2025-04-092024/25:KU23 · p.7KUConstitution
Agency activism and opinion-forming activities
Public agencies' opinion-forming activities and the boundary of agency activism
What's at stake: The decision affects where the line is drawn between agencies' information mandate and activity that could be perceived as opinion-forming, which matters for public trust in the objectivity and impartiality of government agencies.
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 work to ensure that agencies and their employees refrain from opinion-forming activity in their official capacity, for example through clearer letters of appropriation, or whether current requirements of objectivity and impartiality are sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee maintains its earlier assessment and rejects the motions on agency activism and opinion-forming activity, without giving new reasons.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 7 (SD)
The dissenter (SD) believes agencies should not engage in opinion-forming activity that in practice spreads a political agenda, even if it may appear educational or informative on the surface, and wants the government to work to ensure agencies and their employees refrain from such activity, including through clearer letters of appropriation.
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 7 by SD.
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 | Yes | Yes 20/0/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 92/1/0/13 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | Yes | Yes 19/0/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | No 0/62/0/10 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
Broke with the party line
| SOlle Thorell (S, Västmanlands län) | No — party line: Yes |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2024/25:207 by Josef Fransson (SD) amendment 3, 2024/25:211 by Josef Fransson (SD), 2024/25:221 by Josef Fransson (SD) amendment 1, 2024/25:1098 by Helena Storckenfeldt and Lars Püss (both M) amendment 1, 2024/25:1380 by Matheus Enholm et al. (SD) amendments 1 and 3 as well as 2024/25:2735 by Sten Bergheden (M).
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:207 av Josef Fransson (SD) yrkande 3, 2024/25:211 av Josef Fransson (SD), 2024/25:221 av Josef Fransson (SD) yrkande 1, 2024/25:1098 av Helena Storckenfeldt och Lars Püss (båda M) yrkande 1, 2024/25:1380 av Matheus Enholm m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 1 och 3 samt 2024/25:2735 av Sten Bergheden (M).
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected approximately 60 proposals on public administration in motions from the general motion period 2024. The reason is, among other things, that work is already underway and measures have been taken in the areas covered by the proposals. The proposals address, among other things, the promotion of democracy, state employment, corruption and the protection of decision-makers.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to prevent authorities and their employees from conducting opinion-forming activities. (SD) — Reservation 7
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 warns of a time when right-wing populist forces attempt to control information and content ever more strongly, and instead pushes for strong independence for adult education, media and cultural life.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan warns of a time when right-wing populist forces attempt to control information and content ever more strongly, and instead pushes for strong independence for adult education, media and cultural life. Binding authorities through regulation letters away from enlightenment activities is precisely such political control of content. The plan wants plenty of space for popular discussions and protects the independence of adult education and public services.
Original (Swedish)
Planen varnar för en tid då högerpopulistiska krafter försöker styra information och innehåll allt hårdare, och driver tvärtom på för stark självständighet för folkbildning, medier och kulturliv. Att via regleringsbrev binda myndigheter från upplysande verksamhet är just en sådan politisk styrning av innehåll. Planen vill ha gott om utrymmen för folkliga diskussioner och värnar folkbildningens och public services oberoende.
- against political content controldecisive»Vi lever i en tid då högerpopulistiska krafter försöker styra information och innehåll allt hårdare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We live in a time when right-wing populist forces attempt to control information and content ever more strongly.”
- independent adult education»Vi driver på för villkor som säkrar en stark självständighet för medier, fackföreningar, folkbildning, konst,« (party programme ↗)“We push for conditions that ensure strong independence for media, trade unions, adult education, arts,”
- independent adult education»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, adult education and public services' independent position.”
- space for popular discussion»Det behövs gott om utrymmen för folkliga politiska diskussioner som kan mynna ut i genomtänkta beslut.« (party programme ↗)“There is a need for plenty of space for popular political discussions that can result in well-considered decisions.”
