2026-04-222025/26:NU18 · p.5NUBusiness & energy
The municipal veto and wind power
What's at stake: The requirement for municipal approval has in recent years blocked a significant share of wind power permit applications, which critics say makes it harder to expand the fossil-free power generation needed to reach climate targets. At the same time, the issue concerns how much influence municipalities and nearby residents should have over where wind power can be built.
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 municipal veto over wind power installations should be reformed to make it easier to expand wind power, or whether the current arrangement, under which municipalities can block permits, should remain in place pending ongoing reform work.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motion calling for the municipal veto to be reformed and refers to the fact that extensive work is already under way, both nationally and at EU level, to simplify and shorten the permitting process for renewable energy.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 5 (S, V, MP)
The reservation (S, V, MP) argues that the municipal veto has in recent years blocked a significant share of wind power applications, which is concerning at a time when more fossil-free power is needed to reach climate targets. The government should therefore bring forward a new proposal to reform the municipal veto, preferably combined with a model for compensating municipalities and nearby residents.
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 5 by S, 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 | Yes | No 0/16/0/6 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/90/0/16 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | No 0/13/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | Yes 20/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 11/0/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| M | Yes | Yes 54/0/0/12 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | Yes | Yes 60/0/0/10 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2025/26:3912 by Fredrik Olovsson et al. (S) demand 4 and 2025/26:3913 by Linus Lakso et al. (MP) demand 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2025/26:3912 av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S) yrkande 4 och 2025/26:3913 av Linus Lakso m.fl. (MP) yrkande 2.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag approved the government's proposal for a new law and amendments that are intended to, among other things, simplify and shorten the permit processes for renewable energy. The proposal is part of the implementation of an EU directive, the renewable energy directive, which aims to increase the use of renewable energy within the EU. The new law and amendments come into force on 1 July 2026.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to ensure complete implementation of the EU renewable directive with maintained environmental protection. (S, V, MP) — Reservation 5
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 certainly wants to see a radical expansion of renewable electricity, but it ties wind power to benefiting the municipality and residents in the surrounding area and requires that planning has genuine democratic anchorage.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan certainly wants to see a radical expansion of renewable electricity, but it ties wind power to benefiting the municipality and residents in the surrounding area and requires that planning has genuine democratic anchorage. Municipal self-governance is also described as an important part of democracy. Reforming away the municipal veto therefore goes against the plan's way of solving the conflict.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill visserligen se en radikal utbyggnad av förnybar el, men den binder vindkraften till att gynna kommunen och de boende i närområdet och kräver att planeringen har en genuin demokratisk förankring. Det kommunala självstyret beskrivs dessutom som en betydelsefull del av demokratin. Att reformera bort det kommunala vetot går därför emot planens sätt att lösa konflikten.
- wind power shall benefit the local communitydecisive»Vindkraften ska gynna både kommun och boende i närområdet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Wind power shall benefit both municipality and residents in the surrounding area.”
- democratic anchorage in planning»Planeringen behöver en genuin demokratisk förankring och utgå från människors kärlek till platsen man bor på.« (party programme ↗)“Planning needs genuine democratic anchorage and should be based on people's love of the place they live in.”
- municipal self-governance»Det kommunala självstyret är en betydelsefull del av den svenska demokratin.« (party programme ↗)“Municipal self-governance is an important part of Swedish democracy.”
- radical expansion of renewable»En radikal utbyggnad av den förnybara elproduktionen är avgörande för Sveriges klimatomställning, krisberedskap och ekonomiska utveckling.« (party programme ↗)“A radical expansion of renewable electricity production is crucial for Sweden's climate transition, civil protection and economic development.”
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 requires that bureaucratic barriers to more electricity be torn down and that slow permit processes be sped up, while at the same time municipalities that participate in wind power expansion should be able to receive financial support.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto requires that bureaucratic barriers to more electricity be torn down and that slow permit processes be sped up, while at the same time municipalities that participate in wind power expansion should be able to receive financial support. This is precisely the combination the counter-proposal demands: a reform of municipal veto together with compensation to municipalities and local residents. The plan's goal of stable and fossil-free electricity production points in the same direction, even though the plan also values municipal self-governance.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver att de byråkratiska hindren för mer el rivs och att långsamma tillståndsprocesser snabbas på, samtidigt som kommuner som medverkar till vindkraftsutbyggnad ska kunna få ekonomiskt stöd. Det är just den kombination motförslaget efterfrågar: en reform av det kommunala vetot tillsammans med ersättning till kommuner och närboende. Planens mål om stabil och fossilfri elproduktion pekar åt samma håll, även om planen också värnar det kommunala självstyret.
