2024-02-152023/24:JuU15 · p.1JuUJustice
National effort against violent extremism and terrorism
What's at stake: The decision concerns how broadly and how jointly society's efforts against terrorism and extremism should be organised, including cooperation between agencies, civil society and other actors, at a time when Sweden is judged to be a more prioritised target for attacks than before.
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 call on the government to launch a broad new national mobilisation against violent extremism and terrorism, or whether the ongoing work under a recently drawn-up national strategy and various agency assignments is judged to be sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that the government has recently drawn up a new, comprehensive national strategy against violent extremism and terrorism and instructed several agencies to incorporate it into their work, and has also decided on further agency assignments to develop and intensify the effort and strengthen cooperation. Against that background, the committee sees no grounds for parliament to take any initiative in response to the motion, which is rejected.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (S)
The reservation (S) wants the government to launch a new national mobilisation against violent extremism and terrorism, similar to the one carried out against neo-Nazism in the 1990s. The reasoning is that since summer 2023 Sweden has gone from being a legitimate to a prioritised target for terrorist attacks, and that beyond tougher penalties and more police, broader efforts are also needed to tackle the root causes of hatred and to strengthen democracy and social cohesion.
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 S.
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 | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/93/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 13/0/0/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 14/0/0/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 63/0/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects motion 2023/24:2640 by Ardalan Shekarabi et al. (S) claim 79.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2023/24:2640 av Ardalan Shekarabi m.fl. (S) yrkande 79.
Riksdag decision: Parliament said no to approximately 20 proposals concerning measures against terrorism. The motions were submitted during the regular motion period 2023 and deal, among other things, with a national effort against violent extremism and terrorism and with expulsion. The background to the committee's position on the national effort is that the government recently developed a new national strategy against violent extremism and terrorism. Furthermore, the government has tasked several authorities to intensify efforts against terrorism and to develop their inter-agency cooperation.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants society to fight violent extremism through coordinated efforts. (S) — 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 plan establishes that work against racism and fascism requires political breadth and popular roots, and that the strategic goal is to marginalize racist forces, including through general measures against unemployment, housing shortage and inequality.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that work against racism and fascism requires political breadth and popular roots, and that the strategic goal is to marginalize racist forces, including through general measures against unemployment, housing shortage and inequality. A broad initiative against the root causes of hatred and for democracy and community, beyond stiffer penalties and more police, is precisely that line. The plan does not address the recently developed strategy the committee refers to.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att arbetet mot rasism och fascism kräver politisk bredd och folklig förankring och att den strategiska målsättningen är att marginalisera rasistiska krafter, bland annat genom generella åtgärder mot arbetslöshet, bostadsbrist och ojämlikhet. Ett brett initiativ mot hatets grundorsaker och för demokrati och samhällsgemenskap, utöver straffskärpningar och fler poliser, är precis den linjen. Planen berör inte den nyligen framtagna strategi utskottet hänvisar till.
- broad anti-racist mobilizationdecisive»Arbetet mot rasism och fascism kräver politisk bredd och folklig förankring.« (party programme ↗)“Work against racism and fascism requires political breadth and popular roots.”
- marginalize racist forces»Vår strategiska målsättning är att marginalisera såväl rasistiska krafter« (party programme ↗)“Our strategic goal is to marginalize both racist forces”
- general measures against root causes»Generella åtgärder mot arbetslöshet, bostadsbrist och ojämlikhet är tillsammans med exempelvis åtgärder mot« (party programme ↗)“General measures against unemployment, housing shortage and inequality are together with for example measures against”
- attack the deeper causes of violence»framför allt med en kamp mot kriminalitetens djupare orsaker – klassamhället, segregationen, rasismen på arbetsmarknaden, trångboddheten och bristen på framtidstro« (2022 manifesto ↗)“especially with a fight against the deeper causes of violence – class society, segregation, racism in the labour market, overcrowding and lack of faith in the future”
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 both crimes and the causes of crime shall be combated and that at least as much shall be invested in preventive work as in more police.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that both crimes and the causes of crime shall be combated and that at least as much shall be invested in preventive work as in more police. A broad national initiative against violent extremism and terrorism that is directed at the root causes of hatred and strengthens democracy follows from this, because the plan sees hate groups as a threat to democracy. The requirement thus aligns with the plan, in addition to the sentence enhancements the plan also wants.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att både brotten och brottens orsaker ska bekämpas och att minst lika mycket ska satsas på förebyggande arbete som på fler poliser. Ett brett nationellt initiativ mot våldsbejakande extremism och terrorism som riktas mot hatets grundorsaker och stärker demokratin följer av detta, eftersom planen ser hatgrupper som ett hot mot demokratin. Kravet ligger därmed i linje med planen, utöver de straffskärpningar planen också vill.
