2024-12-172024/25:UU2 · p.1UUForeign affairs
Repeal of Riksdag commitments regarding global development policy
Repeal of the Riksdag's commitments under the Policy for Global Development (PGU)
What's at stake: Since 2003, PGU has meant that all policy areas, not just aid, are meant to contribute to fair and sustainable global development. The decision affects how firmly this coordination requirement remains in practice, at a time when the government has also scaled back follow-up on Agenda 2030.
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The question is whether the Riksdag's earlier commitments under the Policy for Global Development (PGU) should now be repealed given that Agenda 2030 is in place, or whether they should remain as a safeguard for Sweden's overall development policy.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee endorses the government's proposal to repeal the Riksdag's earlier PGU commitments, pointing out that Agenda 2030 - which is universal and already integrates the global goals for poverty eradication and sustainable development - has superseded the Millennium Development Goals that PGU was originally meant to support, and that the goal of implementing Agenda 2030 is a natural continuation of PGU.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (S, V, MP)
The reserving parties (S, V, MP) want PGU to remain in place and oppose the government's proposal to abolish it, since the government has simultaneously closed the Agenda 2030 office, removed agencies' reporting requirements and cut the follow-up budget - meaning, in the reservation's view, that the government is dismantling a policy that has been a cornerstone of Sweden's global engagement since 2003.
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: approving what the committee proposes and rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by S, V, 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 0/21/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/93/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/16/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 17/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | Yes | Yes 60/0/0/8 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 63/0/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag approves what the government proposes regarding the repeal of Riksdag commitments concerning global development policy. Thereby the Riksdag grants proposition 2024/25:1 expenditure area 7 point 1 and rejects motion 2024/25:3106 by Morgan Johansson et al. (S) amendment 18.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen godkänner vad regeringen föreslår om upphävande av riksdagsbindningar avseende politiken för global utveckling. Därmed bifaller riksdagen proposition 2024/25:1 utgiftsområde 7 punkt 1 och avslår motion 2024/25:3106 av Morgan Johansson m.fl. (S) yrkande 18.
Riksdag decision: In total, approximately 44.5 billion kronor from the state budget for 2025 will go to the International Aid Expenditure Area. The Riksdag approved the government's proposal in the 2025 budget proposition on how the money within the expenditure area should be distributed. The largest part of the money, just over 42.4 billion kronor, goes to aid activities. Among other appropriations within the expenditure area are, for example, Sida's administrative appropriation and the Folke Bernadotte Academy. The Riksdag also approved the government's proposal regarding authorizations on economic commitments and on repealing certain Riksdag commitments concerning global development policy. At the same time, the Riksdag rejected proposals in motions from the general motion period 2024, including alternative budget proposals. The Riksdag decides on the state budget in two steps. First, the framework for the 27 expenditure areas in the budget is decided. The Riksdag decided this on 27 November 2024. Subsequently, the Riksdag determines in a second step how the money should be distributed within each expenditure area. This decision concerns step two in the decision process.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to retain the policy for global development. (S, V, 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 party programme wants Sweden to participate wholeheartedly in the work of taking people out of poverty and works for debt cancellation, solidarity-based aid and fair trade terms.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme wants Sweden to participate wholeheartedly in the work of taking people out of poverty and works for debt cancellation, solidarity-based aid and fair trade terms. To abolish Parliament's binding constraints on global development policy weakens the collective development responsibility. The counter-proposal's demand to retain the binding constraints therefore lies in the plan's direction.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet vill att Sverige deltar helhjärtat i arbetet med att ta människor ur fattigdom och verkar för skuldavskrivning, solidariskt bistånd och rättvisa handelsvillkor. Att avskaffa riksdagens bindningar för politiken för global utveckling svagar det samlade utvecklingsansvaret. Motförslagets krav på att behålla bindningarna ligger därför i planens riktning.
- wholeheartedly global responsibilitydecisive»Vi vill att Sverige ska vara ett land som deltar helhjärtat i arbetet med« (party programme ↗)“We want Sweden to be a country that participates wholeheartedly in the work of”
- solidarity-based aid»solidariskt bistånd och rättvisa handelsvillkor.« (party programme ↗)“solidarity-based aid and fair trade terms.”
- poverty reduction»gå hand i hand med att ta världen ur fattigdom.« (party programme ↗)“go hand in hand with taking the world out of poverty.”
