The need for transitional provisions

The election manifesto explicitly rejects the idea that immigrants perform better if they fare worse, that is precisely the incentive logic the committee relies on. The plan also insists that the legal system be built on rule of law and that it is security and permanent conditions, not uncertainty, that enable people to put down roots. Transitional rules that allow ongoing cases to be examined according to the rules at the time of application align with this.

• rejects the stick as incentivedecisive»Högerns idé är att invandrade, sjuka och arbetslösa är lata och om vi får det sämre så tvingas vi prestera bättre.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Right's idea is that immigrants, the sick and the unemployed are lazy and if we fare worse we will be forced to perform better.”
• rule of law and predictability»Utvecklingen av ett rättsväsende byggt på rättssäkerhet är viktig« (party programme ↗)“The development of a legal system built on rule of law is important”
• security enables integration»Det är inte genom tidsbegränsade uppehållstillstånd som integrationen förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is not through time-limited residence permits that integration is improved.”

The party programme stands guard over the principles of the rule of law, equality before the law and inclusive citizenship that creates belonging. The counter-proposal requires transitional rules so that cases already initiated are decided according to the rules that applied at application, which safeguards predictability without changing the tightened requirements going forward. The plan supports language and financial support requirements in substance, but that does not argue against transitional rules.

• principles of the rule of lawdecisive»Slå vakt om rättsstatens principer.« (party programme ↗)“Stand guard over the principles of the rule of law.”
• inclusive citizenship»Inkluderande och starkt medborgarskap som skapar känsla av tillhörighet.« (party programme ↗)“Inclusive and strong citizenship that creates a sense of belonging.”
• equality before the law»En rättsordning som bygger på allas likhet inför lagen.« (party programme ↗)“A legal order built on equality before the law.”
• language requirements in substance»Det bör även ställas språkkrav för att få permanent uppehållstillstånd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Language requirements should also be set to obtain permanent residence.”

The plan states that people should not be forced to live in constant uncertainty about whether they can establish themselves in Sweden and that rights-security must be guaranteed across the entire legal system. The counter-proposal's demands for transitional rules, so that already initiated cases are assessed under the rules that applied at application, protect precisely that predictability. The plan moreover wants to shorten processing times, which speaks against an arrangement that extends them.

• security in establishing oneselfdecisive»människor tvingas leva i ständig osäkerhet kring om de kan leva och rota sig i Sverige.« (party programme ↗)“people are forced to live in constant uncertainty about whether they can live and establish themselves in Sweden.”
• rights-security and predictability»Alla ska vara lika inför lagen och rättssäkerheten måste garanteras i« (party programme ↗)“Everyone shall be equal before the law and rights-security must be guaranteed in”
• short processing times»korta handläggningstiderna för arbetstillstånd och asylbeslut så att det går fortare att komma in i samhället« (2022 manifesto ↗)“shorten processing times for work permits and asylum decisions so it goes faster to come into society”
• establishment through support»förlänga etableringsprogrammet för nyanlända till minst fyra år för att skapa bättre förutsättningar för etablering, så att fler kommer i arbete snabbare« (2022 manifesto ↗)“extend the establishment programme for newly arrived to at least four years to create better conditions for establishment, so that more come into work faster”

The plan requires that the rule of law and the individual's rights against the state be defended and that the state's institutions secure the legal order and the rules of the game in society. Transitional rules that allow already initiated cases to be decided according to the rules that applied when the application was made are an expression of that predictability, as are the requirements for shorter processing times. The plan does not, however, take a position on citizenship requirements themselves.

• rule of law defendeddecisive»Rättsstaten och individens rättigheter gentemot staten måste försvaras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The rule of law and the individual's rights against the state must be defended.”
• predictable rules»Dess institutioner ska säkra rättsordningen och spelreglerna i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Its institutions must secure the legal order and the rules of the game in society.”
• shorter processing times»Ledtiderna för handläggning och myndighetsutövning i domstolar och myndigheter måste kortas och tillgången till ombud förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Processing times and government implementation in courts and authorities must be shortened and access to legal counsel improved.”
• enforceable rights»Vi vill se en rättighetslagstiftning, ett tydligt samhällskontrakt med utkrävbara rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“We want to see rights-based legislation, a clear social contract with enforceable rights.”

The plan sets high demands for citizenship, but it also establishes that legal security shall be strengthened and that increased predictability in the state's actions strengthens the individual's security. Transitional rules allowing already initiated cases to be assessed according to the rules that applied at the time of application follow from that principle without the demands as such being shaken. Since the plan does not address implementation rules, the conclusion is derived.

