2022-11-162022/23:KU7 · p.1KUConstitution
Dormant proposal
Final adoption of the pending constitutional amendment on foreign espionage
What's at stake: Adoption would, for the first time, write into the constitution offences for disclosing secret information that damages Sweden's international cooperation, touching on the balance between protecting sensitive security information and the constitutional protection of press and freedom of expression, including journalists' source protection.
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 should give final adoption to the pending constitutional amendment introducing new press- and freedom-of-expression offences linked to espionage-like acts against international cooperation, or whether the proposal should be rejected as an unwarranted restriction on press and freedom of expression.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee shares the government's assessment that protection for secret information within international peace- and security-promoting cooperation needs to be strengthened, and proposes that the Riksdag give final adoption to the pending amendments to the Instrument of Freedom of the Press and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (V, MP)
The reservation holds that the government's case for new press- and freedom-of-expression offences is inadequately substantiated and that the proposals amount to an unwarranted restriction on press and freedom of expression, and therefore wants the Riksdag to reject the pending constitutional amendment.
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: Riksdagen antar slutligt det vilande förslaget i bilaga 2 till lag om ändring i tryckfrihetsförordningen och till lag om ändring i….
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by V, 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: CCenterpartiet
Ja 270–37Ja 249–58
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/21/0/3 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | Yes | Yes 94/0/0/13 | match | confidence: low | derived |
| MP | No | No 0/16/0/2 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: medium | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | Yes | Yes 17/0/0/2 | match | confidence: low | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 60/0/0/8 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | No | Yes 64/0/0/9 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag finally adopts the dormant proposal in Annex 2 to the Act amending the Press Freedom Ordinance and to the Act amending the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen antar slutligt det vilande förslaget i bilaga 2 till lag om ändring i tryckfrihetsförordningen och till lag om ändring i yttrandefrihetsgrundlagen.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag said yes to the government's proposals for amendments to law and constitutional amendments. The constitutional amendments are a so-called dormant proposal, which means that the Riksdag has made a decision on that part at an earlier time. The bills mean, among other things, that foreign espionage, serious foreign espionage and serious unauthorized handling of secret information based on foreign espionage are criminalized and incorporated into the Criminal Code. The Riksdag also said yes to the dormant proposal for amendments to the two constitutional laws the Press Freedom Ordinance and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. The amendments mean, among other things, that foreign espionage as well as the forms of unauthorized handling of secret information and negligence with secret information that are based on foreign espionage also become criminalized as press and freedom of expression crimes. The amendments to the law also involve restrictions on the right to communicate and the right to obtain information, that is the right to communicate and obtain information for publication in constitutionally protected media forms. Since the proposal in certain parts concerns amendments to constitutional laws, it is required that the Riksdag votes in the same way twice and there must be an election between the votes. The first decision on the constitutional proposal was made on 6 April 2022 and then the Riksdag voted yes. After that there has been a Riksdag election. The amendments to the law enter into force on 1 January 2023.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to reject the government's proposals on new criminalization. (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.
According to the programme freedom of expression and the press is one of political democracy's most important foundations, and that right shall be defended, strengthened and deepened – not restricted through new constitutional crimes.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
According to the programme freedom of expression and the press is one of political democracy's most important foundations, and that right shall be defended, strengthened and deepened – not restricted through new constitutional crimes. The right to participate in public debate and scrutinize the powerful is the very purpose of the protection, and the constitutional laws shall value rights. That new crimes shall protect information in international military cooperation does not carry equal weight, because the plan opposes deeper NATO and EU military cooperation.
Original (Swedish)
Yttrande- och tryckfriheten är enligt programmet en av den politiska demokratins viktigaste byggstenar, och den rätten ska försvaras, stärkas och fördjupas – inte begränsas genom nya grundlagsbrott. Rätten att delta i offentlig debatt och granska makthavarna är själva syftet med skyddet, och grundlagarna ska värna rättigheterna. Att nya brott ska skydda uppgifter i internationella militära samarbeten väger inte tyngre, eftersom planen motsätter sig ett fördjupat Nato- och EU-samarbete.
- press and expression freedom fundamentaldecisive»föreningsfriheten, yttrande- och tryckfriheten, offentlighetsprincipen« (party programme ↗)“freedom of association, freedom of expression and of the press, the public access principle”
- rights shall not be restricted»Den rätten ska försvaras, stärkas och fördjupas.« (party programme ↗)“That right shall be defended, strengthened and deepened.”
- scrutiny of the powerful»delta i offentlig debatt, granska makthavarna« (party programme ↗)“participate in public debate, scrutinize the powerful.”
