2025-11-052025/26:NU7 · p.1NUBusiness & energy
Government's Bill
The government's proposal to lift the ban on uranium extraction
What's at stake: The decision affects whether mining companies can obtain permits to explore for and mine uranium in Sweden going forward, touching on access to critical metals and minerals for the green transition alongside concerns about environmental risk, farmland use, groundwater and public health, and the scope of municipal influence over such projects.
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 adopt the government's bill repealing the ban on uranium mining and extraction - making uranium a concession mineral and enabling mining and enrichment permits - or reject it and keep the existing ban, as the reservation demands.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee backs the government's bill, noting that Sweden has both a need for and substantial deposits of uranium, that rising global demand has increased interest in extraction, that removing the Environmental Code's ban on permits for uranium-related mining and making uranium a concession mineral enables full geological surveys and efficient use of available metals and minerals, that this keeps Sweden an attractive mining nation supporting the green transition, and that narrowing the mandatory suitability review to facilities covered by nuclear-technology legislation removes existing double regulation.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (S, V, C, MP)
The reservation (S, V, C, MP) opposes lifting the ban, arguing that the bill lacks a thorough and clear analysis of consequences - including the risks of oil-shale mining, mine waste and the closure of decommissioned operations - voicing concern over the impact on the municipal veto for uranium mining, warning that mining will consume large areas of farmland and risks serious harm to the environment, groundwater and human health, and seeing no economic or energy-policy grounds for allowing such mining.
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: adopting the government's legislative proposal and rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by S, V, C, MP.
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 | No 0/19/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | No 0/91/0/15 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | No 0/15/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | No 0/19/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | Yes | Yes 16/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 58/0/0/10 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | Yes | Yes 61/0/0/11 | follows the plan | confidence: high | derived |
Committee proposal
Parliament adopts the government's proposal for 1. a law amending the Environmental Code, 2. a law amending the Minerals Act (1991:45). Thereby Parliament approves Government Bill 2024/25:203 points 1 and 2 and rejects the motions 2025/26:56 by Birger Lahti et al. (V) claim 1, 2025/26:208 by Katarina Luhr et al. (MP) claim 1, 2025/26:216 by Fredrik Olovsson et al. (S) claim 1 and 2025/26:272 by Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C) claim 1.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen antar regeringens förslag till 1. lag om ändring i miljöbalken, 2. lag om ändring i minerallagen (1991:45). Därmed bifaller riksdagen proposition 2024/25:203 punkterna 1 och 2 samt avslår motionerna 2025/26:56 av Birger Lahti m.fl. (V) yrkande 1, 2025/26:208 av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP) yrkande 1, 2025/26:216 av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S) yrkande 1 och 2025/26:272 av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C) yrkande 1.
Riksdag decision: Parliament approved the government's proposal on uranium extraction in Sweden. The decision means that it will be permitted to extract uranium in Sweden and that uranium is classified as a concession mineral, that is, a mineral that is particularly important to society. The decision also means that operations handling small amounts of uranium shall not be subject to permit requirements and shall not be subject to the municipal veto. The municipal veto means that municipalities through a local political decision can determine whether the activity should be allowed or not in the municipality. The law changes enter into force on 1 January 2026.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to maintain the ban on uranium extraction. (S, V, C, MP) — 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 explicitly rejects expanded nuclear power as a way out of fossil fuel dependence and bases energy policy on renewable electricity, which eliminates the energy policy rationale for opening uranium mining.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly rejects expanded nuclear power as a way out of fossil fuel dependence and bases energy policy on renewable electricity, which eliminates the energy policy rationale for opening uranium mining. The plan demands ambitious environmental goals that are monitored with strict legislation and that new projects are compared in environmental consequences and safety over their entire life cycle, which the counter-proposal argues is lacking here. Taking agricultural land into use also conflicts with the state's responsibility for food self-sufficiency.
Original (Swedish)
Planen avvisar uttryckligen kärnkraftsutbyggnad som väg ut ur fossilberoendet och bygger energipolitiken på förnybar el, vilket tar bort det energipolitiska skälet att öppna för uranbrytning. Planen kräver ambitiösa miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och att nya projekt jämförs i miljökonsekvenser och säkerhet över hela livscykeln, vilket motförslaget menar saknas här. Att jordbruksmark tas i anspråk står också i konflikt med statens ansvar för livsmedelsförsörjningen.
- no to nuclear power expansiondecisive»Vänsterpartiet avvisar planerna på att bygga ut kärnkraften som en väg ut ur fossilberoendet.« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party rejects the plans to expand nuclear power as a way out of fossil fuel dependence.”
