2025-04-232024/25:KrU7 · p.7KrUCulture
The Status of the Swedish Language
The status of the Swedish language in libraries and society
What's at stake: An amended library act could limit libraries' acquisition of literature in languages other than Swedish and the minority languages, while a broad review of linguistic participation could touch on more areas of society than schools and libraries, with consequences for people who find it harder to take full part in society.
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 library act should be amended to strengthen the status of the Swedish language and whether the government should conduct a broad review of how society can increase linguistic participation, or whether current rules and ongoing inquiries are sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee considers that the library act does not need to be amended, since libraries already often offer literature in other languages by established practice, and welcomes ongoing inquiries into the importance of the Swedish language for integration, and therefore rejects the motions calling for a legal change and a broad review.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 12 (C)
The reservation argues that language matters and is needed throughout society, not only in schools and libraries, and that not everyone has the same linguistic opportunities to take full part, and wants the government to carry out a broad review of how society can contribute to greater linguistic participation.
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 12 by C.
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: SSocialdemokraterna
Ja 220–20Ja 127–113
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.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 93/0/0/13 | departs from the planagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| MP | No | Yes 15/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | No 0/20/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Abstain 1/0/61/10 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
Broke with the party line
| SDLars Andersson (SD, Skåne läns södra) | 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 2024/25:1346 by Runar Filper et al. (SD) demand 3 and 2024/25:2958 by Catarina Deremar et al. (C) demand 11.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:1346 av Runar Filper m.fl. (SD) yrkande 3 och 2024/25:2958 av Catarina Deremar m.fl. (C) yrkande 11.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag said no to approximately 60 proposals in motions concerning literature, language and performing arts, among other things referring to already taken measures and ongoing work. The proposals were submitted during the general motion period 2024 and concern, among other things, the conditions of stage art, libraries, the status of the Swedish language, national minority languages and literature.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to conduct a comprehensive review of language policy and linguistic participation in society. (C) — Reservation 12
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 establishes that a strong welfare society shall give everyone language skills and practical opportunities to work and live on the same secure conditions as others, and sees school and public education as democratic infrastructure that builds togetherness.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that a strong welfare society shall give everyone language skills and practical opportunities to work and live on the same secure conditions as others, and sees school and public education as democratic infrastructure that builds togetherness. A broad review of how society can increase linguistic participation serves that commitment, which according to the plan must not stop at school. The plan does not mention any such review, so the position is inferred.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att ett starkt välfärdssamhälle ska ge alla språkkunskaper och praktiska möjligheter att arbeta och leva på samma trygga villkor som andra, och ser skolan och folkbildningen som demokratisk infrastruktur som bygger sammanhållning. En bred översyn av hur samhället kan öka den språkliga delaktigheten tjänar det åtagandet, som enligt planen inte får stanna vid skolan. Planen nämner ingen sådan översyn, varför ställningstagandet är härlett.
- language skills for everyonedecisive»som ger alla språkkunskaper och praktiska möjligheter att arbeta« (party programme ↗)“which gives everyone language skills and practical opportunities to work”
- participation as a democracy question»som kan bygga sammanhållning och stärka förmågan att delta« (party programme ↗)“which can build togetherness and strengthen the ability to participate”
- public education throughout society»Därför är det särskilt viktigt att satsa på och utveckla folkbiblioteken, folkbildningen och public services oberoende ställning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore it is especially important to invest in and develop public libraries, public education and public services' independent position.”
- minority language position»de nationella minoriteternas rättigheter till identitet, språk, kulturarv« (party programme ↗)“the rights of national minorities to identity, language, cultural heritage”
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 makes language a central integration issue: learning good Swedish is decisive, language requirements are introduced in preschool and elderly care with accompanying language education and a language boost for childcare is promised.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto makes language a central integration issue: learning good Swedish is decisive, language requirements are introduced in preschool and elderly care with accompanying language education and a language boost for childcare is promised. A broad review of how society can increase linguistic participation throughout society, not just in schools and libraries, directly addresses this commitment. The role of folk education reinforces the conclusion.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet gör språket till en central integrationsfråga: att lära sig god svenska är avgörande, språkkrav införs i förskola och äldreomsorg med tillhörande språkutbildning och ett språklyft för barnomsorgen utlovas. En bred översyn av hur samhället kan öka den språkliga delaktigheten i hela samhället, inte bara i skola och bibliotek, svarar direkt mot detta åtagande. Folkbildningens roll förstärker slutsatsen.