- combat the causes of crimedecisive»Bekämpa både brotten och brottens orsaker.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Combat both crimes and the causes of crime.”
- as much on preventive work»För varje krona som läggs på fler poliser, ska minst en krona läggas på det förebyggande arbetet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“For every krona spent on more police, at least one krona shall be spent on preventive work.”
- hate groups threaten democracy»Demokratin undergrävs när rasistiska och andra ickedemokratiska grupper sprider sitt hat« (party programme ↗)“Democracy is undermined when racist and other anti-democratic groups spread their hatred”
- the terrorism threat shall be met»Inte minst klimatfrågan, migrationen och hotet från terrorism och gränsöverskridande brottslighet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Not least the climate issue, migration and the threat from terrorism and transnational crime.”
The party programme establishes that the party works actively against racism and fascism and that no one shall be subjected to hate crimes or hate propaganda, while the most important crime prevention work occurs through reduced marginalization.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that the party works actively against racism and fascism and that no one shall be subjected to hate crimes or hate propaganda, while the most important crime prevention work occurs through reduced marginalization. The election manifesto wants to invest heavily in prevention in neglected areas. A broad initiative against violent extremism that targets the root causes of hate and strengthens democracy and community cohesion therefore aligns with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att partiet arbetar kraftfullt mot rasism och fascism och att ingen ska utsättas för hatbrott eller hatpropaganda, samtidigt som det viktigaste brottsförebyggande arbetet sker genom minskad marginalisering. Valmanifestet vill storsatsa förebyggande i eftersatta områden. Ett brett initiativ mot våldsbejakande extremism som riktar sig mot hatets grundorsaker och stärker demokrati och samhällsgemenskap ligger därför i linje med planen.
- actively against racismdecisive»Vi arbetar kraftfullt mot rasism och fascism.« (party programme ↗)“We work actively against racism and fascism.”
- no hate crimes or hate propaganda»utsättas för hatbrott eller hatpropaganda.« (party programme ↗)“are subjected to hate crimes or hate propaganda.”
- prevention against root causes»Det viktigaste brottsförebyggande arbetet sker genom att« (party programme ↗)“The most important crime prevention work occurs through”
- preventive investments»storsatsa på det förebyggande arbetet i socioekonomiskt eftersatta områden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“invest heavily in prevention work in socioeconomically neglected areas.”
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 sees xenophobia as one of the most serious threats to society and democracy and requires that racism and intolerance in all forms be counteracted.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme sees xenophobia as one of the most serious threats to society and democracy and requires that racism and intolerance in all forms be counteracted. The election manifesto establishes that hatred and threats against democratic institutions must cease and highlights civil society's invaluable role in cohesion. A broad initiative against the root causes of extremism, beyond punishment and police, thus follows from the plan. The plan does not address the recently developed strategy.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet ser främlingsfientlighet som ett av de allvarligaste hoten mot samhället och demokratin och kräver att rasism och intolerans i alla former motverkas. Valmanifestet slår fast att hat och hot mot demokratibärande institutioner måste upphöra och lyfter civilsamhällets ovärderliga roll för sammanhållning. Ett brett initiativ mot extremismens grundorsaker, utöver straff och poliser, följer därför av planen. Planen berör inte den nyligen framtagna strategin.
- xenophobia as threatdecisive»Främlingsfientlighet är ett av de mest allvarliga hot vårt samhälle och vår demokrati står inför.« (party programme ↗)“Xenophobia is one of the most serious threats our society and our democracy face.”
- stop hatred directed at democracy»Hat, hot, trakasserier och våld riktade mot demokratibärande institutioner måste upphöra.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Hatred, threats, harassment, and violence directed at democratic institutions must cease.”
