2023-06-142022/23:UbU11 · p.2UbUEducation
Research Freedom and Scientific Quality
Freedom of research and protection against political interference and threats to researchers
What's at stake: The decision concerns how strongly researchers' right to freely choose their subject and methods and to publish their results should be politically affirmed, at a time when factual denialism and threats and hatred toward researchers are highlighted as a growing problem.
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 parliament should specifically affirm that freedom of research must be protected against political interference and against threats and hatred directed at researchers, or whether current regulation in the Instrument of Government and the Higher Education Act, together with ongoing monitoring by the Swedish Higher Education Authority, is sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee underlines that freedom of research is already of fundamental importance and is regulated in the Instrument of Government and the Higher Education Act and monitored by the Swedish Higher Education Authority, and therefore does not see grounds for parliament to take any further initiative, rejecting the motions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 2 (S, V, MP)
The reservation considers that researchers should be free to choose their research subject and method and to freely publish their results, that politicians should never direct research outcomes or methods or pressure individual researchers, and that the government should clearly speak out against authoritarian and illiberal currents and act against threats and hatred directed at researchers.
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 S, V, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have gone the other way
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: CCenterpartiet, LLiberalerna, MModeraterna, SDSverigedemokraterna
Ja 175–130Nej 17–288
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.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/21/0/3 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | No 0/94/0/13 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| MP | No | No 0/15/0/3 | match | confidence: high | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: high | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2022/23:1026 by Patrick Reslow et al. (SD) items 2 and 8, 2022/23:2082 by Louise Meijer et al. (M) items 13, 15 and 16, 2022/23:2126 by Boriana Åberg (M) items 1 and 2, and 2022/23:2132 by Åsa Westlund et al. (S) item 12.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2022/23:1026 av Patrick Reslow m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 2 och 8, 2022/23:2082 av Louise Meijer m.fl. (M) yrkandena 13, 15 och 16, 2022/23:2126 av Boriana Åberg (M) yrkandena 1 och 2 samt 2022/23:2132 av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S) yrkande 12.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag has addressed approximately 80 proposals on research in motions from the general motion period of 2022. The Riksdag rejected all proposals, among other reasons because work is ongoing or measures have already been taken. The proposals concern, for example, the allocation of research funds, research freedom, and scientific quality.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to protect research freedom and ensure that researchers can choose research topics and methods without political pressure. (S, V, MP) — 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 defends free basic research and wants to protect universities' independence and funding.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan defends free basic research and wants to protect universities' independence and funding. It also warns of a time when far-right populist forces try to control information and content ever harder, and holds freedom of expression as a building block of democracy. That researchers' freedom to choose subject and method and to act against pressure and hatred toward researchers follows directly from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen försvarar den fria grundforskningen och vill värna universitetens oberoende och finansiering. Den varnar dessutom för en tid då högerpopulistiska krafter försöker styra information och innehåll allt hårdare, och håller yttrandefriheten som en byggsten i demokratin. Att slå fast forskarnas frihet att välja ämne och metod och att agera mot påtryckningar och hat mot forskare följer direkt av dessa åtaganden.
- universities' independencedecisive»Vänsterpartiet vill värna universitetens oberoende och finansiering« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party wants to protect universities' independence and funding”
- free basic research»den fria grundforskningen« (party programme ↗)“free basic research”
- against political control»Vi lever i en tid då högerpopulistiska krafter försöker styra information och innehåll allt hårdare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We live in a time when far-right populist forces are trying to control information and content ever harder.”
- freedom of expression as building block»föreningsfriheten, yttrande- och tryckfriheten, offentlighetsprincipen« (party programme ↗)“freedom of association, freedom of expression and of the press, the principle of public access to official records”
The party programme places on the state a special responsibility to guarantee freedom of research and secure basic research, which directly supports the counter-proposal's demands for free choice of subject and method without political direction.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme places on the state a special responsibility to guarantee freedom of research and secure basic research, which directly supports the counter-proposal's demands for free choice of subject and method without political direction. The programme also establishes that democracy is undermined when groups intimidate individuals into silence and that society is obliged to protect freedom. The demands for action against threats and hatred against researchers are therefore supported in substance.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet ålägger staten ett särskilt ansvar att garantera forskningens frihet och trygga grundforskningen, vilket direkt bär motförslagets krav på fritt val av ämne och metod utan politisk styrning. Programmet slår också fast att demokratin undergrävs när grupper skrämmer enskilda till tystnad och att samhället är skyldigt att skydda friheten. Kraven på åtgärder mot hot och hat mot forskare stöds därför i sak.
