2024-04-242023/24:CU9 · p.2CUCivil law & housing
Gender-Neutral Parenthood Legislation
A gender-neutral Parental Code
What's at stake: A gender-neutral Parental Code would replace the current terms mother, father, and parent under chapter 1, section 9 with a single unified concept of parent and merge provisions that today are regulated in separate sections, with particular relevance for same-sex and other families whose parenthood is currently handled differently depending on gender.
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 promptly bring a bill to parliament for a gender-neutral Parental Code, or whether the ongoing preparatory work within government should continue without such a statement.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that a government inquiry has proposed a clearer, more unified and gender-neutral Parental Code, but that the proposals are still being processed within government together with other parenthood questions and in light of ongoing EU discussions on private international law rules on parenthood. The committee does not want to pre-empt that process and therefore rejects the motions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (MP)
The reservation (MP) wants the government to promptly bring a bill to parliament for a gender-neutral Parental Code, pointing out that the inquiry's proposal to replace mother, father, and parent under chapter 1, section 9 with the unified concept of parent has already been out for consultation and that the consultation period closed more than a year ago.
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 MP.
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: LLiberalerna, MModeraterna, VVänsterpartiet
Ja 291–16Ja 196–111
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 | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | Yes 92/0/0/14 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/16/0/2 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 22/0/0/2 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 15/0/0/1 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 17/0/0/2 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | Yes | Yes 63/0/0/9 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2023/24:921 by Ulrika Westerlund et al. (MP) item 1 and 2023/24:1054 by Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S) items 1 and 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:921 av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP) yrkande 1 och 2023/24:1054 av Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S) yrkandena 1 och 2.
Riksdag decision: Parliament voted against 130 proposals in motions about family law from the general motion period of 2023. Among other things, parliament refers to the fact that work is already underway on the issues that the proposals address. The proposals deal, among other things, with a gender-neutral parenthood code, the number of custodial parents for a child, legal assistance for children, and certain questions about custody, residence, and contact in cases of domestic violence.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the parent law to become gender-neutral by replacing the terms 'mother' and 'father' with 'parent'. (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 requires that family law treats everyone equally and that no special treatment of homosexual, bisexual and transgender people can be accepted.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that family law treats everyone equally and that no special treatment of homosexual, bisexual and transgender people can be accepted. A gender-neutral regulation of parenthood with a unified concept is precisely such equal treatment. The plan also puts the children's best interests first, which speaks for introducing the bill without further delay. The plan supports the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att familjerätten behandlar alla lika och att ingen särbehandling av homosexuella, bisexuella och transpersoner kan accepteras. En könsneutral reglering av föräldraskap med ett enhetligt begrepp är precis en sådan likabehandling. Planen sätter dessutom barnens bästa främst, vilket talar för att lagförslaget läggs fram utan ytterligare dröjsmål. Planen stöder kravet.
- equal family lawdecisive»Det innebär till exempel att äktenskapslagstiftning, arvsrätt och familjerätt ska behandla alla lika.« (party programme ↗)“This means for example that marriage legislation, inheritance law and family law shall treat everyone equally.”
- no special treatment of LGBTQ+ people»Ingen diskriminering eller särbehandling av homosexuella, bisexuella, transpersoner och queer-personer (hbtq) kan accepteras i ett demokratiskt samhälle.« (party programme ↗)“No discrimination or special treatment of homosexual, bisexual, transgender and queer people (LGBTQ+) can be accepted in a democratic society.”
- the child's best interests first»Vänsterpartiets politik ska utformas så att barnens bästa kommer i första rummet.« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party's policy shall be designed so that the best interests of children come first.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The programme's goal is a society without patriarchy and without homophobia and transphobia, with equal rights and equal responsibility for women and men in family life.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The programme's goal is a society without patriarchy and without homophobia and transphobia, with equal rights and equal responsibility for women and men in family life. A unified, gender-neutral regulation of parenthood in the Parenthood Code is a direct application of that principle. The Convention on the Rights of the Child's requirement that the child's best interests be considered also speaks for making the regulation comprehensive and clear.