- Swedish language as keydecisive»Att lära sig god svenska, delta i arbetsmarknadsinsatser och studier är centralt« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Learning good Swedish, participating in labour market initiatives and studies is central”
- language requirements with language education»Vi vill införa språkkrav för anställda inom förskola och äldreomsorg, med möjlighet till språkutbildning för den som inte har tillräckliga kunskaper« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to introduce language requirements for employees in preschool and elderly care, with the possibility of language education for those without sufficient skills”
- language boost in childcare»Vi vill se ett språklyft för barnomsorgen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to see a language boost for childcare”
- folk education for participation»Folkbildning ger stark demokrati och möjligheter till personlig utveckling vid sidan av den formella utbildningen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Folk education provides strong democracy and opportunities for personal development alongside formal education”
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 establishes that all who need it shall be offered high-quality Swedish language instruction and that other mother tongues shall be seen as resources; the election manifesto wants to strengthen the establishment of foreign-born women through SFI combined with practice and vocational training.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that all who need it shall be offered high-quality Swedish language instruction and that other mother tongues shall be seen as resources; the election manifesto wants to strengthen the establishment of foreign-born women through SFI combined with practice and vocational training. A broad review of how society can contribute to increased language inclusion lies in line with this, even though the plan does not mention such a review.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att alla som behöver ska erbjudas högkvalitativ svenskundervisning och att andra modersmål ska ses som resurser; valmanifestet vill stärka etableringen genom SFI kombinerad med praktik och yrkesutbildning. En bred översyn av hur samhället kan bidra till ökad språklig delaktighet ligger i linje med detta, även om planen inte nämner en sådan översyn.
- high-quality Swedish language instructiondecisive»Alla som behöver ska erbjudas en högkvalitativ« (party programme ↗)“All who need it shall be offered high-quality”
- SFI and establishment»stärk utrikesfödda kvinnors etablering genom SFI kombinerad med praktik och yrkesutbildning och jämställda insatser från arbetsförmedlingen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen the establishment of foreign-born women through SFI combined with practice and vocational training and equal efforts from the employment service.”
- multilingualism as a resource»Andra modersmål än svenska ska ses som fördelar« (party programme ↗)“Other mother tongues than Swedish shall be seen as advantages”
- libraries for reading and democracy»stärka biblioteken i deras viktiga arbete för läsning och demokrati.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen libraries in their important work for reading and democracy.”
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 builds on language being the key to participation and requires intensive language studies, Swedish at work and special initiatives for foreign-born women.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan builds on language being the key to participation and requires intensive language studies, Swedish at work and special initiatives for foreign-born women. A broad review of how society outside schools and libraries can contribute to increased linguistic participation aligns with that. The plan therefore supports the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bygger på att språket är nyckeln till delaktighet och kräver intensiva språkstudier, svenska på jobbet och särskilda insatser för utrikes födda kvinnor. En bred översyn av hur samhället utanför skolan och biblioteken kan bidra till ökad språklig delaktighet ligger i linje med det. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- language for participationdecisive»Det kräver intensiva språkstudier, praktik, en effektiv matchning och jobb — inklusive möjligheten att lära sig svenska på jobbet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It requires intensive language studies, practice, effective matching and work — including the opportunity to learn Swedish at work.”
- language and empowerment»Fler utrikes födda kvinnor måste få en chans att jobba, lära sig svenska och till fullo komma in i det svenska samhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More foreign-born women must get a chance to work, learn Swedish and fully enter Swedish society.”
- quick access to language»Att snabbt kunna få tillgång till språk,« (party programme ↗)“To quickly be able to get access to language,”
- language education in integration»Integrationen ska präglas av intensiv praktik och språkutbildning, med hårt arbete och höga förväntningar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Integration shall be characterised by intensive practice and language education, with hard work and high expectations.”