The party programme establishes that political responsibility can never be handed over to unelected officials, that the division of responsibility between politics and administration shall become clearer and that authorities shall observe impartiality and non-partisanship.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that political responsibility can never be handed over to unelected officials, that the division of responsibility between politics and administration shall become clearer and that authorities shall observe impartiality and non-partisanship. This speaks for the counter-proposal's demand that authorities shall not drive political opinion formation. Simultaneously, the employees' right to free speech and whistleblower protection must not be restricted, which makes the assessment uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att det politiska ansvaret aldrig kan överlämnas till icke valda ämbetsmän, att ansvarsfördelningen mellan politik och förvaltning ska bli tydligare och att myndigheterna ska iaktta saklighet och opartiskhet. Det talar för motförslagets krav att myndigheter inte ska driva politisk opinionsbildning. Samtidigt får de anställdas yttrande- och meddelarfrihet inte inskränkas, vilket gör bedömningen osäker.
- politics bears responsibilitydecisive»ansvaret kan aldrig överlämnas till icke valda ämbetsmän.« (party programme ↗)“responsibility can never be handed over to unelected officials.”
- impartiality and non-partisanship»beakta allas likhet inför lagen och iaktta saklighet och opartiskhet.« (party programme ↗)“observe everyone's equality before the law and maintain impartiality and non-partisanship.”
- clearer division of responsibility»måste ansvarsfördelningen mellan politik och förvaltning bli tydligare« (party programme ↗)“the division of responsibility between politics and administration must become clearer”
- whistleblower protection for employees»De anställdas yttrande- och meddelarfrihet får inte« (party programme ↗)“The employees' right to free speech and whistleblower protection must not”
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 is built on the premise that a democratic society requires factual information and active public scrutiny, believes in public education and wants public institutions to have an open and proactive role in society.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan is built on the premise that a democratic society requires factual information and active public scrutiny, believes in public education and wants public institutions to have an open and proactive role in society. Using governing letters to ensure that government agencies refrain from educational and public education activities regarded as opinion-forming would restrict this. Therefore the plan speaks against the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bygger på att ett demokratiskt samhälle kräver saklig information och aktiv samhällsgranskning, tror på folkbildning och vill att offentliga institutioner har en öppen och pådrivande roll i samhället. Att via regleringsbrev se till att myndigheter avstår från upplysande och folkbildande verksamhet som betraktas som opinionsbildning skulle inskränka detta. Därför talar planen mot kravet.
- factual information and scrutinydecisive»Ett demokratiskt samhälle kräver saklig information, aktiv samhällsgranskning och grävande« (party programme ↗)“A democratic society requires factual information, active public scrutiny and investigative journalism”
- open and proactive role»Högskolan ska ha en öppen och pådrivande roll i« (party programme ↗)“Higher education shall have an open and proactive role in”
- public education»Vi tror på folkbildningen och det livslånga lärandet.« (party programme ↗)“We believe in public education and lifelong learning.”
- strengthened freedom of expression»förstärka yttrandefriheten och stödja oberoende medier i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen freedom of expression and support independent media throughout the country.”
The plan states that politics should maintain a distance and that independent institutions, media and places of learning should stand strong regardless of political control.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that politics should maintain a distance and that independent institutions, media and places of learning should stand strong regardless of political control. The counter-proposal wants to direct what authorities may speak about through clearer letters of regulation, which is precisely the kind of political control the plan wants to keep out. The plan shares the view that the state should stick to its tasks, but on balance speaks against the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att politiken ska hålla armlängds avstånd och att oberoende institutioner, medier och lärosäten ska stå starka oavsett politiskt styre. Motförslaget vill styra vad myndigheter får uttala sig om genom tydligare regleringsbrev, vilket är just sådan politisk styrning planen vill hålla borta. Planen delar synen att staten ska hålla sig till sina uppgifter, men talar sammantaget emot kravet.
- arm's length distancedecisive»Politiken ska bidra till goda förutsättningar men hålla armlängds avstånd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Politics should contribute to good conditions but maintain a distance.”