Original (Swedish)
Programmets mål är ett samhälle utan patriarkat och utan homo- och transfobi, med lika rätt och lika ansvar för kvinnor och män i familjelivet. En enhetlig, könsneutral reglering av föräldraskap i föräldrabalken är en direkt tillämpning av den principen. Barnkonventionens krav på att barnets bästa beaktas talar också för att regleringen görs heltäckande och tydlig.
- society without homophobia and transphobiadecisive»klasskillnader, patriarkat, rasism eller homo- och transfobi, ett samhälle utan fördomar och« (party programme ↗)“class differences, patriarchy, racism or homophobia and transphobia, a society without prejudice and”
- equal rights in family and working life»Män och kvinnor måste få lika rätt till egen försörjning och ett utvecklande yrkesliv.« (party programme ↗)“Men and women must have equal rights to their own livelihood and a fulfilling working life.”
- the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the child's best interests»Alla barn ska ha rätt till en trygg uppväxt i enlighet med FN:s barnkonvention. Barnens« (party programme ↗)“All children shall have the right to a safe upbringing in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children's”
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 requires that family policy be made gender-neutral and that rights be strengthened for rainbow families, that is, all different types of families.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto requires that family policy be made gender-neutral and that rights be strengthened for rainbow families, that is, all different types of families. The party programme establishes that society should be adapted to different family constellations and that everyone should have equal rights regardless of gender and gender identity. A swift legislative proposal on gender-neutral parenthood regulation follows directly from this.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver att familjepolitiken görs könsneutral och att rättigheterna stärks för stjärnfamiljer, det vill säga alla olika typer av familjer. Partiprogrammet slår fast att samhället ska vara anpassat till olika familjekonstellationer och att alla ska ha lika rättigheter oavsett kön och könsidentitet. Ett skyndsamt lagförslag om en könsneutral föräldraskapsreglering följer direkt av detta.
- gender-neutral family policydecisive»anpassa familjepolitiken så att den blir könsneutral och stärka rättigheterna för stjärnfamiljer, det vill säga alla olika typer av familjer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“adapt family policy so that it becomes gender-neutral and strengthen rights for rainbow families, that is, all different types of families.”
- different family constellations»Samhället ska vara anpassat till olika« (party programme ↗)“Society should be adapted to different”
- gender identity in legislation»stärka transpersoners rättigheter genom en ny könstillhörighetslag, och införa ett tredje juridiskt kön.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen transgender people's rights through a new gender law, and introduce a third legal gender.”
- equal rights regardless of gender»Alla ska åtnjuta lika rättigheter och möjligheter« (party programme ↗)“Everyone should enjoy equal rights and opportunities”
The party programme states that the party combats all structures that oppress or discriminate, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, and the election manifesto wants to strengthen the anti-discrimination provision and minority protection.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that the party combats all structures that oppress or discriminate, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, and the election manifesto wants to strengthen the anti-discrimination provision and minority protection. Gender-neutral and uniform regulation of parenthood follows from that principle of equal treatment and from the fact that children's rights should weigh most heavily. The plan also wants to adapt family policy to today's family constellations.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att partiet bekämpar alla strukturer som förtrycker eller diskriminerar, oavsett kön, sexuell läggning eller könsidentitet, och valmanifestet vill stärka diskrimineringsförbudet och minoritetsskyddet. En könsneutral och enhetlig reglering av föräldraskap följer av den likabehandlingsprincipen och av att barnens rättigheter ska väga tyngst. Planen vill dessutom anpassa familjepolitiken till dagens familjekonstellationer.
- equal treatment regardless of genderdecisive»Vi bekämpar alla strukturer, formella och informella, som förtrycker eller diskriminerar människor.« (party programme ↗)“We combat all structures, formal and informal, that oppress or discriminate against people.”
- strengthened anti-discrimination provision»Vi vill stärka bland annat äganderätten, diskrimineringsförbudet, minoritetsskyddet och minoritetsspråkens ställning, och grundlagsskydda rätten till abort och reproduktiv hälsa.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to strengthen, among other things, property rights, anti-discrimination provision, minority protection and the status of minority languages, and provide constitutional protection for the right to abortion and reproductive health.”
- child's rights»Av största betydelse är då barnens rättigheter och perspektiv.« (party programme ↗)“Of greatest importance are then children's rights and perspective.”
