2024-05-222023/24:SfU14 · p.8SfUMigration & social insurance
Children and young people in the asylum process
Children and young people in the asylum process
What's at stake: The decision affects how asylum-seeking children and young people – particularly unaccompanied minors – are treated during the process: whether their age is assessed more flexibly, whether the child's right to be heard is strengthened, and how quickly their asylum interview takes place. Slow processing and a strict 18-year cut-off can in practice weaken legal certainty for this vulnerable group.
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 rules for children and young people in the asylum process should be tightened in favour of asylum seekers – with a clearer child-rights assessment, greater consideration for the 18–21 age group, and a shorter time to the asylum interview – or whether the current arrangement should remain while ongoing reviews of the asylum process and asylum rules are under way.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions. The specific reasoning for this exact point is not fully captured in the available material, but the committee's general line is that the government has already commissioned reviews of the asylum process's quality and legal certainty – including the Swedish Agency for Public Management's task of examining the Migration Agency's handling of cases involving converts and LGBTQI people, and a dedicated inquiry into the rules for granting asylum – and that this ongoing work should not be pre-empted by new legislative steps now.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 22 (V)
The reservation (V) wants to strengthen the child-rights perspective in the asylum process on several points: a review of the Aliens Act's 18-year limit so the 18–21 age group receives greater consideration without weakening protection for those under 18, assessing an applicant's age at the time of application, clarifying child-specific grounds for persecution, removing the so-called unsuitability requirement that currently blocks a child's right to be heard, child-adapted investigative units with specially trained caseworkers and interpreters at the Migration Agency, and a maximum two-month limit from registration to the asylum interview for children. The reasoning is that children are especially vulnerable and that memories fade over time.
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 22 by V.
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: KDKristdemokraterna, LLiberalerna
Ja 264–19Ja 236–47
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 0/19/0/5 | match | confidence: high | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 93/0/0/13 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/16/2 | differs | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 19/0/0/5 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 11/0/0/5 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 17/0/0/2 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| M | Yes | Yes 60/0/0/8 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 62/0/0/10 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2023/24:986 by Tony Haddou et al. (V) demands 5-7, 9, 10 and 12, 2023/24:2431 by Magnus Jacobsson (KD) and 2023/24:2452 by Annika Hirvonen et al. (MP) demands 1-5, 7 and 8.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:986 av Tony Haddou m.fl. (V) yrkandena 5-7, 9, 10 och 12, 2023/24:2431 av Magnus Jacobsson (KD) och 2023/24:2452 av Annika Hirvonen m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 1-5, 7 och 8.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected approximately 130 proposals in motions on migration issues from the general motion period 2023. The proposals deal with, for example, permanent residence permits, information requirements, the EU's migration and asylum policy, reception of asylum seekers, the asylum process, family immigration and Swedish citizenship. Parliament refers, among other things, to the fact that work is already underway in areas that the motions address.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to return to the Aliens Act before the temporary law change and establish regularization for long-term residents without permits. (V) — Reservation 22
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 requires that those who seek asylum are guaranteed an individual and secure review under dignified circumstances, and wants to strengthen children's rights.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that those who seek asylum are guaranteed an individual and secure review under dignified circumstances, and wants to strengthen children's rights. The counter-proposal's requirements for child-adapted investigation units, shorter processing times for children and removal of the unsuitability requirement that prevents the child's right to be heard follow from these commitments. The election manifesto also describes today's refugee policy as a form of psychological violence against an already vulnerable group.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att den som söker asyl garanteras en individuell och rättssäker prövning under värdiga omständigheter, och vill stärka barnets rättigheter. Motförslagets krav på barnanpassade utredningsenheter, kortare handläggningstider för barn och borttaget olämplighetsrekvisit som hindrar barnets rätt att komma till tals följer av dessa åtaganden. Valplattformen beskriver dessutom dagens flyktingpolitik som ett psykologiskt våld mot en redan utsatt grupp.
- secure asylum reviewdecisive»sin rätt till en individuell och rättssäker prövning under värdiga« (party programme ↗)“their right to an individual and secure review under dignified”
- stronger children's rights»Utvecklingen mot starkare rättigheter för barn är en av de progressiva« (party programme ↗)“The development towards stronger rights for children is one of the progressive”
- against inhumane refugee policy»Vänsterpartiet anser att den inhumana flyktingpolitik som råder, med tillfälliga och villkorade uppehållstillstånd, är en form av psykologiskt våld mot en redan utsatt grupp.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party considers the inhumane refugee policy that prevails, with temporary and conditional residence permits, to be a form of psychological violence against an already vulnerable group.”