- opposition to military NATO cooperation»Därför är Vänsterpartiet motståndare till Sveriges allt djupare militära samarbete med NATO och EU« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore the Left Party opposes Sweden's ever-deeper military cooperation with NATO and the EU.”
The election manifesto's reorientation of security policy identifies espionage as a threat Sweden must be able to defend itself against, and NATO membership requires that classified information in international cooperation can be protected.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto's reorientation of security policy identifies espionage as a threat Sweden must be able to defend itself against, and NATO membership requires that classified information in international cooperation can be protected. This speaks against the counter-proposal's demand to reject the constitutional amendment. The plan's defence of freedom of the press and expression, including constitutional protection for public service broadcasting, pulls in the opposite direction but is aimed primarily at commercial and political control of the media. Since the plan does not address new press and expression offences at all, the conclusion is uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestets säkerhetspolitiska omläggning pekar ut spionage som ett hot Sverige måste kunna försvara sig mot, och Natomedlemskapet förutsätter att hemliga uppgifter i internationella samarbeten kan skyddas. Det talar mot motförslagets krav att förkasta grundlagsändringen. Planens värn om tryck- och yttrandefriheten, bland annat grundlagsskydd för public service, drar i motsatt riktning men riktas främst mot kommersiell och politisk styrning av medierna. Eftersom planen inte alls berör nya tryck- och yttrandefrihetsbrott är slutsatsen osäker.
- protection against espionagedecisive»Vi måste kunna försvara oss militärt, men också mot hybridattacker, spionage och cyberangrepp.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We must be able to defend ourselves militarily, but also against hybrid attacks, espionage and cyber attacks.”
- security cooperation in NATO»Ett svenskt medlemskap i Nato är den bästa vägen för vårt lands säkerhet och Sverige har därför lämnat in sin medlemsansökan.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A Swedish NATO membership is the best way for our country's security and Sweden has therefore submitted its membership application.”
- constitutional protection for free media»Vi vill grundlagsskydda public service.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to provide constitutional protection for public service broadcasting.”
- freedom of expression as a core value»Demokrati handlar om frihet.« (party programme ↗)“Democracy is about freedom.”
flags: spanning_mellan_sakerhet_och_yttrandefrihet
The election manifesto promises to strengthen freedom of expression and protect the constitution against rapid changes, not to restrict freedom of the press and expression in the constitution.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto promises to strengthen freedom of expression and protect the constitution against rapid changes, not to restrict freedom of the press and expression in the constitution. New press and expression crimes limit the scrutiny and investigative journalism that the plan sees as a prerequisite for democracy, and stand in tension with source protection. The plan therefore supports the demand to reject the pending constitutional bill.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet lovar att förstärka yttrandefriheten och att skydda grundlagen mot snabba förändringar, inte att inskränka tryck- och yttrandefriheten i grundlag. Nya tryck- och yttrandefrihetsbrott begränsar den granskning och grävande journalistik som planen ser som en förutsättning för demokratin, och står i spänning med meddelarfriheten. Planen stöder därför kravet att förkasta det vilande grundlagsförslaget.
- strengthened freedom of expressiondecisive»förstärka yttrandefriheten och stödja oberoende medier i hela landet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen freedom of expression and support independent media throughout the country”
- constitution against hasty changes»skydda Sveriges grundlag mot snabba förändringar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“protect Sweden's constitution against rapid changes”
- investigative journalism needed»Ett demokratiskt samhälle kräver saklig information, aktiv samhällsgranskning och grävande« (party programme ↗)“A democratic society requires factual information, active social scrutiny and investigative”
- openness and source protection»Offentlighetsprincipen och meddelarfriheten måste« (party programme ↗)“The public access principle and source protection must”
The party programme establishes that the constitutionally protected freedoms of expression, print and communication are self-evident and shall be guaranteed, and the election manifesto wants to make it harder to amend the constitution.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that the constitutionally protected freedoms of expression, print and communication are self-evident and shall be guaranteed, and the election manifesto wants to make it harder to amend the constitution. Moreover, press freedom shall be protected and independent media monitoring shall be valued. New press and expression freedom crimes on insufficiently substantiated grounds contradict these commitments, so the plan supports that the pending constitutional proposal is rejected.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att den grundlagsskyddade yttrande-, tryck- och meddelarfriheten är självklar och ska garanteras, och valmanifestet vill göra det svårare att ändra grundlagen. Dessutom ska pressfriheten skyddas och en oberoende mediebevakning värnas. Nya tryck- och yttrandefrihetsbrott på otillräckligt underbyggd grund strider mot dessa åtaganden, varför planen stöder att det vilande grundlagsförslaget förkastas.
