2026-04-012025/26:JuU11 · p.5JuUJustice
Purchase of sexual services
Review of how the law on purchasing sexual services is applied
What's at stake: How the law on purchasing sexual services is applied in practice determines whether the 2022 sentencing increase has its intended deterrent effect, which matters for efforts against prostitution and for those exploited by it.
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 government should be tasked with reviewing how courts apply the law on purchasing sexual services, after several rulings have resulted in suspended sentences and fines instead of prison despite the 2022 sentencing increase, or whether the committee's approach - not proposing any action for now - should prevail.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that both the wording and the classification of the offence of purchasing sexual services have changed in the past year, that the question of making it a so-called 'type offence' was already considered in the 2022 legislative process, and that the Sentencing Reform Inquiry has recently carried out a broad review of sentencing scales, and is therefore not prepared to propose any action now; the motions, including the call for a follow-up on the criminalization of remote sex purchases, are rejected.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 5 (V)
The reservation (V) notes that the minimum sentence for purchasing sexual services was raised from fines to prison in 2022, but that courts still often impose suspended sentences combined with day-fines instead of prison, partly because buyers rarely have a prior record and because the offence has neither a high maximum sentence nor counts as a so-called 'type offence'; since the purpose of the change was to toughen the punishment, the reservation wants the government to initiate a review of how the sex-purchase legislation is applied.
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 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, MModeraterna
Ja 165–19Ja 94–90
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 0/17/0/5 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Abstain 1/0/89/16 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/15/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 19/0/0/5 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 12/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| M | No | Yes 55/0/0/11 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | No | Yes 59/0/0/11 | differs | confidence: high | not addressed |
Broke with the party line
| SLena Hallengren (S, Kalmar län) | Yes — party line: Abstain |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2025/26:1256 by Denis Begic (S), 2025/26:2747 by Annika Strandhäll (S) demand 15, 2025/26:2782 by Nooshi Dadgostar et al. (V) demand 13 and 2025/26:3586 by Teresa Carvalho et al. (S) demand 82.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2025/26:1256 av Denis Begic (S), 2025/26:2747 av Annika Strandhäll (S) yrkande 15, 2025/26:2782 av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V) yrkande 13 och 2025/26:3586 av Teresa Carvalho m.fl. (S) yrkande 82.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag said no to 122 proposals in motions from the general motion period 2025 on criminal law matters. The proposals concern, among other things, crimes against persons and others' property, measures against certain types of crime, as well as penalties and special legal consequences of crime. The Riksdag refers among other things to the fact that work is already underway within the areas that the proposals concern.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to review the application of the law on purchasing sexual services. (V) — 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 wants to prevent patriarchal violence with targeted work against its expressions, including the sex trade, and demands a justice system where those who commit crimes are actually sentenced.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to prevent patriarchal violence with targeted work against its expressions, including the sex trade, and demands a justice system where those who commit crimes are actually sentenced. The election manifesto is open to the possibility that certain sentences may need to be raised, while sentences should be carefully designed. A review of how sex trade legislation is applied, when the purpose of the increase has not been realized in the courts, is in line with this.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill förebygga det patriarkala våldet med ett riktat arbete mot dess uttryck, däribland sexköp, och kräver ett rättssystem där de som begår brott faktiskt döms. Valplattformen öppnar för att vissa straff kan behöva höjas, samtidigt som påföljder ska utformas noggrant. En översyn av hur sexköpslagstiftningen tillämpas, när skärpningens syfte inte fått genomslag i domstolarna, ligger i linje med det.
- those who commit crimes should be sentenceddecisive»Det är viktigt att rättssystemet fungerar, att kvinnors erfarenheter tas på allvar och att de som begår brott döms.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is important that the justice system works, that women's experiences are taken seriously and that those who commit crimes are sentenced.”
- targeted work against the sex trade»de olika uttryck det tar sig, som sexköp och hedersförtryck.« (party programme ↗)“its various expressions, such as the sex trade and honour-based oppression.”
- sentences may need to be raised»Vissa straff kan behöva höjas men mycket mer fokus måste riktas mot att förhindra rekryteringen av nya barn till gängkriminalitet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Some sentences may need to be raised but much more focus must be directed toward preventing the recruitment of new children to gang crime.”