- young people's voice should count»Vi har ett starkt förtroende för unga människors förmåga att fatta« (party programme ↗)“We have strong confidence in young people's ability to make”
The party programme states that Sweden shall offer a safe haven for refugees and that the convention on the rights of the child shall govern all decisions concerning children.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that Sweden shall offer a safe haven for refugees and that the convention on the rights of the child shall govern all decisions concerning children. The counter-proposal's demands for child-adapted investigations, faster processing and the child's right to be heard concern the legal certainty of the asylum process, not the extent of migration, and therefore do not conflict with the election manifesto's restrictive line. The plan does not, however, address age limits in the Aliens Act, so the assessment is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att Sverige ska erbjuda en trygg fristad åt flyende och att barnkonventionen ska styra alla beslut som rör barn. Motförslagets krav på barnanpassade utredningar, snabbare handläggning och barnets rätt att komma till tals rör asylprocessens rättssäkerhet, inte migrationens omfattning, och strider därför inte mot valmanifestets åtstramningslinje. Planen behandlar dock inte utlänningslagens åldersgränser, så bedömningen är härledd.
- the convention on the rights of the child governs decisionsdecisive»Alla barn ska ha rätt till en trygg uppväxt i enlighet med FN:s barnkonvention.« (party programme ↗)“All children shall have the right to a safe upbringing in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
- safe haven for refugees»Sverige ska erbjuda en trygg fristad åt människor som tvingas fly från förföljelse och våld.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall offer a safe haven for people forced to flee from persecution and violence.”
- generous but regulated immigration»Vi vill ha en generös och reglerad invandring.« (party programme ↗)“We want generous and regulated immigration.”
- restrictive immigration policy is firm»Vi har stramat åt migrationspolitiken, och denna linje ligger fast.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We have tightened immigration policy, and this line is firm.”
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 establishes that the child perspective shall permeate migration laws and commits to strengthening legal security in the asylum process and shortening processing times for asylum decisions.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that the child perspective shall permeate migration laws and commits to strengthening legal security in the asylum process and shortening processing times for asylum decisions. The counter-proposal's requirements for child-adapted investigation units, the child's right to be heard and maximum two months for asylum investigation for children are precisely these commitments implemented in the asylum process.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att barnperspektivet ska genomsyra migrationslagarna och åtar sig att stärka rättssäkerheten i asylprocessen samt korta handläggningstiderna för asylbeslut. Motförslagets krav på barnanpassade utredningsenheter, barnets rätt att komma till tals och högst två månader till asylutredning för barn är just dessa åtaganden omsatta i asylprocessen.
- child perspective in migration lawsdecisive»Barnperspektivet ska genomsyra migrationslagarna« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The child perspective shall permeate the migration laws”
- legally secure asylum process»stärka rättssäkerheten i asylprocessen och stödet för hbtqi-flyktingar och andra sårbara grupper.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen legal security in the asylum process and support for LGBTQI refugees and other vulnerable groups”
- shorter 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 that it goes faster to enter society”
- the Convention on the Rights of the Child as law»barnkonvention ska bli svensk lag« (party programme ↗)“Convention shall become Swedish law”
flags: citat_migrerat
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 that lead times for handling and government administration are shortened and that access to counsel is improved, which bears the counter-proposal's demand for faster and child-friendly asylum investigations.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that lead times for handling and government administration are shortened and that access to counsel is improved, which bears the counter-proposal's demand for faster and child-friendly asylum investigations. The party programme gives children's rights and perspectives the greatest importance when society's actors act, and migration policy shall be generous and humane. A strengthened child rights perspective in the asylum process therefore follows from the plan's commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att ledtiderna för handläggning och myndighetsutövning kortas och att tillgången till ombud förbättras, vilket bär motförslagets krav på snabbare och barnanpassade asylutredningar. Partiprogrammet ger barnens rättigheter och perspektiv största betydelse när samhällets aktörer agerar, och migrationspolitiken ska vara generös och human. Ett stärkt barnrättsperspektiv i asylprocessen följer därmed av planens åtaganden.
- shorter handling timesdecisive»Alla som bor i Sverige ska kunna få sin sak prövad. Ledtiderna för handläggning och myndighetsutövning i domstolar och myndigheter måste kortas och tillgången till ombud förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Everyone living in Sweden shall be able to have their matter reviewed. Lead times for processing and government administration in courts and agencies must be shortened and access to counsel improved.”
