National referenda and citizen initiatives

The plan states that democracy is more than universal suffrage and must be made into the people's power over society, and that representative democracy can be complemented by forms of popular influence. A system of e-petitions that requires a committee to take up a sufficiently supported citizens' proposal is one such complement. The plan does not mention e-petitions, so the position is derived.

• democracy as the people's powerdecisive»Demokratin är mer än allmän rösträtt och formella friheter – den måste« (party programme ↗)“Democracy is more than universal suffrage and formal freedoms – it must”
• complement representative democracy»kan kompletteras med anställdas, boendes och brukares frivilliga« (party programme ↗)“can be complemented by employees', residents' and users' voluntary”
• popular influence should increase»öka människors inflytande över den egna livssituationen och skapa« (party programme ↗)“increase people's influence over their own life situation and create”
• politics concerns everyone»Politik är inte något som händer någon annanstans.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Politics is not something that happens somewhere else.”

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 maintains that representative democracy is the most effective decision-making system, but requires that it is carried by open debate and living participation among citizens. A system with e-petitions taken up by competent committee is such a complement, not a replacement. The issue is not explicitly addressed, so the support is derived.

• participation carries democracydecisive»Den representativa demokratin är det mest effektiva demokratiska beslutssystemet. Men för att medborgarna ska känna sig väl företrädda i de beslutande församlingarna måste den representativa demokratin bäras upp av en öppen debatt och levande delaktighet bland medborgarna själva.« (party programme ↗)“Representative democracy is the most effective democratic decision-making system. But for citizens to feel well represented in the deciding assemblies representative democracy must be carried by open debate and living participation among citizens themselves.”
• politics from people's demands»Förändringsarbetet utgår från människors krav och behov, så som de formuleras i ständigt pågående samtal och diskussioner.« (party programme ↗)“Change work starts from people's demands and needs, as they are formulated in constantly ongoing conversations and discussions.”
• living democracy in everyday life»Demokratin börjar i vardagens gemenskap.« (party programme ↗)“Democracy begins in everyday community.”

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 requires that participatory democracy gives citizens the opportunity to submit their own proposals to political assemblies and that referendums are held on important matters when a certain proportion of citizens request it. A system with e-petitions taken up by the competent committee when sufficient numbers have signed is precisely such a channel and is therefore supported substantively.

• citizen proposals to assembliesdecisive»möjlighet för medborgare att lyssna på sammanträden och lämna egna förslag till politiska« (party programme ↗)“opportunity for citizens to listen to meetings and submit their own proposals to political”
• referendum on citizen initiative»som andra. Om en viss andel medborgare efterfrågar det ska folkomröstningar hållas i viktiga« (party programme ↗)“like others. If a certain proportion of citizens request it, referendums should be held on important”
• participatory democracy»En deltagande demokrati kräver lättillgänglig« (party programme ↗)“Participatory democracy requires easily accessible”

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 people should decide more for themselves and that decisions are made close to those affected, and the party programme requires that people actively may participate in decisions. A system with e-petitions gives individuals a direct channel to parliament's committees and increases openness in decision-making. The plan gives no explicit support for precisely this form, but the principles point clearly in that direction.

• power closer to peopledecisive»Decentralisera mera. Människor ska få bestämma mer själva, och politiska beslut ska fattas nära dem som berörs.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Decentralize more. People should decide more for themselves, and political decisions should be made close to those affected.”
• active citizen participation»så att människor aktivt kan delta i besluten« (party programme ↗)“so that people can actively participate in decisions”
• openness to citizens»Centerpartiet ska vara Sveriges mest öppna politiska parti.« (party programme ↗)“The Center Party should be Sweden's most open political party.”
• transparency in decision-making»Öppenhet och transparens är grundförutsättningar för frihet, demokrati och för att förhindra korruption och övergrepp.« (party programme ↗)“Openness and transparency are prerequisites for freedom, democracy and for preventing corruption and abuse.”

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 requires more opportunities to follow the political process and influence decision-making and lifts systematic citizen dialogue as a way to harness citizens' engagement also between elections. A system with e-petitions that are taken up in committees when enough have signed is an application of this, in combination with the plan's principle that public functions shall be made digitally accessible. The plan does not mention e-petitions, so the conclusion is derived.

• more ways to influencedecisive»att följa den politiska processen och påverka beslutsfattandet.« (party programme ↗)“to follow the political process and influence decision-making.”
• citizen dialogue between elections»En systematisk medborgardialog bidrar till att« (party programme ↗)“Systematic citizen dialogue helps to”
• digitally accessible functions»kan göras digitalt tillgängliga också ska göras digitalt tillgängliga.« (party programme ↗)“can be made digitally accessible also shall be made digitally accessible.”
• active citizens»Demokratin förutsätter aktiva medborgare och ett levande demokratiskt samtal.« (party programme ↗)“Democracy presupposes active citizens and a living democratic dialogue.”

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 says that other forms of citizen participation should exist and develop and that strong opinion must be able to get a hearing for demands for a referendum. A system with e-petitions that are taken up by the competent committee is precisely such a form. The plan's democratic ideal requires participation and real influence also between elections.

• developed forms of citizen participationdecisive»Andra former av invånarinflytande bör finnas och utvecklas.« (party programme ↗)“Other forms of citizen participation should exist and develop.”
• citizen initiatives and referendums»Folkomröstningar ska kunna användas både på nationell och lokal nivå. Möjlighet ska finnas för en stark« (party programme ↗)“Referendums can be used both at national and local level. Opportunity must exist for a strong”
• participation also between elections»deltagande, inflytande och delaktighet, inte bara vid« (party programme ↗)“participation, influence and involvement, not just at”
• active participation encouraged»det aktiva deltagandet uppmuntras och att verkligt« (party programme ↗)“active participation is encouraged and that real”

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 programme is built on representative democracy: citizens elect their political representatives and the system of governance is explicitly parliamentary, and the party's view of political work is avowedly anti-radical and reformist. A system where a committee must take up citizen proposals that have collected sufficient signatures moves the initiative outside that order. The plan instead wants a lively political life where social engagement finds expression.

• representative democracydecisive»Medborgarna ska utse sina politiska representanter« (party programme ↗)“Citizens shall elect their political representatives”
• lively political engagement»Sverige ska ha ett levande politiskt liv« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall have a lively political life”

flags: citat_blockerat

The plan wants to strengthen elements of direct democracy as a complement to representative democracy, expand the use of citizen initiatives and bring decisions closer to citizens, and the party programme is positive to more binding referendums. A system with e-petitions that forces a committee to take up a sufficiently supported citizen proposal is an application of precisely that. The committee's reasoning that the question has been examined previously is not addressed.

• strengthened direct democracydecisive»Möjligheterna att stärka inslag av direktdemokrati ska utgöra ett komplement till den representativa demokratin.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The possibilities to strengthen elements of direct democracy shall be a complement to representative democracy.”
• expanded citizen initiatives»Sverigedemokraterna vill utöka användandet av folkinitiativ.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to expand the use of citizen initiatives.”
• more referendums»Vi förordar också starkare inslag av direktdemokrati och ställer oss positiva till fler beslutande« (party programme ↗)“We also advocate stronger elements of direct democracy and take a positive stance on more binding”
• decisions close to citizens»För att öka den demokratiska legitimiteten bör beslut så långt det går föras närmre medborgarna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To increase democratic legitimacy, decisions should as far as possible be brought closer to citizens.”