- carefully designed consequences»Straff och andra påföljder för brott behöver vara noggrant« (party programme ↗)“Punishment and other consequences for crime need to be carefully”
The plan requires action against sexual crimes and men's violence against women and that sentences shall stand in parity with the seriousness of crimes, with a criminal policy based on evidence and effectiveness.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires action against sexual crimes and men's violence against women and that sentences shall stand in parity with the seriousness of crimes, with a criminal policy based on evidence and effectiveness. If a sentence enhancement does not take effect in application, what the plan wants is not achieved. A review of how the legislation is applied thus aligns with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver krafttag mot sexualbrott och mäns våld mot kvinnor och att straffen ska stå i paritet med brottens allvar, med en kriminalpolitik byggd på evidens och effektivitet. Om en straffskärpning inte får genomslag i tillämpningen uppnås inte det planen vill. En översyn av hur lagstiftningen tillämpas ligger därför i linje med planen.
- sentence according to the severity of the crimedecisive»Straff i paritet med brottens allvar.« (party programme ↗)“Sentences in parity with the seriousness of crimes.”
- stop sexual crimes»Krafttag för att stoppa hedersrelaterat våld, sexualbrott och mäns våld mot kvinnor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Action to stop honour-related violence, sexual crimes and men's violence against women.”
- continued increased sentences»Vi vill fort sätta den politiska riktning som skärpt straffen för våld och andra kränkningar i nära relationer, och som ökat resurserna till kvinno- och tjejjourernas viktiga arbete.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to continue the political direction that has increased sentences for violence and other violations in close relationships, and that has increased resources to women's and girls' hotlines' important work.”
- evidence-based criminal policy»Kriminalpolitik byggd på evidens, effektivitet och rättssäkerhet.« (party programme ↗)“Criminal policy based on evidence, effectiveness and legal security.”
flags: citat_migrerat
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 strong action to end sex trafficking and for sex purchase to be regarded as an expression of the gender power order that shall be combated with the same force as other serious crime.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires strong action to end sex trafficking and for sex purchase to be regarded as an expression of the gender power order that shall be combated with the same force as other serious crime. A review of how sex purchase legislation is applied, when the toughening has not taken hold in the courts, serves that commitment. The plan at the same time advocates for probation sanctions for minor offences, which is a qualifying but not decisive objection.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver krafttag för att sexhandel ska upphöra och att sexköp betraktas som ett uttryck för den könsmaktsordning som ska bekämpas med samma kraft som annan grov kriminalitet. En översyn av hur sexköpslagstiftningen tillämpas, när skärpningen inte fått genomslag i domstolarna, tjänar det åtagandet. Planen förordar samtidigt frivårdspåföljder vid lindrigare brott, vilket är en kvalificerande men inte avgörande invändning.
- stop sex traffickingdecisive»Miljöpartiet vill se krafttag för att mäns våld mot kvinnor, hedersförtryck, sexhandel och våld i nära relationer ska upphöra.« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party wants to see strong action to end men's violence against women, honour-based violence, sex trafficking and violence in close relationships.”
- equal crime prevention»Mäns våld mot kvinnor, hedersförtryck och människohandel ska bekämpas med samma kraft som annan grov kriminalitet.« (party programme ↗)“Men's violence against women, honour-based violence and human trafficking shall be combated with the same force as other serious crime.”
- toughened sex purchase legislation»skärpa samtyckeslagen så att det blir tydligt att prostitution inte innebär samtycke till sex.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“toughen the consent law so that it becomes clear that prostitution does not imply consent to sex.”
- restraint with imprisonment»Frivårdspåföljder ska användas som förstahandsval vid lindrigare brott.« (party programme ↗)“Probation sanctions shall be used as first choice for minor offences.”
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 wants to raise sentences for sexual offences and establishes that perpetrators shall not escape.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to raise sentences for sexual offences and establishes that perpetrators shall not escape. Such a gap between legislation's tightening and its impact in court practice is precisely what a review of implementation can rectify. The party programme's goal of a society free from prostitution points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill höja straffen för sexualbrott och slår fast att förövare inte ska komma undan. Att lagändringens skärpning inte får genomslag i domstolarnas praxis är just ett sådant glapp som en översyn av tillämpningen kan rätta till. Partiprogrammets mål om ett samhälle fritt från prostitution pekar åt samma håll.
- raised sentences for sexual offencesdecisive»Vi vill höja straffen för sexualbrott, grov fridskränkning och grov kvinnofridskränkning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to raise sentences for sexual offences, gross assault, and gross assault on women.”
- perpetrators shall not escape»Män som slår ska inte komma undan.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Men who hit shall not escape.”