- reduced global inequality»I en rättvis värld måste den globala ojämlikheten kraftigt minskas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“In a just world, the global inequality must be greatly reduced.”
The party programme binds aid to at least one per cent of gross national income and to broadening the reach of democracy and justice globally, and the election manifesto says that work to reduce poverty must continue.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme binds aid to at least one per cent of gross national income and to broadening the reach of democracy and justice globally, and the election manifesto says that work to reduce poverty must continue. The counter-proposal's demand to retain parliamentary mandates for policy on global development precisely guards this shared development responsibility. The plan does not state a position on parliamentary mandates as an instrument, so the conclusion is derived from the substantive commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet binder biståndet till minst en procent av bruttonationalinkomsten och till att vidga demokratins och rättvisans verkningsradie globalt, och valmanifestet säger att arbetet för att minska fattigdomen måste fortsätta. Motförslagets krav på att behålla riksdagsbindningarna för politiken för global utveckling värnar just detta samlade utvecklingsansvar. Planen uttalar sig inte om riksdagsbindningar som instrument, så ställningstagandet är härlett ur sakåtagandena.
- one-per-cent target for aiddecisive»Det svenska biståndet ska motsvara minst en procent av bruttonationalinkomsten.« (party programme ↗)“Swedish aid shall correspond to at least one per cent of gross national income.”
- continued poverty reduction»Arbetet för att minska fattigdomen måste fortsätta.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work to reduce poverty must continue.”
- the poor's perspective in aid»Fattiga människors perspektiv och kvinnor och barns rättigheter ska vara i centrum.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The perspective of poor people and women and children's rights shall be at the centre.”
- global responsibility through the UN»Vi kommer att fortsätta värna FN:s roll i arbetet för folkrätten och det internationella samarbetet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We will continue to champion the UN's role in work for international law and international cooperation.”
The plan requires that Sweden's development policy is consistent and that the objective of a just and sustainable global development takes precedence over short-term economic interests, which is precisely what the specific parliamentary commitments bind down.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that Sweden's development policy is consistent and that the objective of a just and sustainable global development takes precedence over short-term economic interests, which is precisely what the specific parliamentary commitments bind down. The election manifesto lists the same broad mandate for development cooperation as the counter-proposal wants to preserve. That the commitments are abolished while monitoring is simultaneously thinned out goes therefore against the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att Sveriges utvecklingspolitik är samstämmig och att målet om en rättvis och hållbar global utveckling går före kortsiktiga ekonomiska intressen, vilket är just det åtagande de särskilda riksdagsbindningarna binder fast. Valmanifestet räknar upp samma breda uppdrag för utvecklingssamarbetet som motförslaget vill värna. Att bindningarna avskaffas när uppföljningen samtidigt tunnas ut går därför emot planen.
- consistent development policydecisive»Sveriges utvecklingspolitik ska vara samstämmig.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's development policy shall be consistent.”
- global development before self-interest»Målet om en rättvis och hållbar global utveckling måste gå före kortsiktiga ekonomiska intressen.« (party programme ↗)“The objective of a just and sustainable global development must take precedence over short-term economic interests.”
- broad development mandate»att utvecklingssamarbetet ska bidra till att bekämpa fattigdom, förebygga och hantera klimatförändringarna, bevara och skapa fred, förebygga konflikter, bygga upp demokratiska samhällen och motverka korruption.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that development cooperation shall contribute to combating poverty, preventing and managing climate change, preserving and creating peace, preventing conflicts, building democratic societies and combating corruption.”
The party programme makes peace, human rights and sustainable development the responsibility of the entire world and wants the UN and member states to push for global, binding agreements and effective measures.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme makes peace, human rights and sustainable development the responsibility of the entire world and wants the UN and member states to push for global, binding agreements and effective measures. The counter-proposal's demand to retain the Riksdag binding commitments for global development policy protects precisely that cohesive responsibility line, especially when the follow-up is thinned out. The plan does not, however, address Riksdag binding commitments as an instrument.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet gör fred, mänskliga rättigheter och hållbar utveckling till hela världens ansvar och vill att FN och medlemsstaterna driver på för globala, bindande avtal och effektiva åtgärder. Motförslagets krav att behålla riksdagsbindningarna för politiken för global utveckling värnar just den sammanhållna ansvarslinjen, särskilt när uppföljningen tunnas ut. Planen uttalar sig dock inte om riksdagsbindningar som instrument.