- ambitious environmental goals»Vi vill se ambitiösa miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och praktiskt arbete.« (party programme ↗)“We want to see ambitious environmental goals that are monitored with strict legislation and practical work.”
- life cycle assessment of projects»Nya projekt behöver jämföras i miljökonsekvenser och säkerhet över hela sin livscykel.« (party programme ↗)“New projects need to be compared in environmental consequences and safety over their entire life cycle.”
- food self-sufficiency»Staten har ett särskilt ansvar att se till att landet är tillräckligt självförsörjande med livsmedel.« (party programme ↗)“The state has a special responsibility to ensure that the country is sufficiently self-sufficient with food.”
The plan sets requirements for a poison-free environment with clean air and clean water throughout Sweden, protection of biological diversity and that extraction of natural resources must be sustainable.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan sets requirements for a poison-free environment with clean air and clean water throughout Sweden, protection of biological diversity and that extraction of natural resources must be sustainable. It also requires viable food production, which addresses the counter-proposal's objection about agricultural land. The plan nowhere requires that the uranium ban be abolished. Maintaining the ban thus lies closest to the plan's commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen ställer krav på en giftfri miljö med ren luft och rent vatten i hela Sverige, värn av biologisk mångfald och att utvinning av naturresurser ska vara hållbar. Den kräver också en livskraftig livsmedelsproduktion, vilket träffar motförslagets invändning om jordbruksmark. Planen kräver ingenstans att uranförbudet avskaffas. Att behålla förbudet ligger därmed närmast planens åtaganden.
- poison-free environment and clean waterdecisive»Giftfri miljö med ren luft och rent vatten i hela Sverige.« (party programme ↗)“Poison-free environment with clean air and clean water throughout Sweden.”
- protection of natural values»Värn av biologisk mångfald och Sveriges värdefulla natur och vattenmiljöer.« (party programme ↗)“Protection of biological diversity and Sweden's valuable nature and aquatic environments.”
- sustainable extraction of natural resources»Hållbar utvinning och användning av naturresurser, med ekonomisk kompensation till« (party programme ↗)“Sustainable extraction and use of natural resources, with economic compensation to”
- protection of agricultural land»Livskraftig svensk livsmedelsproduktion som stärker landets självförsörjningsförmåga.« (party programme ↗)“Viable Swedish food production that strengthens the country's self-sufficiency.”
The plan explicitly states that uranium mining shall be forbidden and describes uranium mining as environmentally destructive and a source of dangerous waste without a long-term sustainable solution.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly states that uranium mining shall be forbidden and describes uranium mining as environmentally destructive and a source of dangerous waste without a long-term sustainable solution. The counter-proposal wants to maintain the ban on uranium extraction and points to risks with oil shale, waste and repositories, which coincides with the plan's reasons. The plan furthermore requires local anchoring in extraction of natural resources.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger uttryckligen att uranbrytning ska vara förbjuden och beskriver brytning av uran som miljöförstörande och som en källa till farligt avfall utan långsiktigt hållbar lösning. Motförslaget vill behålla förbudet mot utvinning av uran och pekar på risker med alunskiffer, avfall och slutförvar, vilket sammanfaller med planens skäl. Planen kräver dessutom lokal förankring vid utvinning av naturresurser.
- forbidden uranium miningdecisive»inga nya tillstånd för torvbrytning ska ges och uranbrytning ska vara« (party programme ↗)“no new permits for peat extraction shall be issued and uranium mining shall be”
- uranium mining creates dangerous waste»miljöförstörande brytning av uran, som är en ändlig resurs som skapar farligt avfall utan« (party programme ↗)“environmentally destructive uranium mining, which is a finite resource that creates dangerous waste without”
- nuclear power not sustainable»Den är varken ekonomiskt eller ekologiskt hållbar.« (party programme ↗)“It is neither economically nor ecologically sustainable.”
- local anchoring in extraction»Det ska alltid finnas lokal förankring vid utvinning av naturresurser.« (party programme ↗)“There must always be local anchoring in extraction of natural resources.”
The plan's energy line is one hundred per cent renewable and an explicit vision of a society without nuclear power; uranium extraction serves nuclear power and lies outside the transformation the plan wants to see.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's energy line is one hundred per cent renewable and an explicit vision of a society without nuclear power; uranium extraction serves nuclear power and lies outside the transformation the plan wants to see. Clean water and a poison-free environment are described as a fundamental right and agricultural land should be better protected, which speaks against large-scale uranium mining. The plan's demand for increased extraction of minerals and metals weighs against this, but concerns the raw materials the green transformation needs.