- free from prostitution»vill se ett samhälle fritt från våld i hemmet, människohandel och prostitution.« (party programme ↗)“want to see a society free from violence in the home, human trafficking, and prostitution.”
- tougher sentences»Sverige behöver fler poliser, hårdare straff och bättre förebyggande insatser« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden needs more police, tougher sentences, and better preventive measures”
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 establishes that it shall be forbidden to buy sexual services and that the most important measure is to eliminate demand, and the election manifesto generally wants to tighten penalties for serious crimes.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that it shall be forbidden to buy sexual services and that the most important measure is to eliminate demand, and the election manifesto generally wants to tighten penalties for serious crimes. If courts despite raising the minimum penalty rarely sentence to imprisonment, the deterrent effect the plan seeks is not achieved. A review of how the legislation is applied thereby aligns with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att det ska vara förbjudet att köpa sexuella handlingar och att den viktigaste insatsen är att få bort efterfrågan, och valmanifestet vill generellt skärpa straffen för allvarliga brott. Om domstolarna trots höjt minimistraff sällan dömer till fängelse uppnås inte den avskräckande effekt planen eftersträvar. En översyn av hur lagstiftningen tillämpas ligger därför i linje med planen.
- combat demand for sex purchasedecisive»Den viktigaste insatsen är att få bort efterfrågan.« (party programme ↗)“The most important measure is to eliminate demand.”
- prohibition on buying sex»Det ska vara förbjudet att köpa sexuella handlingar.« (party programme ↗)“It shall be forbidden to buy sexual services.”
- tightened penalties»Vi vill avskaffa dagens mängdrabatt på brott, slopa den närmast automatiska frigivningen från fängelsestraff och skärpa straffen för bland annat vapenbrott, våldtäkt och utpressning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to abolish today's quantity discount on crimes, abolish the near-automatic release from prison sentences and tighten penalties for among other things weapons crimes, rape and extortion.”
- mark the crime's seriousness»Det kan även finnas särskilda brottstyper där det kan vara befogat att skärpa straffsatserna för att underlätta rehabilitering eller markera allvaret i den kränkning som brottet utgör.« (party programme ↗)“There may also be special types of crimes where it may be appropriate to tighten penalties in order to facilitate rehabilitation or mark the seriousness of the violation that the crime constitutes.”
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 demands that sentences for sexual offences be increased substantially, and the party programme demands that respect for the laws be maintained firmly and that society makes clear that crime is followed by punishment.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto demands that sentences for sexual offences be increased substantially, and the party programme demands that respect for the laws be maintained firmly and that society makes clear that crime is followed by punishment. When courts despite raised minimum sentences rarely impose imprisonment, a review of how legislation is applied against these commitments is appropriate. The plan also stands on the side of the crime victim.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver att straffen för sexualbrott skärps kraftigt, och partiprogrammet att respekten för lagarna upprätthålls med fasthet och att samhället gör klart att på brott följer straff. När domstolarna trots höjt minimistraff sällan dömer till fängelse svarar en översyn av hur lagstiftningen tillämpas mot dessa åtaganden. Planen ställer sig dessutom på brottsoffrets sida.
- increased sentences for sexual offencesdecisive»Skärp straffen för sexualbrott kraftigt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase sentences for sexual offences substantially.”
- firm legal application»därför upprätthållas med fasthet och förövare av brott ska skyndsamt lagföras« (party programme ↗)“therefore maintained firmly and perpetrators of crime shall be swiftly prosecuted”
- general deterrence»att samhället gör klart att på brott följer straff« (party programme ↗)“that society makes clear that crime is followed by punishment”
- the crime victim's side»Samhället ska ställa sig på brottsoffrets sida.« (party programme ↗)“Society shall stand on the side of the crime victim.”
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 the sentences handed down often do not reflect the severity of the crimes and commits to toughening sentences for violent and sexual crimes and to removing sentence reductions.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that the sentences handed down often do not reflect the severity of the crimes and commits to toughening sentences for violent and sexual crimes and to removing sentence reductions. The party programme adds that sentences that do not correspond to the severity of the crime undermine confidence in the rule of law. A review of why the toughened law has not had an impact on courts' practice follows directly from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att de straff som döms ut ofta inte speglar brottens allvar och åtar sig att skärpa straffen för vålds- och sexualbrott samt att ta bort straffrabatterna. Partiprogrammet tillägger att straff som inte motsvarar brottets allvar undergräver förtroendet för rättsstaten. En översyn av varför lagskärpningen inte fått genomslag i domstolarnas praxis följer direkt av dessa åtaganden.