The election manifesto makes the Swedish language the key to Sweden because inadequate language skills perpetuate exclusion, and the party programme establishes Swedish as the society-bearing language while authorities shall provide important information in the largest immigrant languages.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto makes the Swedish language the key to Sweden because inadequate language skills perpetuate exclusion, and the party programme establishes Swedish as the society-bearing language while authorities shall provide important information in the largest immigrant languages. Linguistic participation throughout society, not just in schools and libraries, is thus the plan's own line. A comprehensive review of how society can increase that participation is therefore supported.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet gör svenska språket till nyckeln till Sverige eftersom bristande språkkunskaper permanentar utanförskap, och partiprogrammet slår fast svenskan som samhällsbärande språk samtidigt som myndigheter ska tillhandahålla viktig information på de största invandrarspråken. Språklig delaktighet i hela samhället, inte bara i skolan och på biblioteken, är alltså planens egen linje. En bred översyn av hur samhället kan öka den delaktigheten stöds därför.
- language as the key to integrationdecisive»Svenska språket är nyckeln till Sverige. Bristande språkkunskaper permanentar utanförskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Swedish language is the key to Sweden. Inadequate language skills perpetuate exclusion.”
- Swedish as the society-bearing language»Svenska är och ska vara det samhällsbärande språket.« (party programme ↗)“Swedish is and shall be the society-bearing language.”
- multilingual government information»tillhandahålla viktig information på de största invandrarspråken.« (party programme ↗)“provide important information in the largest immigrant languages.”
- responsibility and right to Swedish»Den som är nyanländ har både ansvar och rättighet att skaffa sig kunskaper i svenska.« (party programme ↗)“Those newly arrived have both responsibility and the right to acquire knowledge of Swedish.”
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 identifies knowledge of the Swedish language as one of the keys to integration and requires that immigrants are guaranteed good opportunities for teaching in Swedish and about Swedish society.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan identifies knowledge of the Swedish language as one of the keys to integration and requires that immigrants are guaranteed good opportunities for teaching in Swedish and about Swedish society. It also wants the Swedish language's position as majority language to be protected in the constitution. A broad review of how society can contribute to increased linguistic participation follows from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen pekar ut kunskap i svenska språket som en av nycklarna till integration och kräver att invandrare garanteras goda möjligheter till undervisning i svenska och om det svenska samhället. Den vill dessutom att svenskans ställning som majoritetsspråk grundlagsskyddas. En bred översyn av hur samhället kan bidra till ökad språklig delaktighet följer av dessa åtaganden.
- language as key to integrationdecisive»Jobb, kunskap i svenska språket och det civila samhället är viktiga nycklar till integration.« (party programme ↗)“Work, knowledge of the Swedish language and civil society are important keys to integration.”
- teaching in Swedish»undervisning i svenska språket och om det svenska« (party programme ↗)“teaching in the Swedish language and about Swedish”
- Swedish language position»det svenska språket, vars ställning som majoritetsspråk bör vara grundlagsskyddat.« (party programme ↗)“the Swedish language, whose position as majority language should be constitutionally protected.”
- improved integration»FÖRBÄTTRAD INTEGRATION« (2022 manifesto ↗)“IMPROVED INTEGRATION”
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 makes the Swedish language a central social policy issue far beyond school: language requirements for permanent residence and citizenship, language requirements for staff in healthcare and elderly care and early interventions in preschool.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes the Swedish language a central social policy issue far beyond school: language requirements for permanent residence and citizenship, language requirements for staff in healthcare and elderly care and early interventions in preschool. The counter-proposal's demand for a broad review of how society can increase language participation is in line with that stance. The plan states that the Swedish language is one of the most important measures against segregation.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör det svenska språket till en central samhällsfråga långt utanför skolan: språkkrav för permanent uppehållstillstånd och medborgarskap, språkkrav för personal i vård och äldreomsorg och tidiga insatser i förskolan. Motförslagets krav på en bred översyn av hur samhället kan öka den språkliga delaktigheten ligger i linje med den hållningen. Planen slår fast att svenska språket är en av de viktigaste åtgärderna mot segregation.