- faster permit processesdecisive»Riv de byråkratiska hindren för mer el. Långsamma tillståndsprocesser ska snabbas på.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tear down the bureaucratic barriers to more electricity. Slow permit processes shall be sped up.”
- compensation to wind power municipalities»Kommuner som medverkar till utbyggnad av vindkraftverk ska kunna få ekonomiskt stöd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Municipalities that participate in the expansion of wind power installations shall be able to receive financial support.”
- expanded fossil-free electricity production»Stabil, tillförlitlig och fossilfri elproduktion som på lång sikt är förnybar.« (party programme ↗)“Stable, reliable and fossil-free electricity production that in the long term is renewable.”
- valued municipal self-governance»Kommunalt och regionalt självstyre med beskattningsrätt.« (party programme ↗)“Municipal and regional self-governance with taxation rights.”
The plan's crucial energy commitment is rapid expansion of wind and solar power, and the election manifesto explicitly wants to combine expansion with substantial economic return to municipalities, precisely the model the counter-proposal sketches.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's crucial energy commitment is rapid expansion of wind and solar power, and the election manifesto explicitly wants to combine expansion with substantial economic return to municipalities, precisely the model the counter-proposal sketches. The party programme's requirement for local anchoring qualifies but does not annul this, since compensation to municipalities and neighbours is included in the proposal.
Original (Swedish)
Planens avgörande energiåtagande är en snabb utbyggnad av vindkraft och solenergi, och valmanifestet vill uttryckligen kombinera utbyggnaden med rejäl ekonomisk återbäring till kommunerna, precis den modell motförslaget skisserar. Partiprogrammets krav på lokal förankring kvalificerar men upphäver inte detta, eftersom ersättning till kommuner och närboende ingår i förslaget.
- rapid expansion of wind powerdecisive»Därutöver vill vi i Miljöpartiet se en snabb utbyggnad av förnybar energi som vindkraft« (party programme ↗)“Furthermore we in the Greens want to see rapid expansion of renewable energy such as wind power”
- return to wind power municipalities»Ge rejäl ekonomisk återbäring till de kommuner där det byggs och finns vindkraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Give substantial economic return to the municipalities where wind power is built and exists.”
- rapid wind power expansion»bygga ut vindkraften till havs snabbt i hela landet, med hänsyn till livet i havet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“expand wind power at sea rapidly throughout the country, taking into account life in the sea.”
- local anchoring as condition»Det ska alltid finnas lokal förankring vid utvinning av naturresurser.« (party programme ↗)“There must always be local anchoring in the extraction of natural resources.”
The election manifesto requires that wind power permits be allowed to take a maximum of two years and that the time for permits for green investments be halved, while the green transition shall have local grounding with compensation to neighbours and landowners.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto requires that wind power permits be allowed to take a maximum of two years and that the time for permits for green investments be halved, while the green transition shall have local grounding with compensation to neighbours and landowners. The counter-proposal combines precisely a reform of the municipal veto with a compensation model, which addresses both commitments. The party's decentralisation principle admittedly pulls in the other direction.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver att tillstånd för vindkraft ska få ta högst två år och att tiden för tillstånd till gröna investeringar halveras, samtidigt som den gröna omställningen ska ha lokal förankring med ersättning till närboende och markägare. Motförslaget kombinerar just en reform av det kommunala vetot med en ersättningsmodell, vilket svarar mot båda åtagandena. Partiets decentraliseringsprincip drar visserligen åt andra hållet.
- faster wind power permitsdecisive»Det krävs en kriskommission för att snabbare öka Sveriges utsläppsfria elproduktion och tillstånd för vindkraft ska få ta max två år.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A crisis commission is required to more quickly increase Sweden's emissions-free electricity production and wind power permits shall be allowed to take a maximum of two years.”