- guaranteed freedom of researchdecisive»ansvar att garantera forskningens frihet och att trygga grundforskningen.« (party programme ↗)“responsibility to guarantee freedom of research and to secure basic research.”
- threats silence democracy»Demokratin undergrävs när rasistiska och andra ickedemokratiska grupper sprider sitt hat« (party programme ↗)“Democracy is undermined when racist and other undemocratic groups spread their hate”
- duty to protect freedom»Det är samhällets absoluta skyldighet att skydda friheten och den personliga integriteten« (party programme ↗)“It is society's absolute duty to protect freedom and personal integrity”
- the importance of research»Forskningen utgör grunden för kunskapsutvecklingen i både samhälle och arbetsliv.« (party programme ↗)“Research forms the foundation for knowledge development in both society and working life.”
The party programme states that research should be free, that academic freedom should be protected and that the independence and autonomy of educational institutions should be developed, which is precisely what the counter-proposal wants to establish regarding subject choice, method and publishing.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that research should be free, that academic freedom should be protected and that the independence and autonomy of educational institutions should be developed, which is precisely what the counter-proposal wants to establish regarding subject choice, method and publishing. The plan also rejects political detailed control of research content. That no one should be subjected to hate crime or hate propaganda supports the requirement for measures against threats and hatred against researchers.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att forskningen ska vara fri, att den akademiska friheten ska värnas och att lärosätenas självständighet och oberoende ska utvecklas, vilket är precis vad motförslaget vill fastslå om ämnesval, metod och publicering. Planen avvisar också politisk detaljstyrning av forskningens innehåll. Att ingen ska utsättas för hatbrott eller hatpropaganda bär kravet på åtgärder mot hot och hat mot forskare.
- protect academic freedomdecisive»Den akademiska friheten ska värnas och« (party programme ↗)“Academic freedom should be protected and”
- free research»Forskningen ska vara fri, men det är rimligt att en« (party programme ↗)“Research should be free, but it is reasonable that a”
- educational institutions' independence»Lärosätenas självständighet och oberoende ska« (party programme ↗)“The autonomy and independence of educational institutions should”
- protection against threats and hatred»utsättas för hatbrott eller hatpropaganda.« (party programme ↗)“be subjected to hate crime or hate propaganda.”
The plan states that academic freedom is a cornerstone and that policy should keep arm's length distance, and that free educational institutions should independently conduct research.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that academic freedom is a cornerstone and that policy should keep arm's length distance, and that free educational institutions should independently conduct research. It also requires that hate and threats against democratic activities cease and that protection for vulnerable professions is strengthened. The counter-proposal's demands for free choice of subject and method, prohibition of political pressure and measures against threats to researchers coincide with this.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att den akademiska friheten är en grundbult och att politiken ska hålla armlängds avstånd, samt att fria lärosäten självständigt ska bedriva forskning. Den kräver också att hat och hot mot demokratibärande verksamheter upphör och att skyddet för utsatta yrkesgrupper stärks. Motförslagets krav på fri ämnes- och metodval, förbud mot politiska påtryckningar och åtgärder mot hot mot forskare sammanfaller med detta.
- academic freedom and arm's length distancedecisive»Den akademiska och konstnärliga friheten liksom den fria kulturen är grundbultar i ett vitalt civilsamhälle. Politiken ska bidra till goda förutsättningar men hålla armlängds avstånd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Academic and artistic freedom as well as free culture are cornerstones in a vital civil society. Policy should contribute to good conditions but keep arm's length distance.”
- free and independent educational institutions»Högre utbildning och fria lärosäten ska självständigt kunna bedriva högkvalitativ forskning och utbildning.« (party programme ↗)“Higher education and free educational institutions should independently conduct high-quality research and education.”