- independent institutions»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 change the constitution, protect the opposition's position in parliament and strengthen the independence of the courts.”
- independent scrutiny»En allsidig, oberoende och livskraftig mediebevakning i hela landet är avgörande för demokratin.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Comprehensive, independent and vigorous media monitoring throughout the country is crucial for democracy.”
- limited state power»Staten är till för människan, inte tvärtom.« (party programme ↗)“The state is for the people, not the other way around.”
The plan draws a clear line for public power and wants the state to govern less, while free speech is valued through independent journalism, culture and civil society.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan draws a clear line for public power and wants the state to govern less, while free speech is valued through independent journalism, culture and civil society. That authorities refrain from opinion formation that spreads a political agenda follows from that principle. The plan does not directly address agencies' information mandate, so the certainty is low.
Original (Swedish)
Planen drar en tydlig gräns för den offentliga makten och vill att staten ska styra mindre, samtidigt som det fria samtalet värnas genom oberoende journalistik, kultur och civilsamhälle. Att myndigheter avstår från opinionsbildning som sprider en politisk agenda följer av den principen. Planen behandlar inte myndigheters informationsuppdrag direkt, varför säkerheten är låg.
- limit for public powerdecisive»Liberalismen sätter en tydlig gräns för den offentliga makten.« (party programme ↗)“Liberalism sets a clear limit for public power.”
- free speech independent of the state»Det fria samtalet ska värnas genom att stärka oberoendet hos journalistiken, kulturen och civilsamhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Free speech shall be valued by strengthening the independence of journalism, culture and civil society.”
- the state shall govern less»Därför vill vi att staten ska styra mindre och att det ska vara kulturskapare och inte politiker som fattar besluten om stöd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore we want the state to govern less and that it shall be cultural creators and not politicians who make decisions about support.”
- scepticism against public power claims»sund skepsis mot ökade offentliga maktanspråk« (party programme ↗)“healthy scepticism against increased public power claims”
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 states that not everything is politics and that politicians must resist the temptation to unnecessarily interfere.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that not everything is politics and that politicians must resist the temptation to unnecessarily interfere. When state agencies conduct opinion-shaping that spreads a political agenda it goes against that boundary and against the plan's warning about power concentration. Clearer regulation letters are one way to maintain that boundary.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att allt inte är politik och att politiker måste motstå frestelsen att i onödan lägga sig i. Att myndigheter bedriver opinionsbildning som sprider en politisk agenda strider mot den gränsdragningen och mot planens varning för maktkoncentration. Tydligare regleringsbrev är ett sätt att hålla den gränsen.
- limitation of politics's scopedecisive»Allt är inte politik. Alla människor och alla naturliga« (party programme ↗)“Not everything is politics. All people and all natural”
- politics must not interfere»Politiker måste motstå frestelsen att i onödan« (party programme ↗)“Politicians must resist the temptation to unnecessarily”
- separation of powers»makt inte får läggas i en enskild människas, grupps eller partis händer.« (party programme ↗)“power must not be placed in a single person's, group's or party's hands.”
- independent and factual information»Public service ska tillhandahålla oberoende och saklig nyhetsför« (party programme ↗)“Public service shall provide independent and factual news”
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 demands that authorities refrain from advocacy activities that spread a political agenda, among other things through clearer regulation letters.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal demands that authorities refrain from advocacy activities that spread a political agenda, among other things through clearer regulation letters. The plan establishes that the state shall act with impartiality and integrity and prioritize its core mission, that public service requirements for objectivity and impartiality shall be protected, and that activities like research shall be kept free from political influence. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget kräver att myndigheter avstår från opinionsbildande verksamhet som sprider en politisk agenda, bland annat genom tydligare regleringsbrev. Planen slår fast att staten ska agera med opartiskhet och integritet och prioritera sitt grunduppdrag, att public services krav på saklighet och opartiskhet ska värnas och att verksamhet som forskningen ska hållas fri från politiska pekpinnar. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- impartial state administrationdecisive»och den agerar med opartiskhet och integritet.« (party programme ↗)“and it acts with impartiality and integrity.”