- halved permit times»Det är dags att halvera tiden det tar att få tillstånd för gröna investeringar och reformera miljöbalken så att ett projekts klimatnytta ges större vikt i miljöprövningen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is time to halve the time it takes to obtain permits for green investments and reform the Environmental Code so that a project's climate benefit is given greater weight in environmental assessment.”
- compensation to neighbours»Den som bor eller äger mark nära ett vindkraftverk ska kunna få ersättning. Mer av värdet som skapas från naturresurser — exempelvis vindkraft, vattenkraft och gruvor — ska stanna kvar lokalt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Those who live or own land near a wind turbine shall be able to receive compensation. More of the value created from natural resources — such as wind power, hydroelectric power and mines — shall remain locally.”
- municipal self-determination»Decentralisera mera. Människor ska få bestämma mer själva, och politiska beslut ska fattas nära dem som berörs.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Decentralise more. People shall have more say, and political decisions shall be made close to those affected.”
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 explicitly establishes that the municipal veto against wind power shall remain, which is precisely what the counter-proposal wants to reform.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly establishes that the municipal veto against wind power shall remain, which is precisely what the counter-proposal wants to reform. The party programme furthermore establishes that wind power shall be concentrated to already exploited areas and that special consideration shall be given to nature and landscape values. The plan's answer to the need for more fossil-free power is primarily expanded nuclear power.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår uttryckligen fast att det kommunala vetot mot vindkraft ska bestå, vilket är precis det motförslaget vill reformera. Partiprogrammet lägger dessutom fast att vindkraft ska koncentreras till redan exploaterade områden och att särskild hänsyn ska tas till natur- och landskapsvärden. Planens svar på behovet av mer fossilfri kraft är i första hand utbyggd kärnkraft.
- keep municipal vetodecisive»Det kommunala vetot mot vindkraft ska bestå.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The municipal veto against wind power shall remain.”
- restrictive wind power location»Utbyggnad av vindkraft ska koncentreras till redan exploaterade områden och platser med relativt låga värden för naturvård, kulturmiljö och friluftsliv.« (party programme ↗)“Expansion of wind power shall be concentrated to already exploited areas and places with relatively low values for nature conservation, cultural environment and recreation.”
- consideration for nature and landscape»Vindkraftsparker får inte inkräkta på skyddade naturområden, och särskild hänsyn ska tas till miljöerna i kust- och fjällandskapet.« (party programme ↗)“Wind power parks shall not encroach on protected nature areas, and special consideration shall be given to environments in coastal and mountain landscapes.”
- nuclear power as fossil-free solution»I stället vill vi möjliggöra fler nya reaktorer på fler ställen, möjliggöra återstart av Ringhals 1 och 2, se till att statliga lånegarantier omfattar kärnkraften, modernisera regelverken och ge kärnkraften betalt för att den alltid finns tillgänglig.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Instead we want to enable more new reactors in more places, enable restart of Ringhals 1 and 2, ensure that state loan guarantees cover nuclear power, modernise regulations and ensure nuclear power is paid for always being available.”
The election manifesto explicitly says that wind power should be expanded with respect for local democracy and adapted to local conditions, and that wind power can only be a complement.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly says that wind power should be expanded with respect for local democracy and adapted to local conditions, and that wind power can only be a complement. The party programme requires that construction of new power plants takes place with high acceptance in the affected municipality. To reform away the municipal veto so that more wind power applications go through therefore conflicts with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet säger uttryckligen att vindkraften ska byggas ut med respekt för den lokala demokratin och anpassas efter lokala villkor, och att vindkraft bara kan vara ett komplement. Partiprogrammet kräver att byggnation av nya kraftverk sker med hög acceptans i den berörda kommunen. Att reformera bort det kommunala vetot för att fler vindkraftsansökningar ska gå igenom strider därför mot planen.
- wind power with local democracydecisive»Bygg ut vindkraften men med respekt för den lokala demokratin och anpassa storleken efter lokala villkor. Vindkraft kan dock bara vara ett komplement.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Expand wind power but with respect for local democracy and adapt the size to local conditions. Wind power can only be a complement.”