• strengthened legal securitydecisive»Rättssäkerheten och skyddet för de medborgerliga fri- och rättigheterna behöver förstärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Legal security and protection of civil rights and freedoms need to be strengthened.”
• predictability in state actions»När förutsägbarheten i statens agerande ökar stärks också den enskildes« (party programme ↗)“When predictability in the state's actions increases, the individual's”
• high demands for citizenship»Vi ska helt enkelt ställa höga krav på den som vill bli svensk medborgare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We simply want to set high demands on those who want to become Swedish citizens.”
• faster path with language skills»som lär sig grundläggande kunskaper i svenska ska kunna ansöka om medborgarskap tidigare.« (party programme ↗)“those who learn basic Swedish knowledge shall be able to apply for citizenship sooner.”

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 establishes that citizenship should be earned through longer residence and willingness to participate in society with the rights and responsibilities that follow, and the election manifesto requires strict immigration policy. Transition rules that allow already initiated cases to be decided under the old, more lenient requirements delay the order the plan wishes to see. However, the plan says nothing explicit about transition provisions, so the conclusion is uncertain.

• requirements for citizenshipdecisive»förtjänar bör det ställas krav på vilja att ingå i samhällsgemenskapen med de rättigheter och« (party programme ↗)“earn should there be requirements for willingness to participate in society with the rights and”
• residence and common values»Den som stadigvarande har vistats i Sverige en längre tid och delar våra gemensamma« (party programme ↗)“Whoever has permanently resided in Sweden for a longer time and shares our common”
• strict immigration policy»Stram migrationspolitik krävs för att ta itu med integrationsproblem och utanförskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strict immigration policy is required to address integration problems and exclusion.”
• work and language as keys to integration»Jobb, kunskap i svenska språket och det civila samhället är viktiga nycklar till integration.« (party programme ↗)“Jobs, knowledge of the Swedish language and civil society are important keys to integration.”

The plan requires language requirements and approved civic orientation for citizenship and describes citizenship as the final step in an integration journey with a high threshold. Transition rules that allow already-initiated cases to be decided under the older, milder rules postpone exactly the tightening the plan wants to see. The plan's requirement for predictability in public exercise of power speaks to the other direction, certainly, but weighs lighter than the explicit commitment to tightened requirements.

• language requirements for citizenshipdecisive»Kräva grundläggande kunskaper i svenska för permanent uppehållstillstånd och medborgarskap« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Require basic knowledge of Swedish for permanent residence permit and citizenship”
• knowledge test for citizenship»Införa obligatorisk samhällsorientering med prov, där godkänt ska vara ett krav för medborgarskap« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce mandatory civic orientation with a test, where passing is to be a requirement for citizenship”
• high threshold for citizenship»vara hög, men möjlig att ta sig över för alla som anstränger sig« (party programme ↗)“be high, but possible to overcome for everyone who makes an effort”
• predictability as a countervailing consideration»principer om likabehandling och förutsebarhet.« (party programme ↗)“principles of equal treatment and predictability.”

The plan demands that conditions for citizenship be tightened and tied to strict requirements on language, work and law-abidingness. Transitional provisions allowing already submitted applications to be assessed under the older, milder rules delay precisely the tightening the plan wants to see take effect. At the same time, the plan wants to strengthen the Legal Council's position, which pulls in the opposite direction and makes the assessment uncertain.

• tightened citizenship conditionsdecisive»Skärpa villkoren för medborgarskap och höja tröskeln för att ta del av skattefinansierad välfärd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tighten the conditions for citizenship and raise the threshold for access to taxpayer-financed welfare”
• citizenship with strict conditions»Kraven på invandrare att integreras i den svenska kulturen och samhället ska skärpas och medborgarskapet ska knytas till strikta villkor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Requirements for immigrants to integrate into Swedish culture and society shall be tightened and citizenship shall be tied to strict conditions.”
• requirements-based integration»Utforma en kravbaserad integrationspolitik som ger rättigheter till välfärden i takt med språkinlärning, arbete och slutligen medborgarskap« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Design a requirements-based integration policy that grants welfare rights in step with language learning, work and finally citizenship”
• Legal Council's criticism weighs heavily»Lagrådets ställning bör stärkas genom att utreda möjligheten att fordra kvalificerad majoritet i riksdagen vid antaganden av lagförslag om vilka Lagrådet riktat kritik.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Legal Council's position should be strengthened by investigating the possibility of requiring a qualified majority in the Riksdag when adopting legislative proposals against which the Legal Council has directed criticism.”