- global development responsibilitydecisive»Fred, skyddet av mänskliga rättigheter och hållbar utveckling är hela världens ansvar.« (party programme ↗)“Peace, the protection of human rights and sustainable development are the responsibility of the entire world.”
- binding global commitments»att driva på för globala, bindande avtal och effektiva åtgärder.« (party programme ↗)“to push for global, binding agreements and effective measures.”
- tradition of global justice»Centerpartiet är byggt av människor med starkt internationellt engagemang, i en tradition av global rättvisa« (party programme ↗)“The Centre Party is built of people with strong international commitment, in a tradition of global justice”
- aid and international cooperation»Samarbetsorganisationer som FN och EU, handelsavtal och bistånd, kan knyta länder närmare varandra« (party programme ↗)“Cooperation organizations such as the UN and the EU, trade agreements and aid, can bring countries closer together”
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's aid line is that democracy should be the overarching goal for development aid, and that aid policy must undergo major reforms with a focus on democracy, equality, and reduced corruption.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's aid line is that democracy should be the overarching goal for development aid, and that aid policy must undergo major reforms with a focus on democracy, equality, and reduced corruption. Maintaining the old parliamentary mandates for the policy for global development is not in line with the rethinking the plan calls for. At the same time, the plan touches on the idea of coherence by wanting to phase out policies that counteract democratic development, which makes the conclusion uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planens biståndslinje är att demokrati ska vara det övergripande målet för utvecklingsbiståndet och att biståndspolitiken måste genomgå stora reformer med fokus på demokrati, jämställdhet och minskad korruption. Att bevara de gamla riksdagsbindningarna för politiken för global utveckling ligger inte i linje med den omprövning planen efterlyser. Planen berör samtidigt tanken på samstämmighet genom att vilja avveckla politik som motverkar demokratisk utveckling, vilket gör slutsatsen osäker.
- democracy as aid goaldecisive»Demokrati ska vara det övergripande målet för utvecklingsbiståndet.« (party programme ↗)“Democracy should be the overarching goal for development aid.”
- reformed aid policy»Den svenska biståndspolitiken måste genomgå stora reformer med fokus på demokrati, jämställdhet och minskad korruption.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish aid policy must undergo major reforms with a focus on democracy, equality, and reduced corruption.”
- shortcomings in today's aid»Samtidigt finns i dag allvarliga problem med bristande öppenhet och korruption med svenska biståndspengar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time, there are today serious problems with lack of transparency and corruption involving Swedish aid money.”
- coherent development policy»Det handlar också om att avveckla politik som motverkar demokratisk utveckling« (party programme ↗)“It is also about phasing out policies that counteract democratic development”
The plan requires clear instruments for governance, coordination and monitoring of aid and a holistic approach to work for global development, where aid is a component in a unified foreign policy.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires clear instruments for governance, coordination and monitoring of aid and a holistic approach to work for global development, where aid is a component in a unified foreign policy. Abolishing the special bindings while coordination and monitoring are thinned out goes against this. The plan therefore speaks for keeping the bindings.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver tydliga instrument för styrning, samordning och uppföljning av biståndet och en helhetssyn på arbetet för global utveckling, där biståndet är en komponent i en sammanhållen utrikespolitik. Att avskaffa de särskilda bindningarna samtidigt som samordning och uppföljning tunnas ut går emot detta. Planen talar därför för att behålla bindningarna.
- clear governance and monitoringdecisive»Det måste finnas tydliga instrument för styrning,« (party programme ↗)“There must be clear instruments for governance,”
- holistic approach in global development»Arbetet för global utveckling kräver en helhetssyn på« (party programme ↗)“Work for global development requires a holistic approach to”
- unified development policy»tillväxt, utan måste vara en komponent i en sammanhållen utrikespolitik till stöd för mänskliga rättigheter« (party programme ↗)“growth, but must be a component in a unified foreign policy to support human rights”
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 wants to reform aid fundamentally, abolish the one-percent target, and direct aid toward the countries and initiatives where it does the most good, with results rather than disbursement targets as the norm.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to reform aid fundamentally, abolish the one-percent target, and direct aid toward the countries and initiatives where it does the most good, with results rather than disbursement targets as the norm. Retaining special Riksdag commitments for global development policy instead locks in an older structure and stands in the way of the reconsideration the plan requires. The party programme also specifies a narrower focus on humanitarian aid, democracy and the rule of law.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill reformera biståndet i grunden, avskaffa enprocentmålet och styra biståndet mot de länder och insatser där det gör störst nytta, med resultat i stället för utbetalningsmål som norm. Att behålla särskilda riksdagsbindningar för politiken för global utveckling låser i stället fast en äldre struktur och står i vägen för den omprövning planen kräver. Partiprogrammet anger dessutom ett smalare fokus på humanitärt bistånd, demokrati och rättsstat.