- modern family legislation»Därför vill vi reformera föräldraförsäkringen för en mer jämställd, enkel och tydlig föräldraförsäkring anpassad till vårt moderna samhälle och arbetsliv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore, we want to reform parental insurance for a more equal, simple and clear parental insurance adapted to our modern society and working life.”
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 states that everyone has the same right to respect for their family life and that no laws may disadvantage anyone with regard to sexual orientation or gender identity, and that the same-sex family should be recognised fully.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that everyone has the same right to respect for their family life and that no laws may disadvantage anyone with regard to sexual orientation or gender identity, and that the same-sex family should be recognised fully. The election manifesto also wants to make it easier to recognise parenthood in more family constellations. Gender-neutral regulation of parenthood is thereby the plan's own line.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att alla ska ha samma rätt till respekt för sitt familjeliv och att inga lagar får missgynna någon med avseende på sexuell läggning eller könsidentitet, samt att den samkönade familjen ska erkännas fullt ut. Valmanifestet vill dessutom underlätta erkännande av föräldraskap i fler familjekonstellationer. En könsneutral reglering av föräldraskap är därmed planens egen linje.
- no disadvantaging lawsdecisive»Alla ska ha samma rätt till respekt för sitt privat- och familjeliv. Inga lagar får missgynna personer« (party programme ↗)“Everyone has the same right to respect for their private and family life. No laws may disadvantage persons”
- recognise the same-sex family»för EU-samarbetet ska erkänna den samkönade familjen fullt ut.« (party programme ↗)“for EU cooperation should recognise the same-sex family fully.”
- recognise more parents»Vi vill möjliggöra altruistiskt värdmödraskap här i Sverige och underlätta för de par som i utlandet använder värdmödraskap att i här i Sverige erkännas som barnets föräldrar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to enable altruistic surrogacy here in Sweden and make it easier for those couples who abroad use surrogacy to here in Sweden be recognised as the child's parents.”
- equal rights for LGBTQI persons»Sverige ska vara världens bästa land att leva i som hbtqi-person.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden should be the world's best country to live in as an LGBTQI person.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The party programme stipulates that family forms other than mother, father and child shall have the same respect and support, and advocates a unified civil marriage law that applies equally to same-sex and different-sex couples.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme stipulates that family forms other than mother, father and child shall have the same respect and support, and advocates a unified civil marriage law that applies equally to same-sex and different-sex couples. Uniform and gender-neutral regulation of parenthood is the same kind of equal treatment transferred to the parenthood act. The plan at the same time requires that the child's right to knowledge of their origins is protected.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att andra familjebildningar än mamma, pappa och barn ska ha samma respekt och stöd, och förordar redan en civilrättslig giftermålsbalk som gäller lika för olikkönade och samkönade par. En enhetlig och könsneutral reglering av föräldraskap är samma slags likabehandling överförd till föräldrabalken. Planen kräver samtidigt att barnets rätt till kännedom om sitt ursprung värnas.
- equal respect for different familiesdecisive»familjebildningar som ska ha samma respekt och stöd« (party programme ↗)“family forms that shall have the same respect and support”
- gender-neutral civil law regulation»samkönade par och som erbjuder den tryggaste juridiska formen för samlevnad« (party programme ↗)“same-sex couples and which offers the safest legal form for cohabitation”
- the child's right to their origins»Varje barn har rätt till kännedom om sitt ursprung« (party programme ↗)“Every child has the right to knowledge of their origins”
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 explicitly promises that all family law shall be gender-neutral and notes that family policy is not modern relative to how people today form families.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly promises that all family law shall be gender-neutral and notes that family policy is not modern relative to how people today form families. The counter-proposal's demand that a legislative proposal on gender-neutral regulation of parenthood be laid forward immediately is precisely this commitment. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet lovar uttryckligen att all familjelagstiftning ska vara könsneutral och konstaterar att familjepolitiken inte är tidsenlig i förhållande till hur människor i dag bildar familj. Motförslagets krav på att ett lagförslag om könsneutral reglering av föräldraskap läggs fram snarast är precis detta åtagande. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- gender-neutral family lawdecisive»Se till att all familjelagstiftning är könsneutral« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ensure that all family law is gender-neutral”
- family policy needs modernisation»Samtidigt är familjepolitiken inte tidsenlig och utformad utifrån hur människor idag väljer att bilda familj och leva sina liv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time, family policy is not modern and is designed based on how people today choose to form families and live their lives.”