- municipal acceptance for power plants»ska alltid ske transparent och med hög acceptans i den berörda kommunen« (party programme ↗)“shall always take place transparently and with high acceptance in the affected municipality”
- municipal self-governance»Kommunal demokrati förutsätter kommunal självstyrelse.« (party programme ↗)“Municipal democracy presupposes municipal self-governance.”
- nuclear power as base power»Satsa på kärnkraften med långsiktiga villkor att utvecklas. Förläng befintliga reaktorers drift och bygg ut med nya reaktorer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Invest in nuclear power with long-term conditions for development. Extend the operation of existing reactors and expand with new reactors.”
The plan establishes that decisions shall be made at the lowest possible level and wants to give citizens and municipalities more, not less, influence over what is built in their vicinity.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that decisions shall be made at the lowest possible level and wants to give citizens and municipalities more, not less, influence over what is built in their vicinity. To reform away the municipal veto against wind power goes against that principle. The plan's answer to electricity needs is moreover new nuclear power and schedulable production rather than expanded weather-dependent wind power.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att beslut ska fattas på lägsta möjliga nivå och vill ge medborgare och kommuner mer, inte mindre, inflytande över vad som byggs i deras närhet. Att reformera bort det kommunala vetot mot vindkraft går emot den principen. Planens svar på elbehovet är dessutom ny kärnkraft och planerbar produktion snarare än utbyggd väderberoende vindkraft.
- 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 citizens as possible.”
- nuclear power as main solution»Ny kärnkraft är lösningen för att reparera Sveriges energisystem på lång sikt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“New nuclear power is the solution to repair Sweden's energy system in the long term.”
- schedulable electricity production(2022 manifesto)
- local influence on building»Låta medborgare få större inflytande över arkitekturen för att minska överklaganden« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Let citizens have greater influence over architecture to reduce appeals”
flags: citat_ej_verifierat
The plan explicitly requires that the municipal veto regarding the establishment of wind power be preserved, and the party programme establishes that it is the local politicians who are best suited to decide on wind power establishments.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires that the municipal veto regarding the establishment of wind power be preserved, and the party programme establishes that it is the local politicians who are best suited to decide on wind power establishments. The counter-proposal instead wants to reform the veto so that more wind power applications go through. The plan thus directly speaks against the counter-proposal's requirement and instead prioritizes new nuclear power for planned electricity production.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen att det kommunala vetot vid etablering av vindkraft ska värnas, och partiprogrammet slår fast att det är de lokala politikerna som är bäst lämpade att besluta om vindkraftsetableringar. Motförslaget vill i stället reformera vetot för att fler vindkraftsansökningar ska gå igenom. Planen talar därmed direkt emot motförslagets krav och prioriterar i stället ny kärnkraft för planerbar elproduktion.
- preserved municipal vetodecisive»Värna det kommunala vetot vid etablering av vindkraft« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Preserve the municipal veto regarding the establishment of wind power”
- municipal self-determination»Det är angeläget att värna det kommunala självbestämmandet« (party programme ↗)“It is important to preserve municipal self-determination”
- restrained wind power expansion»Vår havs- och vattenmiljö måste prioriteras tydligare framför ett allt för intensivt fiske och omfattande vindkraftsutbyggnad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Our sea and water environment must be prioritized more clearly ahead of overly intensive fishing and extensive wind power expansion.”
- nuclear power as planned production»Skapa förutsättningar för ny kärnkraft i Sverige och en färdplan för byggandet av SMR-reaktorer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Create conditions for new nuclear power in Sweden and a roadmap for building SMR reactors”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:NU18)
- Committee report full text (HD01NU18)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:3908 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:118 Tillståndsprövning enligt förnybartdirektivet av Rickard Nordin m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2025/26:3912 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:118 Tillståndsprövning enligt förnybartdirektivet av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:3913 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:118 Tillståndsprövning enligt förnybartdirektivet av Linus Lakso m.fl. (MP)
- Proposition 2025/26:118 — Tillståndsprövning enligt förnybartdirektivet
Source: The Swedish Parliament