- toughened sentences for sexual crimesdecisive»Skärpa straffen för vålds- och sexualbrott« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Toughen sentences for violent and sexual crimes”
- sentences do not reflect severity»Och straffen som döms ut speglar ofta inte brottens allvar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“And the sentences handed down often do not reflect the severity of the crimes.”
- credible sentence level»straffen inte motsvarar brottets allvar riskerar det att undergräva förtroendet för rättsstaten.« (party programme ↗)“sentences do not correspond to the severity of the crime it risks undermining confidence in the rule of law.”
- no sentence reductions»Ta bort alla straffrabatter för den som fyllt 18 år och slopa dagens mängdrabatter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Remove all sentence reductions for those who have reached 18 and abolish today's quantity reductions”
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 demands sharply increased sentences for sexual crimes and that sentences be proportionate and give crime victims redress.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands sharply increased sentences for sexual crimes and that sentences be proportionate and give crime victims redress. That courts despite raised minimum sentences regularly impose conditional sentences is precisely the discrepancy between the legislator's intention and application that the plan opposes, and a review of the application therefore follows from the documents. The party programme also emphasizes that laws shall be in harmony with popular legal sense.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver kraftigt skärpta straff för sexualbrott och att straffen ska vara proportionerliga och ge brottsoffret upprättelse. Att domstolarna trots höjt minimistraff regelmässigt dömer till villkorlig dom är precis den diskrepans mellan lagstiftarens avsikt och tillämpning som planen vänder sig mot, och en översyn av tillämpningen följer därför av dokumenten. Partiprogrammet betonar också att lagarna ska vara i samklang med den folkliga rättsuppfattningen.
- increased sexual crime sentencesdecisive»Kraftigt skärpa straffen för sexualbrott och utvisa utländska våldtäktsmän på livstid« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sharply increase sentences for sexual crimes and expel foreign rapists for life”
- increased sentences»Kraftigt höja straffen samt avskaffa mängdrabatten vid allvarliga brott mot person« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Significantly increase sentences and abolish the quantity discount in serious crimes against person”
- proportionate sentences»Införa straff som är proportionerliga« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce sentences that are proportionate”
- popular legal sense»att lagarna är i samklang med den folkliga rättsuppfattningen« (party programme ↗)“that laws are in harmony with popular legal sense”
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.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:JuU11)
- Committee report full text (HD01JuU11)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:1012 — Straffskärpning för olagliga vägblockader av Daniel Persson (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1090 — Tillträdesförbud till butiker i praktiken av Peder Björk m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1098 — Tillträdesförbud till en kommun för dömda i gängrelaterad brottslighet av Anna Lasses (C)
- Motion 2025/26:1135 — Fullgott skydd för barn och unga mot alla former av sexuella övergrepp och sexuell exploatering av Martina Johansson (C)
- Motion 2025/26:114 — Utvidgning av brottet olaga integritetsintrång av Angelica Lundberg (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1162 — Undantag från kravet på dubbel straffbarhet vid köp av sexuella tjänster utomlands av Adrian Magnusson och Sofia Skönnbrink (båda S)
- Motion 2025/26:1256 — Utredning om fängelsestraff för män som köper sex av Denis Begic (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1328 — Vårdnadstvister och konsekvenser av Runar Filper (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1354 — Stärk lagstiftningen till skydd för tjänstehundar och tjänstehästar av Roger Hedlund och Mattias Eriksson Falk (båda SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1397 — Djurs rätt i tjänst av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1399 — Skydd av minderåriga från att utnyttjas sexuellt av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1401 — Upprepad brottslighet av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1405 — Slopad preskriptionstid för sexualbrott av Johanna Rantsi (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1411 — Störande av demokratiskt arbete av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1441 — Avskaffande av pubertetsrekvisitet av Patrik Lundqvist m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1543 — Barnens rätt av Alireza Akhondi (C)
- Motion 2025/26:1600 — Eftersupning som ett särskilt brott av Gustaf Lantz (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1649 — Reformering av lagen om hets mot folkgrupp av Leonid Yurkovskiy och Jonas Andersson (båda SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1672 — Skärpt lagstiftning mot gromning och införande av bestämmelse om lockbete av Katarina Tolgfors m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1742 — Skärpt lagstiftning mot samhällsfarlig aktivism av Jan Ericson (M)
Source: The Swedish Parliament