- equal right to form a family»I Sverige ska du kunna leva ett fritt liv, och öppet kunna visa din kärlek, bilda familj och få ett tryggt bemötande av det offentliga, oavsett vilken sexuell läggning du har.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“In Sweden you should be able to live a free life, and openly show your love, form a family and get respectful treatment from the public, regardless of your sexual orientation.”
- modernised family formation»Verka för att altruistiskt surrogatmoderskap ska vara möjligt i Sverige« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for altruistic surrogacy to be possible in Sweden”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The party programme proceeds from the assumption that it is best for most children to grow up with their biological parents and that the nuclear family has the best conditions, and the election manifesto opposes pedagogy aimed at erasing gender differences.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme proceeds from the assumption that it is best for most children to grow up with their biological parents and that the nuclear family has the best conditions, and the election manifesto opposes pedagogy aimed at erasing gender differences. A gender-neutral parental code that replaces mother and father with a uniform concept goes in the opposite direction. The plan simultaneously establishes equal rights for sexual minorities, which qualifies but does not reverse the position.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet utgår från att det bästa för de flesta barn är att växa upp med sina biologiska föräldrar och att kärnfamiljen har de bästa förutsättningarna, och valmanifestet vänder sig mot en pedagogik inriktad på att sudda ut könstillhörighetsskillnader. En könsneutral föräldrabalk som ersätter mor och far med ett enhetligt begrepp går i motsatt riktning. Planen slår samtidigt fast lika rättigheter för sexuella minoriteter, vilket kvalificerar men inte vänder ställningstagandet.
- biological parents as starting pointdecisive»att få växa upp med sina biologiska föräldrar.« (party programme ↗)“to grow up with their biological parents.”
- the nuclear family as norm»oftast har bäst grundförutsättningar att ge barnen en stabil och trygg uppväxtmiljö.« (party programme ↗)“most often have the best basic conditions to provide children a stable and secure upbringing.”
- against erased gender differences»Genuspedagogik som den ser ut idag ska inte användas eftersom den i hög grad är inriktad på utsuddande av könstillhörighetsskillnader.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Gender pedagogy as it appears today should not be used because it is highly aimed at erasing gender differences.”
- equal rights for sexual minorities»samma rättigheter och skyldigheter som andra.« (party programme ↗)“the same rights and duties as others.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:CU9)
- Committee report full text (HB01CU9)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:104 — Adoptionsrelaterade frågor av Nadja Awad m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:1053 — Arvode till vigselförrättare av Gunilla Carlsson och Dzenan Cisija (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1054 — Könsneutral föräldrabalk av Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1072 — Internationell solidaritet - en stark röst för hbtq-plus-personers rättigheter av Anna Wallentheim och Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1116 — Avskaffande av laglotten av Boriana Åberg (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1230 — Arvode till vigselförrättare av Ulrika Heie (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1295 — Registrering av testamente av Malin Larsson och Peter Hedberg (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1374 — Ändring i föräldrabalken avseende beräkning av arvode för god man/förvaltare av Torsten Elofsson (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1378 — Införande av registrering av testamenten och framtidsfullmakter av Ingemar Kihlström (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1475 — Uppdaterade regler för överförmyndare och gode män av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1477 — Förlorad vårdnad vid mord av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1641 — Separerande av vigsel och välsignelse av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1672 — Våldsutövande föräldrar av Azadeh Rojhan och Alexandra Völker (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1678 — Kvinnor som lever gömda av Alexandra Völker och Azadeh Rojhan (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1735 — Ekonomiskt våld av Robert Hannah m.fl. (L)
- Motion 2023/24:1836 — Barns rätt till eget ombud i vårdnadstvister av Ida Ekeroth Clausson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1895 — Fler än två vårdnadshavare av Yasmine Bladelius och Anna Wallentheim (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:2045 — Skyndsamt införande av tidsgräns för bodelning av Sanne Lennström m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2073 — Mäns våld mot kvinnor och våld i nära relationer av Michael Rubbestad m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2212 — Borgerlig vigselförrättare av Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson och Ulrika Heindorff (båda M)
Source: The Swedish Parliament