased popular influence»större möjligheter för folkligt inflytande över samhällsutvecklingen.« (party programme ↗)“greater opportunities for popular influence on societal development.”
- democracy as the people's power»Demokratin är mer än allmän rösträtt och formella friheter« (party programme ↗)“Democracy is more than universal suffrage and formal freedoms”
- general and fair elections»Folkets politiska makt ska utövas av riksdagen, tillsatt genom allmänna, fria och rättvisa val« (party programme ↗)“The people's political power shall be exercised by the Riksdag, constituted through general, free and fair elections”
The plan says nothing about voting age. The nearest-lying principle is that everyone has equal right to influence society's development, that…
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan says nothing about voting age. The nearest-lying principle is that everyone has equal right to influence society's development, that democratic freedoms shall not be reserved for certain groups and that trust in democracy is determined by citizens' opportunity to participate. Broadening the electorate and testing pilot schemes in local elections is in line with this view of democracy, but the conclusion is weakly supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger ingenting om rösträttsåldern. Närmast liggande princip är att alla har lika rätt att påverka samhällets utveckling, att de demokratiska friheterna inte får vara förbehållna vissa grupper och att tilltron till demokratin avgörs av medborgarnas möjlighet till medverkan. Att bredda valmanskåren och pröva försöksverksamhet vid lokala val ligger i linje med denna demokratisyn, men slutsatsen är svagt underbyggd.
- equal right to influencedecisive»Alla har lika rätt att påverka samhällets utveckling.« (party programme ↗)“Everyone has equal right to influence society's development.”
- democratic freedoms for all»Dessa demokratiska friheter får inte vara förbehållna vissa« (party programme ↗)“These democratic freedoms shall not be reserved for certain”
- citizen participation»Tilltron till demokratin avgörs såväl av medborgarnas möjlighet till medverkan« (party programme ↗)“Trust in democracy is determined both by citizens' opportunity to participate”
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 contains the explicit commitment to lower the voting age to 16 years, with the very rationale of increasing young people's opportunities to engage and influence the society of the future.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme contains the explicit commitment to lower the voting age to 16 years, with the very rationale of increasing young people's opportunities to engage and influence the society of the future. The programme further builds on participatory democracy with active citizens and on children being involved in forming society. The counter-proposal's demand thus coincides with the plan's own position.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet innehåller det uttryckliga åtagandet att sänka rösträttsåldern till 16 år, just med motiveringen att öka ungas möjligheter att engagera sig och påverka framtidens samhälle. Programmet bygger vidare på en deltagande demokrati med aktiva medborgare och på att barn ska vara med och utforma samhället. Motförslagets krav sammanfaller därmed med planens egen ståndpunkt.
- voting age 16 yearsdecisive»vill vi sänka rösträttsåldern till 16 år.« (party programme ↗)“want us to lower the voting age to 16 years.”
- participatory democracy»Vi tror på en demokrati med aktiva och delaktiga medborgare.« (party programme ↗)“We believe in a democracy with active and engaged citizens.”
- young people's influence»Barn ska vara med och utforma samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Children shall be involved in forming society.”
The plan does not address the voting age. The nearest lying commitment is that the democratic institutions shall be protected and that it shall…
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address the voting age. The nearest lying commitment is that the democratic institutions shall be protected and that it shall become harder to change the constitution, which speaks against a quick change of the voting age in the government form. The plan wants to further develop democracy, but does not point out lowered voting age as the means, therefore the conclusion is uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte rösträttsåldern. Närmast liggande åtagande är att de demokratiska institutionerna ska skyddas och att det ska bli svårare att ändra grundlagen, vilket talar mot en snabb ändring av rösträttsåldern i regeringsformen. Planen vill vidareutveckla demokratin, men pekar inte ut sänkt röstålder som medlet, varför slutsatsen är osäker.
- restrictive view of constitutional changesdecisive»Vi vill göra det svårare att ändra grundlagen, skydda oppositionens ställning i riksdagen och stärka domstolarnas oberoende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to make it harder to change the constitution, protect the opposition's position in the Riksdag and strengthen the courts' independence.”
- democracy shall be further developed»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 further developed — today and for coming generations.”
The plan does not address voting age. The democratic reforms it lists to strengthen voter power are lowered percentage thresholds in personal voting…
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address voting age. The democratic reforms it lists to strengthen voter power are lowered percentage thresholds in personal voting and separate polling days, not an expanded right to vote. The nearest-lying principle is that children and young people shall have increasing responsibility as they grow older and that the constitutional protection of the form of government shall change cautiously, which argues against voting rights at 16 years.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte rösträttsåldern. De demokratireformer den räknar upp för att förstärka väljarens makt är sänkta procentspärrar i personvalet och skilda valdagar, inte en utvidgad rösträtt. Närmast liggande princip är att barn och ungdomar ska få ta ett ökande ansvar i takt med åldern och att grundlagsskyddet för statsskicket ska ändras varsamt, vilket talar mot rösträtt vid 16 år.
- voter power through personal votingdecisive»För att förstärka väljarens makt ska procentspärrarna i personvalet sänkas, så att fler av ett partis kandidater« (party programme ↗)“To strengthen voter power, percentage thresholds in personal voting shall be lowered, so that more of a party's candidates”
- responsibility as they grow»Barn och ungdomar har rätt att respekteras som individer och i takt med åldern få ta ett ökande ansvar för sin« (party programme ↗)“Children and young people have the right to be respected as individuals and as they grow older have increasing responsibility for their”
- cautious constitutional changes»Grundlagsskyddet för demokratin och de individuella fri- och rättigheterna ska vara starkt.« (party programme ↗)“Constitutional protection for democracy and individual freedoms and rights shall be strong.”