Original (Swedish)
Planens energilinje är hundra procent förnybart och en uttalad vision om ett samhälle utan kärnkraft; uranutvinning tjänar kärnkraften och ligger utanför den omställning planen vill se. Rent vatten och giftfri miljö beskrivs som en fundamental rätt och åkermarken ska skyddas bättre, vilket talar mot storskalig uranbrytning. Planens krav på ökad utvinning av mineral och metaller väger emot, men avser de råvaror den gröna omställningen behöver.
- vision without nuclear powerdecisive»där Centerpartiets vision är ett samhälle utan kärnkraft« (party programme ↗)“where the Centre Party's vision is a society without nuclear power”
- poison-free environment as right»Tillgång till rent vatten, ren luft och giftfri miljö är en fundamental rätt för alla människor« (party programme ↗)“Access to clean water, clean air and a poison-free environment is a fundamental right for all people”
- protection of agricultural land»Åkermarken är en begränsad tillgång som måste skyddas bättre.« (party programme ↗)“Agricultural land is a limited resource that must be better protected.”
- increased domestic mineral extraction»Det är bättre att Sverige tar ansvar och utvinner mer mineral och metaller istället för att fortsätta importera dem från länder med större klimatavtryck och sämre arbetsvillkor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is better for Sweden to take responsibility and extract more minerals and metals instead of continuing to import them from countries with greater climate footprint and worse working conditions.”
The plan wants to develop and expand nuclear power, modernize the regulatory framework and establishes that the state should facilitate expansion.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to develop and expand nuclear power, modernize the regulatory framework and establishes that the state should facilitate expansion. It also requires that the state to the extent possible remains neutral between energy sources that meet environmental and safety requirements, which speaks against a particular ban on uranium. The counter-proposal's demand to maintain the mining ban therefore conflicts with the plan, which instead addresses the risks with clear environmental and safety requirements.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill utveckla och bygga ut kärnkraften, modernisera regelverken och slår fast att staten bör underlätta en utbyggnad. Den kräver också att staten så långt möjligt är neutral mellan energislag som uppfyller miljö- och säkerhetskraven, vilket talar mot ett särskilt förbud för uran. Motförslagets krav på ett bibehållet utvinningsförbud strider därmed mot planen, som i stället möter riskerna med tydliga miljö- och säkerhetskrav.
- nuclear power for the climatedecisive»Kärnkraften behövs för klimatets skull och för att minska världens utsläpp.« (party programme ↗)“Nuclear power is needed for the climate's sake and to reduce the world's emissions.”
- technology neutrality between energy sources»vara neutral mellan energislag som uppfyller miljö- och säkerhetskraven.« (party programme ↗)“be neutral between energy sources that meet environmental and safety requirements.”
- expanded nuclear power»I stället vill vi möjliggöra fler nya reaktorer på fler ställen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Instead we want to enable more new reactors in more places”
- clear environmental and safety requirements»För alla energislag ska finnas tydliga miljö- och säkerhetskrav.« (party programme ↗)“For all energy sources there shall be clear environmental and safety requirements.”
The election manifesto demands an investment in nuclear power with long-term conditions and expansion with new reactors, and the party programme makes supply security one of energy policy's foundations while stewardship means responsible use rather than passive preservation.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto demands an investment in nuclear power with long-term conditions and expansion with new reactors, and the party programme makes supply security one of energy policy's foundations while stewardship means responsible use rather than passive preservation. A continued ban on uranium extraction, which the counter-proposal demands, works against that direction. The precautionary principle remains as a requirement in the individual licensing decision.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver en satsning på kärnkraften med långsiktiga villkor och utbyggnad med nya reaktorer, och principprogrammet gör försörjningstrygghet till en av energipolitikens grundpelare samtidigt som förvaltarskapet innebär ett ansvarsfullt brukande snarare än passivt bevarande. Ett fortsatt förbud mot uranutvinning, som motförslaget kräver, motverkar den inriktningen. Försiktighetsprincipen kvarstår som krav i den enskilda tillståndsprövningen.
- investment in nuclear powerdecisive»Satsa på kärnkraften med långsiktiga villkor att utvecklas. Förläng befintliga reaktorers drift och bygg ut med nya reaktorer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Invest in nuclear power with long-term conditions to develop. Extend existing reactors' operation and expand with new reactors.”