- Swedish language breaks segregationdecisive»De enskilt viktigaste åtgärderna för att bryta segregationen handlar om kvaliteten i undervisningen och det svenska språket.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The single most important measures to break segregation are about the quality of teaching and the Swedish language.”
- language requirements in society»Kräva grundläggande kunskaper i svenska för permanent uppehållstillstånd och medborgarskap« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Require basic knowledge of Swedish for permanent residence and citizenship”
- language requirements in work»Införa språkkrav för personal inom vård och äldreomsorg« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce language requirements for staff in healthcare and elderly care”
- early language interventions»Införa obligatorisk språkförskola för barn som visar en bristande språkutveckling« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce mandatory language preschool for children showing inadequate language development”
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 makes the Swedish language the key to participation in society: newly arrived immigrants should be met with normative social information, welfare should be provided in pace with language learning and language requirements should be introduced in home care and elderly care.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes the Swedish language the key to participation in society: newly arrived immigrants should be met with normative social information, welfare should be provided in pace with language learning and language requirements should be introduced in home care and elderly care. A comprehensive review of how society can increase linguistic participation is in line with this, even though the plan does not mention any such review.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör svenska språket till nyckeln för delaktighet i samhället: nyanlända ska mötas av normerande samhällsinformation, välfärden ska ges i takt med språkinlärning och språkkrav ska införas inom hemtjänst och äldreomsorg. En bred översyn av hur samhället kan öka den språkliga delaktigheten ligger i linje med detta, även om planen inte nämner någon sådan översyn.
- normative social informationdecisive»Den som är ny i Sverige ska mötas av tydligt normerande samhällsinformation som förklarar vad som krävs för att passa in och lyckas i Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Anyone who is new to Sweden should be met with clear normative social information that explains what is required to fit in and succeed in Sweden.”
- welfare in pace with language learning»nyanlända få del av välfärden i takt med språkinlärning, arbete och slutligen medborgarskap« (2022 manifesto ↗)“newly arrived immigrants receive welfare in pace with language learning, work and finally citizenship”
- language requirements in welfare»Införa språkkrav för personal inom hemtjänsten och äldreomsorgen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce language requirements for staff in home care and elderly care.”
- Swedish language prioritized»Prioritera svenska språket inom barnomsorgen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prioritize the Swedish language in childcare”
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.
Share and embed
Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:KrU7)
- Committee report full text (HC01KrU7)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1072 — Inrättande av en nationell Astrid Lindgren-dag av Gudrun Brunegård (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1076 — Förlägga offentliggörande av Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (Alma) till Astrid Lindgrens stad Vimmerby av Gudrun Brunegård (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:128 — Fortsatta satsningar på blåsmusiken av Tomas Eneroth (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1288 — Teckenspråk av Carita Boulwén (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1301 — Skandinavisk språkförståelse av Runar Filper (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1336 — Mediefrågor av Alexander Christiansson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1341 — Friluftsliv för folkhälsan av Anna-Lena Hedberg m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1345 — Det svenska språkets bevarande av Runar Filper m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1346 — Bibliotek i tradition och förnyelse av Runar Filper m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1348 — Scenkonst av Anna-Lena Hedberg m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1417 — Svenskt kulturarv av Runar Filper m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1421 — Nationella minoriteter och urfolk i Sverige av Michael Rubbestad m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:152 — Offentliga satsningar på musik av Mirja Räihä och Per-Arne Håkansson (båda S)
- Motion 2024/25:1737 — Flytt av Sveriges ambassad i Israel av Mikael Oscarsson och Magnus Oscarsson (båda KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1745 — Politik för minoriteter av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1747 — Politik för sverigefinländarna av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1754 — Politik för samer av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1774 — Stärkt kulturpolitik - stärkt demokrati av Mats Berglund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1932 — Språk och litteratur av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:1935 — Åtgärder för de nationella minoriteterna och minoritetsspråken av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
Source: The Swedish Parliament