- authorities shall handle core tasks»Den prioriterar sitt grunduppdrag« (party programme ↗)“It prioritizes its core mission”
- objectivity and impartiality»Värna och stärka public services kärnuppdrag och kravet på saklighet och opartiskhet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect and strengthen public service's core mission and the requirement for objectivity and impartiality”
- free from political control»Värna den fria forskningen från politiska pekpinnar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect free research from political interference”
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 explicitly points to employment of staff at agencies conducting activist symbolic politics as public waste that should be removed, and wants to streamline agency activities.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly points to employment of staff at agencies conducting activist symbolic politics as public waste that should be removed, and wants to streamline agency activities. It also wants to strengthen free and value-independent opinion formation and reinstate civil service liability. The counter-proposal's requirement that agencies should abstain from opinion-forming activities is directly in line with these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen pekar uttryckligen ut anställning av personal på myndigheter som driver aktivistisk symbolpolitik som ett offentligt slöseri som ska bort, och vill renodla myndigheternas verksamhet. Den vill också stärka fri och värdeoberoende åsiktsbildning och återinföra tjänstemannaansvaret. Motförslagets krav att myndigheter ska avstå från opinionsbildande verksamhet ligger direkt i linje med dessa åtaganden.
- against agency activismdecisive»anställning av personal på myndigheter som driver aktivistisk symbolpolitik« (2022 manifesto ↗)“employment of staff at agencies conducting activist symbolic politics”
- streamlined agency activities»Sverigedemokraterna vill också slå samman myndigheter och renodla offentliga verksamheter där det är möjligt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats also want to merge agencies and streamline public activities where possible.”
- value-independent opinion formation»Stärka möjligheten till fri och värdeoberoende åsiktsbildning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the opportunity for free and value-independent opinion formation”
- civil service liability»Återinför tjänstemannaansvaret« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reinstate civil service liability”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:KU23)
- Committee report full text (HC01KU23)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1098 — Opinionsbildande myndigheter och statliga bolag av Helena Storckenfeldt och Lars Püss (båda M)
- Motion 2024/25:1101 — En säkrare myndighetsutövning av Helena Storckenfeldt (M)
- Motion 2024/25:1109 — Användarvänliga myndigheter av Marléne Lund Kopparklint och Jennie Wernäng (båda M)
- Motion 2024/25:1172 — Införandet av tjänstemannaansvaret av Larry Söder (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1220 — Myndighetsservice i icke-digitala kanaler av Torsten Elofsson (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1252 — Nationellt kunskapscenter för dövfrågor av Jessica Rodén och Louise Thunström (båda S)
- Motion 2024/25:1284 — Plan för implementering av AI-stöd inom svenska myndigheter av Susanne Nordström m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2024/25:1345 — Det svenska språkets bevarande av Runar Filper m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1380 — En behövlig myndighetsöversyn av Matheus Enholm m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1393 — Post och it i hela landet av Thomas Morell m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1454 — Regional utveckling - för ett levande Sverige av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1581 — Inrättande av ett pris för att uppmärksamma och motarbeta byråkrati hos myndigheter av Magnus Berntsson (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1774 — Stärkt kulturpolitik - stärkt demokrati av Mats Berglund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1890 — Offentlig information på lättläst svenska av Anne-Li Sjölund och Ulrika Heie (båda C)
- Motion 2024/25:1932 — Språk och litteratur av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:1952 — Kortare handläggningstider hos statliga myndigheter av Margareta Cederfelt (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2031 — Införande av s.k. declaration of interest för offentligt anställda av Mats Green (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2032 — Skarpare direktiv vad gäller myndigheterna och äganderätten av Mats Green (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2056 — För ett tryggare Malmö och Sverige av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2024/25:207 — Ett civilsamhälle skilt från staten av Josef Fransson (SD)
Source: The Swedish Parliament