The plan links the right to vote to the age of majority: the right to vote shall be vested in adult Swedish citizens and in municipal elections those registered residents who have reached Swedish age of majority.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan links the right to vote to the age of majority: the right to vote shall be vested in adult Swedish citizens and in municipal elections those registered residents who have reached Swedish age of majority. A voting age of 16 years, even as a trial in local elections, violates that commitment. Young people's influence shall according to the plan instead be secured by considering and gathering their views through associations and municipal bodies.
Original (Swedish)
Planen knyter rösträtten till myndighetsåldern: rösträtt ska tillkomma myndig svensk medborgare och i kommunala val folkbokförda som uppnått svensk myndighetsålder. En rösträttsålder på 16 år, även som försök i lokala val, bryter mot det åtagandet. Ungas inflytande ska enligt planen i stället säkras genom att deras synpunkter beaktas och inhämtas via föreningar och kommunala organ.
- voting rights at age of majoritydecisive»ska tillkomma myndig svensk medborgare samt i kommunala val alla folkbokförda som uppnått svensk« (party programme ↗)“shall be vested in adult Swedish citizens and in municipal elections all registered residents who have reached Swedish”
- young people's views shall be considered»beakta ungdomars synpunkter när beslut fattas. Detta är särskilt viktigt när det gäller yngre som saknar« (party programme ↗)“consider young people's views when decisions are made. This is particularly important for younger people who lack”
- influence through associations»Kanaler som kan användas för att inhämta ungdomars synpunkter kan vara föreningar« (party programme ↗)“Channels that can be used to gather young people's views can be associations”
The plan says nothing about voting age. The closest underlying principle is the party programme's anti-radical reformism, where changes shall be…
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan says nothing about voting age. The closest underlying principle is the party programme's anti-radical reformism, where changes shall be based on proven experience, together with that citizens elect their representatives in free and secret elections without making the foundations of voting rights into experimental activities. Derived from this, a reduction to 16 years and local attempts are rejected.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger ingenting om rösträttsåldern. Närmast liggande princip är idéprogrammets anti-radikala reformism, där förändringar ska bygga på beprövad erfarenhet, tillsammans med att medborgarna utser sina representanter i fria och hemliga val utan att valrättens grundvalar görs till försöksverksamhet. Härlett ur detta avvisas en sänkning till 16 år och lokala försök.
- stable voting rulesdecisive»Medborgarna ska utse sina politiska representanter« (party programme ↗)“Citizens shall elect their political representatives”
flags: citat_blockerat
The documents say nothing about voting age.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The documents say nothing about voting age. The closest underlying principle is cautious progress with changes in small steps and the classical democratic view with universal and equal suffrage for citizens, which does not support lowering the age to 16 or beginning pilot programmes. The plan also wishes to end political experiments affecting children and young people.
Original (Swedish)
Dokumenten säger ingenting om rösträttsålder. Närmast liggande princip är det varsamma framåtskridandet med förändringar i små steg och den klassiska demokratisynen med allmän och lika rösträtt för medborgare, vilket inte ger stöd för att sänka åldern till 16 år eller inleda försöksverksamhet. Planen vill också avsluta politiska experiment som rör barn och unga.
- cautious progressdecisive»förändringar i små steg och ett bejakande av tidigare generationers samlade erfarenheter och förnuft« (party programme ↗)“changes in small steps and an affirmation of earlier generations' accumulated experience and reason”
- universal and equal suffrage»allmän och lika rösträtt för medborgare« (party programme ↗)“universal and equal suffrage for citizens”
- against experiments with young people»Avsluta de politiska experimenten på Sveriges barn och unga« (2022 manifesto ↗)“End the political experiments on Sweden's children and young people”
- more direct democracy»Vi förordar också starkare inslag av direktdemokrati« (party programme ↗)“We also advocate stronger elements of direct democracy”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:KU23)
- Committee report full text (HA01KU23)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:1041 — Åtgärder för en starkare geografisk representation i riksdagen av Kalle Olsson och Anna-Caren Sätherberg (båda S)
- Motion 2022/23:1073 — Likformig bedömning av personröster av Ann-Sofie Alm (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1357 — Förtydligande av vallagen av Joakim Sandell (S)
- Motion 2022/23:1450 — Opinionsundersökning nära val av Adnan Dibrani (S)
- Motion 2022/23:1619 — Fler valsedelsbås i vallokalerna av Kerstin Lundgren (C)
- Motion 2022/23:181 — Stärk demokratin och de mänskliga rättigheterna av Märta Stenevi m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:1843 — Skaraborgs valkrets av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1881 — Konstitutionella frågor av Malin Björk m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1882 — En starkare liberal demokrati av Malin Björk m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1911 — Stockholm - möjligheternas storstadsregion av Malin Danielsson m.fl. (L)
- Motion 2022/23:2116 — Rösträtt och valbarhet i allmänna val bör kopplas till medborgarskap av Boriana Åberg m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2022/23:2141 — Svenskar i utlandet av Markus Wiechel och Lars Andersson (båda SD)
- Motion 2022/23:2234 — Synskadade och valsystemet av Eric Palmqvist (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:301 — Skilda valdagar för en bättre lokal demokrati av Stefan Olsson (M)
- Motion 2022/23:44 — Utlandssvenskarnas möjligheter att delta i val av Hans Wallmark (M)
- Motion 2022/23:45 — Stärkande av utlandssvenskarnas ställning av Hans Wallmark (M)
- Motion 2022/23:648 — Det svenska valsystemet av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2022/23:707 — Skilda valdagar av Markus Wiechel (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:723 — Avskaffade spärrar för personval av Robert Hannah (L)
- Motion 2022/23:75 — Överväg digitalt valdeltagande av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
Source: The Swedish Parliament