- focused aiddecisive»Moderaterna vill reformera biståndet och göra det mer fokuserat på de länder och insatser där Sverige kan göra mest nytta.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Moderates want to reform aid and make it more focused on the countries and initiatives where Sweden can do the most good.”
- abolish old commitments»Avskaffa enprocentmålet och ersätta det med en fyraårig budgetram för biståndet som skapar förutsägbarhet och resultatfokus« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Abolish the one-percent target and replace it with a four-year budget framework for aid that creates predictability and results focus”
- results over disbursement targets»Biståndets storlek ska bygga på en bedömning av vilken budget som är rimlig när biståndet ställs mot andra behov, samt utifrån vilka resultat som bedöms kunna uppnås, snarare än på ett utbetalningsmål.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Aid volume shall be based on an assessment of what budget is reasonable when aid is measured against other needs, and based on what results are deemed achievable, rather than on a disbursement target.”
- humanitarian focus»Svensk biståndspolitik ska vara inriktad på humanitärt« (party programme ↗)“Swedish aid policy shall be aimed at humanitarian”
The plan's aid policy commitment is that international aid shall be significantly reduced and efforts shall be made more efficient, in favor of Swedish welfare and security.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's aid policy commitment is that international aid shall be significantly reduced and efforts shall be made more efficient, in favor of Swedish welfare and security. To retain special parliament earmarks for a broad global development policy, with coordination functions and reporting requirements, goes against that line and the general will to scale down unnecessary public spending. According to the plan, foreign policy direction should protect Swedish people's interests.
Original (Swedish)
Planens biståndspolitiska åtagande är att det internationella biståndet kraftigt ska minska och insatserna effektiviseras, till förmån för svensk välfärd och trygghet. Att behålla särskilda riksdagsbindningar för en bred politik för global utveckling, med samordningsfunktioner och rapporteringskrav, går emot den linjen och den allmänna viljan att skala bort onödiga offentliga utgifter. Utrikespolitikens inriktning ska enligt planen värna svenskarnas intressen.
- significantly reduced aiddecisive»Överlag måste det internationella biståndet kraftigt minska och insatserna effektiviseras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Overall, international aid must be significantly reduced and efforts made more efficient.”
- aid down, welfare up»Minska svenskt bistånd till förmån för svensk välfärd och trygghet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce Swedish aid in favor of Swedish welfare and security”
- Swedish interests in foreign policy»Sverigedemokraterna vill att inriktningen av utrikespolitiken i högre utsträckning än idag ska värna svenskarnas intressen på det globala planet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want foreign policy direction to a greater extent than today to protect Swedish people's interests on the global stage.”
- away with unnecessary bureaucracy»Skala bort onödiga utgifter i det offentliga« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Scale down unnecessary spending in the public sector”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:UU2)
- Committee report full text (HC01UU2)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1627 — Utökning av det fackliga biståndet för att bekämpa orättvisor och motverka exploatering av arbetare av Matilda Ernkrans m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1802 — Enprocentsmålet i biståndet av Annika Strandhäll (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1915 — Utgiftsområde 7 Internationellt bistånd av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:2158 — Utgiftsområde 7 Internationellt bistånd av Anna Lasses m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2024/25:2625 — En grön feministisk utvecklings- och biståndspolitik av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:3049 — Utgiftsområde 7 Internationellt bistånd av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:3106 — Utgiftsområde 7 Internationellt bistånd av Morgan Johansson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:3168 — Bistånds- och utvecklingspolitik av Anna Lasses m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2024/25:919 — Bistånd och ideella organisationer av Niklas Sigvardsson m.fl. (S)
- Proposition 2024/25:1 — Budgetpropositionen för 2025
Source: The Swedish Parliament