- child's perspective first»Samhällets aktörer ska inta individens perspektiv. Av största betydelse är då barnens rättigheter och perspektiv.« (party programme ↗)“Society's actors shall take the individual's perspective. The rights and perspectives of children are of the greatest importance.”
- humane refugee policy»Centerpartiet strävar efter öppna gränser, fri rörlighet samt en generös och human flykting- och invandringspolitik.« (party programme ↗)“The Center Party pursues open borders, free movement and a generous and humane refugee and immigration policy.”
- every child's right»Särskilt viktigt är att värna varje barns rätt att bli respekterad och att bli sedd för den man är.« (party programme ↗)“Particularly important is to protect every child's right to be respected and to be seen for who they are.”
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 requires that the asylum process is changed to live up to international law commitments and that special consideration is given to children's own asylum grounds, with unaccompanied children specially protected.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that the asylum process is changed to live up to international law commitments and that special consideration is given to children's own asylum grounds, with unaccompanied children specially protected. The counter-proposal's requirements for child-adapted investigation units, children's right to be heard and shorter processing time for children are precisely the strengthening of child rights perspective the plan calls for. The substantive requirement is therefore supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att asylprocessen förändras för att leva upp till folkrättsliga åtaganden och att särskild hänsyn tas till barns egna asylskäl, med ensamkommande barn särskilt värnade. Motförslagets krav på barnanpassade utredningsenheter, barnets rätt att komma till tals och kortare handläggningstid för barn är precis den förstärkning av barnrättsperspektivet planen efterfrågar. Sakkravet stöds därför.
- children's own asylum groundsdecisive»hänsyn ska tas till barns egna asylskäl, och ensamkommande barn ska särskilt värnas.« (party programme ↗)“consideration shall be given to children's own asylum grounds, and unaccompanied children shall be specially protected.”
- secure asylum process»Asylprocessen i Sverige behöver förändras för att leva upp till folkrättsliga åtaganden.« (party programme ↗)“The asylum process in Sweden needs to change to live up to international law commitments.”
- child's position in asylum law»Familjeåterförening är en viktig del av asylrätten. Barn ska kunna återförenas med sina föräldrar.« (party programme ↗)“Family reunification is an important part of asylum law. Children shall be able to be reunited with their parents.”
- asylum as human right»Asylrätten är en grundläggande mänsklig rättighet.« (party programme ↗)“The right to asylum is a fundamental human right.”
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 party programme establishes that the child perspective should always be present in migration matters and that the entire asylum process should be designed so that legal certainty is guaranteed to the individual, with sufficient resources for short processing times.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that the child perspective should always be present in migration matters and that the entire asylum process should be designed so that legal certainty is guaranteed to the individual, with sufficient resources for short processing times. The counter-proposal's requirements for child-adapted investigation units, the child's right to speak and shorter time to investigation are a direct implementation of these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Principprogrammet slår fast att barnperspektivet alltid ska finnas med i migrationsärenden och att hela asylprocessen ska utformas så att rättssäkerhet garanteras den enskilde, med tillräckliga resurser för korta handläggningstider. Motförslagets krav på barnanpassade utredningsenheter, barnets rätt att komma till tals och kortare tid till utredning är en direkt tillämpning av dessa åtaganden.
- child perspective in migration mattersdecisive»Barnperspektivet ska alltid finnas med i migrations« (party programme ↗)“The child perspective should always be present in migration”
- legal certainty in asylum process»För den som söker asyl i Sverige måste hela processen vara utformad så att rättssäkerhet garanteras den« (party programme ↗)“For those seeking asylum in Sweden, the entire process must be designed so that legal certainty is guaranteed to the”
- short processing times»åstadkomma korta handläggningstider, rättssäkerhet« (party programme ↗)“achieve short processing times, legal certainty”
- the child's best interest first»barnets bästa ska komma i främsta rummet.« (party programme ↗)“the child's best interest shall come first.”
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 wants to place asylum law at the EU's minimum level and dramatically reduce the number of asylum seekers.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to place asylum law at the EU's minimum level and dramatically reduce the number of asylum seekers. The counter-proposal conversely calls for expanded considerations and new rights in the asylum process, including for the age group 18-21, which goes beyond minimum level. The plan's focus in the asylum process is that decisions are implemented and that the person who received a refusal leaves the country quickly.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill lägga asyllagstiftningen på EU-rättens miniminivå och kraftigt minska antalet asylsökande. Motförslaget kräver tvärtom utvidgade hänsyn och nya rättigheter i asylprocessen, bland annat för åldersgruppen 18–21 år, vilket går utöver miniminivån. Planens fokus i asylprocessen är att beslut verkställs och att den som fått nej lämnar landet snabbt.