- press and expression freedom guaranteeddecisive»För oss är de grundlagsskyddade fri- och rättigheterna, som exempelvis yttrande-, tryck- och meddelarfrihet, självklara och ska garanteras.« (party programme ↗)“For us, the constitutionally protected freedoms and rights, such as freedoms of expression, print and communication, are self-evident and shall be guaranteed.”
- restrictiveness with constitutional amendments»Vi vill göra det svårare att ändra grundlagen, skydda oppositionens ställning i riksdagen och stärka domstolarnas oberoende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to make it harder to amend the constitution, protect the opposition's position in the Riksdag and strengthen the courts' independence.”
- press freedom shall be protected»En allsidig, oberoende och livskraftig mediebevakning i hela landet är avgörande för demokratin. Pressfriheten ska skyddas och oberoende public service försvaras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“All-round, independent and vigorous media monitoring throughout the country is crucial for democracy. Press freedom shall be protected and independent public service defended.”
- proportionality in restrictions»Det måste finnas en proportionalitet mellan lagstiftningens inskränkning av medborgarnas integritet och lagarnas syfte.« (party programme ↗)“There must be proportionality between legislation's restriction of citizens' integrity and the laws' purpose.”
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.
Here it is about writing new press and expression freedom crimes into the Constitution.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
Here it is about writing new press and expression freedom crimes into the Constitution. The party programme's explicit commitment is that the unique Swedish press and expression freedom legislation shall be defended, and the election manifesto wants to strengthen scrutinizing media's independence and a strengthened constitutional protection for freedoms and rights. The plan contains no commitment to criminalizing publishing, hence it speaks for rejecting the pending constitutional bill.
Original (Swedish)
Här handlar det om att skriva in nya tryck- och yttrandefrihetsbrott i grundlagen. Partiprogrammets uttryckliga åtagande är att den unika svenska tryck- och yttrandefrihetslagstiftningen ska försvaras, och valmanifestet vill stärka granskande mediers oberoende och ett förstärkt grundlagsskydd för fri- och rättigheter. Planen innehåller inget åtagande om att kriminalisera publicering, varför den talar för att det vilande grundlagsförslaget förkastas.
- protect press and expression freedomdecisive»Tryck- och yttrandefrihetslagstiftningen har en unik och stark reglering« (party programme ↗)“Press and expression freedom legislation has unique and strong regulation”
- independent scrutinizing media»Mediernas oberoende roll och kritiska granskning är grunden i varje demokrati.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The media's independent role and critical scrutiny are the foundation of every democracy.”
- free dialogue»Det fria samtalet ska värnas genom att stärka oberoendet hos journalistiken, kulturen och civilsamhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Free dialogue shall be protected by strengthening independence of journalism, culture and civil society.”
- strong constitutional protection for rights»Vi vill se ett förstärkt grundlagsskydd för vårt demokratiska statsskick, öka domstolarnas oberoende och verka för en författningsdomstol som ska kunna häva lagar eller bestämmelser som strider mot grundlagsskyddade fri- och rättigheter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to see strengthened constitutional protection for our democratic system of government, increase courts' independence and work for a constitutional court that shall be able to annul laws or provisions that conflict with constitutionally protected freedoms and rights.”
flags: spanning_yttrandefrihet_mot_sakerhetsintresse
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 counter-proposal wants to reject the pending constitutional proposal on new press and freedom of expression offences.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants to reject the pending constitutional proposal on new press and freedom of expression offences. The plan obligates Sweden to engage in international security cooperation and to be able to counter attacks within a broader security concept, which presupposes that confidential information in peace- and security-promoting cooperation can be protected. At the same time, the plan explicitly protects strong protection for freedom of expression and communication and restrictive secrecy, which is why the stance is uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill förkasta det vilande grundlagsförslaget om nya tryck- och yttrandefrihetsbrott. Planen ålägger Sverige att verka i internationell säkerhetssamverkan och att kunna möta angrepp inom ett vidgat säkerhetsbegrepp, vilket förutsätter att hemliga uppgifter i freds- och säkerhetsfrämjande samarbeten kan skyddas. Samtidigt värnar planen uttryckligen ett starkt skydd för yttrande- och meddelarfriheten och en restriktiv sekretess, varför ställningstagandet är osäkert.
- international security cooperationdecisive»Sveriges säkerhetspolitik ska präglas av samarbete, förutseende och helhetslösningar« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's security policy should be characterized by cooperation, foresight and comprehensive solutions”
- broader security concept»möta angrepp från internationell kriminalitet, terrorism, cyberkrigföring, biologiska vapen, kemiska vapen« (party programme ↗)“counter attacks from international crime, terrorism, cyber warfare, biological weapons, chemical weapons”
- strong freedom of expression protection»samt anonymitetsskyddet, liksom för mötes- och före- ningsfriheten, är av stor vikt för en levande demokrati.« (party programme ↗)“as well as anonymity protection, like freedom of assembly and association, is of great importance for a living democracy.”