- civil society builds community»Civilsamhällets roll för att binda samman människor och förbättra integrationen är ovärderlig.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Civil society's role in binding people together and improving integration is invaluable.”
- counteract racism and intolerance»Diskriminering, strukturell rasism och intolerans, i alla dess former, ska motverkas.« (party programme ↗)“Discrimination, structural racism, and intolerance in all its forms shall be counteracted.”
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 much more must be done when extremist environments are financed by taxpayer money, and the party programme that right-wing extremism, Islamist extremism and violence-embracing left-wing movements threaten democracy.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that much more must be done when extremist environments are financed by taxpayer money, and the party programme that right-wing extremism, Islamist extremism and violence-embracing left-wing movements threaten democracy. The counter-proposal's demands for a new broad initiative against violence-embracing extremism and terrorism, with measures against the root causes of hate and for democracy, follow from these commitments and from the requirement that the state with force combats racism and intolerance.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att mycket mer måste göras när extremistmiljöer finansieras av skattemedel, och partiprogrammet att högerextremism, islamistisk extremism och den våldsbejakande vänstern hotar demokratin. Motförslagets krav på ett nytt brett initiativ mot våldsbejakande extremism och terrorism, med insatser mot hatets grundorsaker och för demokrati, följer av dessa åtaganden och av kravet att staten med kraft bekämpar rasism och intolerans.
- more against extremist environmentsdecisive»När Säpo säger att flera organisationer från extremistmiljöer finansieras av skattepengar måste mycket mer göras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“When the Security Police say that several organizations from extremist environments are financed by tax money much more must be done.”
- extremism threatens democracy»högerextremismen och den islamistiska extremismen utgör ett hot mot demokratin.« (party programme ↗)“right-wing extremism and Islamist extremism pose a threat to democracy.”
- combat racism and intolerance»Därför ska staten med kraft bekämpa all slags rasism, diskriminering och intolerans.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore, the state shall with force combat all forms of racism, discrimination and intolerance.”
- violence prevention in schools»Alla skolor ska stärka sitt våldspreventiva arbete.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“All schools shall strengthen their violence prevention work.”
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 the most important way to combat crime is preventive measures, and the election manifesto requires strengthened association life, mentorship and exit programmes and strengthened parental responsibility precisely as crime-prevention tools.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the most important way to combat crime is preventive measures, and the election manifesto requires strengthened association life, mentorship and exit programmes and strengthened parental responsibility precisely as crime-prevention tools. The counter-proposal's demands for a broad initiative against the roots of hatred and for democracy and community cohesion follow from this, as do concerns about Islamist extremism in certain areas.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att det viktigaste sättet att bekämpa brottslighet är förebyggande insatser, och valmanifestet kräver stärkt föreningsliv, mentorskaps- och avhopparprogram samt stärkt föräldraansvar just som brottsförebyggande verktyg. Motförslagets krav på ett brett initiativ mot hatets grundorsaker och för demokrati och samhällsgemenskap följer av detta, liksom av oron för islamistisk extremism i vissa områden.
- prevention is most importantdecisive»Det viktigaste sättet att bekämpa brottslighet är genom« (party programme ↗)“The most important way to combat crime is through”
- association life and exit programmes»Förebygg brott genom att stärka föreningslivet samt inrättande av mentorskapsprogram och nationellt avhopparprogram.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prevent crime by strengthening association life and establishment of mentorship programmes and national exit programme.”
- counter extremist influence»Det finns också områden där islamistiska extremister har en avgörande påverkan på samhällslivet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“There are also areas where Islamist extremists have decisive influence on community life.”
- strengthened families prevent crime»Förebygg brott genom att stärka familjerna och föräldraansvaret och göra det obligatoriskt med föräldrastöd i alla Sverige kommuner.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prevent crime by strengthening families and parental responsibility and make it mandatory with parental support in all Sweden municipalities.”