- asylum rights at EU's minimum leveldecisive»Anpassa asyllagstiftningen efter den rättsliga miniminivån enligt EU-rätten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Adapt asylum law after the legal minimum level according to EU law”
- volume target for asylum reception»Införa ett volymmål för asylmottagandet på nordiska nivåer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce a volume target for asylum reception at Nordic levels”
- swift return»Av största vikt är att den som fått ett nej på asylansökan så fort som möjligt lämnar landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Of the utmost importance is that the person who received a no on their asylum application leaves the country as soon as possible.”
The plan requires the strictest possible immigration legislation within EU law's scope and that Swedish legislation be kept more restrictive than comparable countries', because generosity in itself acts as an attraction.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires the strictest possible immigration legislation within EU law's scope and that Swedish legislation be kept more restrictive than comparable countries', because generosity in itself acts as an attraction. The counter-proposal instead wishes to broaden the consideration in the asylum process to the age group 18-21 years, remove a test requirement and build out special investigation resources. It pulls in the opposite direction from the plan's commitment to reduce asylum immigration.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver den striktast möjliga utlänningslagstiftningen inom EU-rättens ram och att svensk lagstiftning hålls mer restriktiv än jämförbara länders, eftersom generositet i sig verkar som dragningskraft. Motförslaget vill i stället vidga hänsynen i asylprocessen till åldersgruppen 18–21 år, ta bort ett prövningsrekvisit och bygga ut särskilda utredningsresurser. Det drar åt motsatt håll mot planens åtagande att minska asylinvandringen.
- strictest possible immigration lawdecisive»Skärpa reglerna i utlänningslagen till striktas möjliga nivå enligt EU-rätten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sharpen rules in the Immigration Act to the strictest possible level according to EU law.”
- strict asylum rules»Utifrån dessa principer vill Sverigedemokraterna utforma den striktast möjliga utlänningslagstiftningen som är möjlig inom ramen för de europeiska asylreglerna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Based on these principles, Sweden Democrats wish to form the strictest possible immigration legislation that is possible within the framework of European asylum rules.”
- more restrictive than the outside world»Svensk lagstiftning måste därför hållas mer restriktiv än jämförbara länder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish legislation must therefore be kept more restrictive than comparable countries.”
- stopped asylum immigration»Stoppa asylinvandringen från länder som inte utgör vårt närområde« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop asylum immigration from countries that are not part of our neighbourhood.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:SfU14)
- Committee report full text (HB01SfU14)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1025 — Permanenta uppehållstillstånd av Helén Pettersson och Åsa Karlsson (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1114 — Reformering av flyktingkonventionen av Boriana Åberg (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1334 — Införandet av ett viseringsgarantisystem av Denis Begic (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1434 — Lättare att verkställa utvisningsbeslut av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1443 — Obligatoriskt PCR-prov inför utvisning av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1467 — Utvisningsdömda och anmälningsplikten av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1536 — Avskaffande av EBO-lagen av Eva Lindh m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1596 — Skyldigheten att anmäla individer som riskerar utvisning av Denis Begic m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2256 — Maten på boenden för asylsökande av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2270 — Sexualbrott av Josefin Malmqvist (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2403 — Brott under tiden som asylsökande av Ellen Juntti och Lars Beckman (båda M)
- Motion 2023/24:2431 — Starkare ställning vid migrationsbeslut för lagstiftning som berör barns bästa och deras rättssäkerhet av Magnus Jacobsson (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:2432 — Utvärdering av Migrationsverkets hantering av asylsökande afghaner av Magnus Jacobsson (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:2451 — Utbildning och forskning för ett hållbart samhälle av Camilla Hansén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2452 — Stärkta rättigheter för barn som flyr till Sverige av Annika Hirvonen m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2458 — En folkrörelse för klimatet av Muharrem Demirok m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2489 — Utbildning för livslångt lärande av Niels Paarup-Petersen m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2491 — Migration och integration av Jonny Cato m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2556 — Dagersättning för asylsökande av Åsa Karlsson och Isak From (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:2583 — Begäran om upphävande av svenskt medborgarskap av Kerstin Lundgren (C)
Source: The Swedish Parliament