- restrictive secrecy»Sekretessmöjligheten ska nyttjas restriktivt.« (party programme ↗)“Secrecy possibilities should be used restrictively.”
Worldstate weighed in: Russia's war in Ukraine and heightened security situation in the region — Increases the weight of the plan's requirement to protect confidential information in security cooperation
flags: konflikt_sakerhet_mot_yttrandefrihet, citat_migrerat
The plan makes NATO membership and a high level of ambition as an ally into a supporting line, and wants to strengthen defence intelligence capacity and protection against espionage from foreign powers.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes NATO membership and a high level of ambition as an ally into a supporting line, and wants to strengthen defence intelligence capacity and protection against espionage from foreign powers. This presupposes that classified information in peace and security-promoting cooperation is protected even in the press and freedom of expression foundation laws. The plan simultaneously values press and freedom of expression, but that balance is not sufficient to reject the suspended constitutional proposal. The counter-proposal is rejected.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör Nato-medlemskapet och en hög ambitionsnivå som allierad till en bärande linje, och vill stärka försvarsunderrättelseförmågan och skyddet mot spionage från främmande makt. Det förutsätter att hemliga uppgifter i freds- och säkerhetsfrämjande samarbeten skyddas även i tryck- och yttrandefrihetsgrundlagarna. Planen värnar samtidigt tryck- och yttrandefriheten, men den avvägningen räcker inte för att förkasta det vilande grundlagsförslaget. Motförslaget avvisas.
- strengthened intelligence capacitydecisive»Stärka försvarsunderrättelseförmågan« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen defence intelligence capacity”
- protection against espionage»Ge företag som är engagerade i säkerhetskänslig verksamhet bättre stöd från staten att kunna möta cyberattacker, spionage och stöldförsök från främmande makt« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Give companies engaged in security-sensitive operations better support from the state to meet cyberattacks, espionage and theft attempts by foreign powers”
- NATO membership»Vi välkomnar därför att Sverige ska gå med i Nato, en fråga vi drivit under 20 års tid.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We therefore welcome that Sweden shall join NATO, an issue we have driven for 20 years.”
- protected press and freedom of expression»Stärka det straffrättsliga skyddet för journalister, i syfte att värna tryck- och yttrandefriheten, motverka hot, våld och andra olagliga angrepp mot journalister och medieredaktioner« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the criminal law protection for journalists, with the aim of protecting press and freedom of expression, counter threats, violence and other illegal attacks on journalists and media editorial offices”
flags: motstridiga_atagande_yttrandefrihet
This concerns introducing new print and freedom of expression crimes in the constitutional law.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
This concerns introducing new print and freedom of expression crimes in the constitutional law. The plan's stated commitment is to strengthen the constitutional law's rights protection for freedom of expression and that every journalist and citizen's right to express themselves freely shall be protected and strengthened. An unjustified restriction of print and freedom of expression contradicts that, so the plan supports rejecting the pending constitutional amendment. However, the plan says nothing about precisely espionage-like crimes within international cooperation, which makes the basis weak.
Original (Swedish)
Här handlar det om att införa nya tryck- och yttrandefrihetsbrott i grundlagen. Planens uttalade åtagande är att förstärka grundlagens rättighetsskydd för yttrandefriheten och att varje journalists och medborgares rätt att uttrycka sig fritt ska värnas och stärkas. En omotiverad inskränkning av tryck- och yttrandefriheten står i strid med det, varför planen ger stöd för att förkasta det vilande grundlagsförslaget. Planen säger dock inget om just spionageliknande brott inom internationella samarbeten, vilket gör underlaget svagt.
- strengthened constitutional protection for freedom of expressiondecisive»Förstärka grundlagens rättighetsskydd vad gäller yttrandefrihet, äganderätt och frihet från religion« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the constitutional law's rights protection regarding freedom of expression, property rights and freedom from religion”
- protect free speech»Varje journalists, konstutövares och medborgares rätt att uttrycka sig fritt utan att utsättas för hot eller repressalier ska värnas och stärkas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Every journalist, artist and citizen's right to express themselves freely without being subjected to threats or reprisals shall be protected and strengthened.”
- civil liberties and rights»Varje människa har ett grundläggande och okränkbart värde« (party programme ↗)“Every human being has a fundamental and inviolable value”
- opposing security interest»Rusta Sverige inför en ny säkerhetspolitisk situation i vårt närområde« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prepare Sweden for a new security policy situation in our neighborhood”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:KU7)
- Committee report full text (HA01KU7)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Proposition 2021/22:55 — Utlandsspioneri
Source: The Swedish Parliament