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 democracy's protection against violence-embracing extremism must be strengthened and wishes to implement the largest crime prevention reform package in modern times, with interventions through social services and schools alongside sentence enhancements.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that democracy's protection against violence-embracing extremism must be strengthened and wishes to implement the largest crime prevention reform package in modern times, with interventions through social services and schools alongside sentence enhancements. This aligns with the counter-proposal's requirement for a broad initiative against extremism and terrorism. The plan however speaks of bans and strengthened security service rather than a new national meeting as a form.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att demokratins skydd mot våldsbejakande extremism måste stärkas och vill genomföra det största brottsförebyggande reformpaketet i modern tid, med insatser genom socialtjänst och skola vid sidan av straffskärpningar. Det ligger i linje med motförslagets krav på ett brett initiativ mot extremism och terrorism. Planen talar däremot om förbud och stärkt säkerhetstjänst snarare än om en ny nationell samling som form.
- protect democracy against extremismdecisive»Vi måste också stärka demokratins skydd mot våldsbejakande extremism och andra kriminella hot.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We must also strengthen democracy's protection against violence-embracing extremism and other criminal threats.”
- broad crime prevention work»genomföra det största brottsförebyggande reformpaketet i modern tid« (2022 manifesto ↗)“implement the largest crime prevention reform package in modern times”
- ban on violence-embracing organizations»Förbjuda deltagande i organisationer med våldsbejakande verksamhet samt förbjuda deltagande i kriminella gäng« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prohibit participation in organizations with violence-embracing activities and prohibit participation in criminal gangs”
- strengthened security service»Stärka Säkerhetspolisen för att öka deras förmåga att skydda den liberala demokratin och landets alla medborgare« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the Security Police to increase their ability to protect liberal democracy and all the country's citizens”
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 explicitly opposes focusing on preventive integration measures that have not proven to work and instead demands a reoriented, repressive direction with powerful and effective measures.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly opposes focusing on preventive integration measures that have not proven to work and instead demands a reoriented, repressive direction with powerful and effective measures. The seedbed shall be combated by stopping grants and foreign financing to extremist environments, not through broad democracy initiatives. The counter-proposal's demands for broader measures against the root causes of hatred therefore fall outside the plan's line.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vänder sig uttryckligen mot att fokus riktas mot förebyggande integrationsåtgärder som inte visat sig fungera och kräver i stället en omlagd, repressiv inriktning med kraftiga och verkansfulla åtgärder. Grogrunden ska bekämpas genom att stoppa bidrag och utländsk finansiering till extremistiska miljöer, inte genom breda demokratisatsningar. Motförslagets krav på bredare insatser mot hatets grundorsaker ligger därför utanför planens linje.
- repression before preventiondecisive»Istället för att bortförklara brott och rikta fokus mot förebyggande integrationsåtgärder som inte visat sig fungera, är det hög tid att lägga om den kriminalpolitiska inriktningen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Instead of explaining away crime and directing focus on preventive integration measures that have not proven to work, it is high time to reorient the criminal policy direction.”
- effective measures against terror»Sverigedemokraterna kommer tillse att kraftiga och verkansfulla åtgärder kommer på plats.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats will ensure that powerful and effective measures are implemented.”
- stop grants to extremism»Moskéer och andra trossamfund eller organisationer som verkar för extremism ska vare sig få bidrag från det offentliga eller utländska regimer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Mosques and other faith communities or organizations that work for extremism shall neither receive grants from the public nor from foreign regimes.”
- failed integration initiatives»Trots att kostnaden för integrationspolitiska åtgärder och för satsningar på skola, välfärd och bostäder i segregerade områden varit omfattande« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Despite the cost of integration policy measures and investments in schools, welfare and housing in segregated areas being extensive”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:JuU15)
- Committee report full text (HB01JuU15)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:2156 — Indraget stöd vid deltagande i krig utan svenskt uppdrag av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2450 — En förstärkning av det civila försvaret och krisberedskapen av Emma Berginger m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2484 — Rättspolitik av Ulrika Liljeberg m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2522 — Muslimska brödraskapet av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2640 — Utgiftsområde 4 Rättsväsendet av Ardalan Shekarabi m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2669 — Rättspolitik av Märta Stenevi m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:397 — Krafttag mot illegal migration för ett säkrare Sverige av Ludvig Aspling och Nima Gholam Ali Pour (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:453 — Terrorism av Richard Jomshof m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:485 — Vissa frågor rörande Mellanöstern och Afrika av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:712 — Åtgärder mot krigs- och terrorbrott av Markus Wiechel (SD)
Source: The Swedish Parliament