- supply security in energy policy»De tre grundpelarna för den svenska energipolitiken ska vara miljömässig hållbarhet, försörjningstrygghet och konkurrenskraft.« (party programme ↗)“The three foundations for Swedish energy policy shall be environmental sustainability, supply security and”
- responsible use of resources»Förvaltarskapsprincipen innebär inget passivt bevarande, utan ett ansvarsfullt brukande och förädlande av tillgångarna.« (party programme ↗)“The stewardship principle means not passive preservation, but responsible use and enhancement of resources.”
- caution in case of environmental risk»Med detta menas att om misstanke finns om hot eller oåterkallelig skada på miljön, måste extra försiktighet tillämpas.« (party programme ↗)“This means that if suspicion exists of threat or irreversible damage to the environment, extra caution must be applied.”
The plan's energy policy is based on significantly expanded nuclear power and on removing existing prohibitions, and its environmental policy says that Sweden's rich mineral resources should be able to be extracted responsibly and sustainably.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's energy policy is based on significantly expanded nuclear power and on removing existing prohibitions, and its environmental policy says that Sweden's rich mineral resources should be able to be extracted responsibly and sustainably. A maintained prohibition on uranium mining goes against both of these commitments. The plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal's demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planens energipolitik bygger på kraftigt utbyggd kärnkraft och på att befintliga förbud tas bort, och dess miljöpolitik säger att Sveriges rika mineraltillgångar ska kunna utvinnas ansvarsfullt och långsiktigt hållbart. Ett bibehållet förbud mot utvinning av uran går emot båda dessa åtaganden. Planen talar därför emot motförslagets krav.
- responsible mineral extractiondecisive»Våra rika mineraltillgångar ska kunna utvinnas ansvarsfullt och långsiktigt hållbart.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Our rich mineral resources should be able to be extracted responsibly and sustainably.”
- new nuclear power»Ny kärnkraft är lösningen för att reparera Sveriges energisystem på lång sikt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“New nuclear power is the solution to repair Sweden's energy system in the long term.”
- removed prohibitions on nuclear power»Ta bort förbudet mot att ha fler än tio kärnkraftsreaktorer i drift« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Remove the prohibition against having more than ten nuclear reactors in operation”
- fossil-free energy goal»Ändra det energipolitiska målet från 100 procent förnybart till 100 procent fossilfritt« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Change the energy policy goal from 100 percent renewable to 100 percent fossil-free”
The plan requires that it becomes easier and faster to open mines, that the permitting processes for the mining industry are streamlined and that conditions are created for new nuclear power.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that it becomes easier and faster to open mines, that the permitting processes for the mining industry are streamlined and that conditions are created for new nuclear power. The counter-proposal wants to retain the ban on uranium mining, which preserves precisely the obstacle the plan opposes when it criticizes that mines are not allowed to start. The plan's view of mineral values as an asset points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att det blir enklare och snabbare att öppna gruvor, att tillståndsprocesserna för gruvnäringen effektiviseras och att förutsättningar skapas för ny kärnkraft. Motförslaget vill behålla förbudet mot uranutvinning, vilket bevarar just det hinder planen vänder sig mot när den kritiserar att gruvor inte får startas. Planens syn på mineralvärden som en tillgång pekar åt samma håll.
- easier to open minesdecisive»Det behöver också bli enklare och gå snabbare att öppna gruvor för de mineraler som behövs för exempelvis tillverkning av batterier.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It also needs to become easier and faster to open mines for the minerals needed for example for battery manufacturing.”
- efficient permitting processes»Effektivisera och öka förutsägbarheten i tillståndsprocesserna för gruvnäring, elnätsutbyggnad och industri« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Streamline and increase predictability in the permitting processes for mining, power grid expansion and industry”
- new nuclear power»Skapa förutsättningar för ny kärnkraft i Sverige och en färdplan för byggandet av SMR-reaktorer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Create conditions for new nuclear power in Sweden and a roadmap for building SMR reactors”
- harness mineral values»Värdet på mineraler i marken, på skogar och potentialen för rekreation och turism är enorm på landsbygden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The value of minerals in the ground, forests and the potential for recreation and tourism is enormous in the countryside.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:NU7)
- Committee report full text (HD01NU7)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:208 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:203 Förbudet mot utvinning av uran tas bort av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:216 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:203 Förbudet mot utvinning av uran tas bort av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:272 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:203 Förbudet mot utvinning av uran tas bort av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C)
- Motion 2025/26:56 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:203 Förbudet mot utvinning av uran tas bort av Birger Lahti m.fl. (V)
- Proposition 2024/25:203 — Förbudet mot utvinning av uran tas bort
Source: The Swedish Parliament