- strengthened protection against hate and threats»Hat, hot, trakasserier och våld riktade mot demokratibärande institutioner måste upphöra. Vi ska stärka skyddet för personer verksamma bland annat i media, religiösa samfund och offentlig förvaltning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Hate, threats, harassment and violence directed at democratic activities must cease. We shall strengthen protection for persons working in, among other things, media, religious communities and public administration.”
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 makes academic freedom a foundational principle for all public research and wants to give it protection in the constitution and value universities' independence from government power.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes academic freedom a foundational principle for all public research and wants to give it protection in the constitution and value universities' independence from government power. The counter-proposal's requirement that researchers freely choose subject and method, publish freely and are protected from political control is therefore the plan's own position. Countering threats and hate that silence follows from the commitment to value free speech.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör den akademiska friheten till en bärande princip för all offentlig forskning och vill ge den skydd i grundlagen samt värna lärosätenas oberoende från regeringsmakten. Motförslagets krav att forskare fritt ska välja ämne och metod, publicera fritt och skyddas från politisk styrning är därmed planens egen ståndpunkt. Att motverka hot och hat som tystar följer av att det fria samtalet ska värnas.
- individual academic freedomdecisive»Individuell akademisk frihet ska vara en bärande princip för all offentlig verksamhet inom forskning och« (party programme ↗)“Individual academic freedom shall be a foundational principle for all public activity in research and”
- constitutionally protected research freedom»Den akademiska friheten ska ges skydd i grundlagen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Academic freedom shall be given protection in the constitution.”
- universities' independence»De akademiska lärosätenas oberoende ska värnas« (party programme ↗)“The academic institutions' independence shall be valued”
- protection against culture of silence»Det fria samtalet ska värnas genom att stärka oberoendet hos journalistiken, kulturen och civilsamhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Free speech shall be valued by strengthening independence of journalism, culture and civil society.”
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 states that freedom of thought is a prerequisite for successful knowledge-seeking and that universities should enjoy a great deal of self-determination in relation to the state.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that freedom of thought is a prerequisite for successful knowledge-seeking and that universities should enjoy a great deal of self-determination in relation to the state. Political control of researchers' subject choices and publishing conflicts with this. The plan's strong protection for freedom of expression also supports measures against threats and hate that silence researchers.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att tankens frihet är en förutsättning för framgångsrikt kunskapssökande och att högskolorna ska åtnjuta stort mått av självbestämmande i förhållande till staten. Politisk styrning av forskares ämnesval och publicering strider mot detta. Planens starka skydd för yttrandefriheten stödjer också åtgärder mot hot och hat som tystar forskare.
- freedom of researchdecisive»Tankens frihet är en förutsättning« (party programme ↗)“Freedom of thought is a prerequisite”
- autonomy of institutions»högskolor ska åtnjuta stort mått av självbestämmande i förhållande till staten.« (party programme ↗)“universities should enjoy a great deal of self-determination in relation to the state.”
- protection for freedom of expression»Ett starkt skydd för yttrande- och meddelarfriheten« (party programme ↗)“A strong protection for freedom of speech and information”
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 contains an explicit commitment to protect free research from political interference and to strengthen academic freedom so that research stands free.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan contains an explicit commitment to protect free research from political interference and to strengthen academic freedom so that research stands free. The counter-proposal's demand for free subject and method choice, free publication and freedom from political control is the same thing. The plan's zero tolerance for threats and violence in a free society also supports the demand for measures against threats and hate directed at researchers.
Original (Swedish)
Planen innehåller ett uttryckligt åtagande att värna den fria forskningen från politiska pekpinnar och att den akademiska friheten ska stärkas så att forskningen står fri. Motförslagets krav på fri ämnes- och metodval, fri publicering och frihet från politisk styrning är samma sak. Planens nolltolerans mot hot och våld i det fria samhället stöder även kravet på åtgärder mot hot och hat riktade mot forskare.
- free research without political directiondecisive»Värna den fria forskningen från politiska pekpinnar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect free research from political interference”
- academic freedom»Vi måste bättre värna den akademiska friheten i Sverige och se till att forskningen står fri från politiska pekpinnar och möjliggöra banbrytande forskningsresultat.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We must better protect academic freedom in Sweden and ensure that research is free from political interference and enable groundbreaking research results.”
- independent institutions»Högre utbildning ska präglas av kvalitet samt höga krav och förväntningar på studenter och forskare.« (party programme ↗)“Higher education should be characterized by quality and high demands and expectations on students and researchers.”
- zero tolerance for threats»fritt samhälle har nolltolerans mot alla typer av hot och våld,« (party programme ↗)“free society has zero tolerance for all types of threats and violence,”
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 election manifesto establishes that political control of higher education should decrease and academia's independence should increase, and points to serious criticism of political control and ideological values characterizing research.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that political control of higher education should decrease and academia's independence should increase, and points to serious criticism of political control and ideological values characterizing research. The plan also wants to protect every citizen's right to express themselves freely without threats or reprisals. The counter-proposal's requirement for freedom of subject and method choice, prohibition of political pressure and measures against threats to researchers directly address these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att den politiska styrningen av högre utbildning ska minska och akademins självständighet öka, och pekar på allvarlig kritik mot att politisk styrning och ideologiska värdegrunder präglar forskningen. Planen vill också värna varje medborgares rätt att uttrycka sig fritt utan hot eller repressalier. Motförslagets krav på fri ämnes- och metodval, förbud mot politiska påtryckningar och åtgärder mot hot mot forskare svarar direkt mot dessa åtaganden.
- reduced political controldecisive»Den politiska styrningen av högre utbildning ska minska och akademins självständighet öka.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Political control of higher education should decrease and academia's independence should increase.”
- criticism of politicized research»Allvarlig kritik har riktats mot att politisk styrning och ideologiskt präglade värdegrunder i hög grad präglar forskning och akademi.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Serious criticism has been directed at political control and ideologically-marked values to a high degree characterizing research and academia.”
- academia's independence»Slå vakt om den högre akademins självständighet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Guard the independence of higher academia”
- freedom of expression without threats»Varje journalists, konstutövares och medborgares rätt att uttrycka sig fritt utan att utsättas för hot eller repressalier ska värnas och stärkas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Every journalist's, artist's and citizen's right to express themselves freely without being subjected to threats or reprisals should be protected and strengthened.”
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.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:UbU11)
- Committee report full text (HA01UbU11)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:1015 — En konkurrenskraftig svensk sjöfart av Jimmy Ståhl m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1026 — Forskning i världsklass - en satsning för framtiden av Patrick Reslow m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1088 — Utfasning av djurförsök av Jan Ericson (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1120 — Nordiskt samarbete av Catarina Deremar m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1121 — Fler företag, fler jobb och stärkt konkurrenskraft i hela landet av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1200 — Utvecklingskraft över hela landet - universitetens särskilt avsatta medel för innovationskontor av Malin Larsson och Peder Björk (båda S)
- Motion 2022/23:1248 — Djurskydd av Kajsa Fredholm m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2022/23:1320 — Plan för att fasa ut djurförsöken inom forskning och utbildning av Jytte Guteland och Sofia Skönnbrink (båda S)
- Motion 2022/23:1363 — Effektmål för innovationer av Cecilia Engström (KD)
- Motion 2022/23:1378 — Stärkt kunskap om kvinnors hälsa och kvinnorelaterade sjukdomar av Linnéa Wickman m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:1491 — Sjöfartsforskning av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1598 — Stärkt forskning om arbetsmiljö och arbetsliv av Zara Leghissa m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:1606 — Screening längre upp i åldrarna av Catarina Deremar (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1673 — Jämställdhet för hållbar utveckling av Annie Lööf m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1740 — Insyn, algoritmer och AI av Laila Naraghi (S)
- Motion 2022/23:1767 — Rymdstrategi av Aron Emilsson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1785 — Utfasning av djurförsök av Ulrika Heindorff (M)
- Motion 2022/23:2082 — Högre utbildning och forskning av Louise Meijer m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2022/23:2126 — Etikprövningslagen och forskningsfriheten av Boriana Åberg (M)
- Motion 2022/23:2132 — Högre utbildning och forskning för utveckling i hela landet av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament