2024-11-272024/25:JuU5 · p.3JuUJustice
Oversight Possibilities Regarding Foreign State Authority Exercise in Sweden
Oversight of foreign police officers' exercise of authority in Sweden
What's at stake: The issue concerns what rule-of-law safeguards should apply when foreign police are allowed to exercise authority on Swedish territory, which affects both trust in the cooperation and the ability to scrutinise individual interventions after the fact.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
Parliament decides whether special, direct oversight powers are needed for foreign police officers' exercise of authority within cross-border police cooperation, or whether existing indirect oversight via the Police Authority's leadership is sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee maintains its earlier assessment that the participation and exercise of authority by foreign officials is already adequately regulated, since the cooperation operations are led by the Swedish Police Authority, which allows the Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Chancellor of Justice to consider foreign officials' conduct within their oversight of Swedish police. No parliamentary call to the government for further oversight powers is therefore needed.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (V)
The government should come back to parliament with a proposal for stronger oversight powers for the Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Chancellor of Justice over foreign officials' exercise of authority in Sweden, since it is not enough to rely on the Police Authority's leadership role indirectly allowing these bodies to consider foreign officials' conduct — without direct oversight, rule-of-law safeguards and trust in the cooperation risk being undermined.
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 V.
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 | No | No 0/21/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | Yes 92/0/0/14 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 14/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 15/0/0/1 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects motion 2024/25:930 by Gudrun Nordborg et al. (V).
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2024/25:930 av Gudrun Nordborg m.fl. (V).
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag approved an agreement between Sweden and Finland that involves deeper police cooperation in the border area and at the same time adopted the amendments to the law that are necessary to implement the agreement. The legislative proposals mean that Finnish police officers shall be able to carry out urgent police tasks on Swedish territory in the border area. It is also proposed that provisions be made that make it possible to bring Finnish service weapons into the country. The provisions shall also regulate the Finnish police officers' powers. The amendments to the law shall come into force on a date determined by the government.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants foreign police officers operating in Sweden to be directly subject to the Ombudsman and Parliamentary Ombudsman's supervision. (V) — 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 asserts that legal certainty shall be maintained through citizen oversight and independent scrutiny and that authorities with coercive power shall be clearly ordered within democratic structures with high demands for accountability when laws are broken.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan asserts that legal certainty shall be maintained through citizen oversight and independent scrutiny and that authorities with coercive power shall be clearly ordered within democratic structures with high demands for accountability when laws are broken. Relying on indirect scrutiny via the Police Authority's management does not meet that when it comes to foreign officials' exercise of authority. The plan moreover emphasizes that Sweden must be able to act independently in relation to other states.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att rättssäkerheten ska upprätthållas genom medborgerlig insyn och oberoende granskning och att myndigheter med tvångsmakt ska vara tydligt inordnade i demokratiska strukturer med höga krav på ansvarsutkrävande vid lagbrott. Att förlita sig på indirekt granskning via Polismyndighetens ledning uppfyller inte det när det gäller utländska tjänstemäns myndighetsutövning. Planen betonar dessutom att Sverige ska kunna agera självständigt i förhållande till andra stater.
- independent oversightdecisive»Rättssäkerheten behöver upprätthållas genom rättshjälp, medborgerlig« (party programme ↗)“Legal certainty needs to be maintained through legal aid, citizen”
- accountability for breaking laws»höga krav på fungerande ansvarsutkrävande vid lagbrott.« (party programme ↗)“high demands for functioning accountability when laws are broken.”
- oversight of police work»Att återupprätta tilltron till polisen kräver stora förändringar av hur polisen arbetar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Restoring confidence in police requires major changes in how police work.”
- national self-determination»Det är viktigt att Sverige kan agera självständigt från stormakter som« (party programme ↗)“It is important that Sweden can act independently from great powers such as”
The party programme requires that public administration be marked by impartiality and objectivity and equality before the law and that public administration be built on openness and transparency.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that public administration be marked by impartiality and objectivity and equality before the law and that public administration be built on openness and transparency. Direct oversight possibilities over foreign officials' public administration in Sweden follows from that principle, since indirect oversight less securely protects legal security. The plan does not address the organisation of oversight, so support is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att myndighetsutövning präglas av saklighet, opartiskhet och likhet inför lagen och att förvaltningen bygger på offentlighet och insyn. Direkta tillsynsmöjligheter över utländska tjänstemäns myndighetsutövning i Sverige följer av den principen, eftersom indirekt granskning svagare säkrar rättssäkerheten. Planen behandlar dock inte tillsynens organisation, så stödet är härlett.
- impartiality and objectivitydecisive»beakta allas likhet inför lagen och iaktta saklighet och opartiskhet.« (party programme ↗)“observe everyone's equality before the law and exercise impartiality and objectivity.”
- openness and transparency»Den demokratiska processen och samhällsförvaltningen måste bygga på offentlighet och« (party programme ↗)“The democratic process and public administration must be built on openness and”
- protect citizens' rights»Det är samhällets absoluta skyldighet att skydda friheten och den personliga integriteten« (party programme ↗)“It is society's absolute duty to protect freedom and personal integrity”
- international criminal cooperation»Vi behöver förstärka det internationella arbetet mot brottsligheten.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We need to strengthen international action against crime.”
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 requires good civic oversight of all judicial and law enforcement activities and that legal security is ensured, and that crime prevention is not carried out at the expense of human rights.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires good civic oversight of all judicial and law enforcement activities and that legal security is ensured, and that crime prevention is not carried out at the expense of human rights. Direct oversight possibilities of foreign officials' exercise of authority in Sweden follows from that; indirect scrutiny via the police authority's leadership is insufficient according to the plan's requirement for oversight of power.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver god medborgerlig insyn i all rättskipande och rättsvårdande verksamhet och att rättssäkerheten tryggas, samt att brottsbekämpning inte sker på bekostnad av mänskliga rättigheter. Direkta tillsynsmöjligheter över utländska tjänstemäns myndighetsutövning i Sverige följer av det; en indirekt granskning via Polismyndighetens ledning räcker inte enligt planens krav på granskning av makten.
- oversight of law enforcement activitiesdecisive»Det ska finnas god medborgerlig insyn i all« (party programme ↗)“There shall be good civic oversight of all”
- legal security shall be ensured»Rättssäkerheten ska tryggas samtidigt som de« (party programme ↗)“Legal security shall be ensured while”
- rights before crime prevention»viktigt men ska inte ske på bekostnad av mänskliga« (party programme ↗)“important but shall not be done at the expense of human”
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's principle is that the state's coercive and violent power must always be subject to scrutiny and that the rule of law and the individual's rights against the state shall be defended.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's principle is that the state's coercive and violent power must always be subject to scrutiny and that the rule of law and the individual's rights against the state shall be defended. Foreign officials' exercise of authority in Sweden is such an exercise of power, and the counter-proposal's requirement for direct supervisory possibilities for independent supervisory authorities follows from the principle. The plan also requires transparency and that everyone shall be able to have their case heard.
Original (Swedish)
Planens princip är att statens tvångs- och våldsmakt alltid måste vara föremål för kontroll och att rättsstaten och individens rättigheter gentemot staten ska försvaras. Utländska tjänstemäns myndighetsutövning i Sverige är sådan maktutövning, och motförslagets krav på direkta tillsynsmöjligheter för de oberoende tillsynsmyndigheterna följer av principen. Planen kräver också insyn och att var och en ska kunna få sin sak prövad.
- scrutiny of state powerdecisive»Staten är den enda enheten i samhället som får utöva tvång och våld.« (party programme ↗)“The state is the only entity in society that may exercise coercion and violence.”
- rule of law guarantees»Rättsstaten och individens rättigheter gentemot staten måste försvaras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The rule of law and individuals' rights against the state must be defended.”
- right to have one's case heard»Alla som bor i Sverige ska kunna få sin sak prövad. Ledtiderna för handläggning och myndighetsutövning i domstolar och myndigheter måste kortas och tillgången till ombud förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Everyone living in Sweden shall be able to have their case heard. Processing times for handling and exercise of authority in courts and agencies must be shortened and access to legal counsel improved.”
- transparency in administration»Öppenhet och transparens är grundförutsättningar för frihet, demokrati och för att förhindra korruption och övergrepp.« (party programme ↗)“Openness and transparency are basic 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 demands that oversight of government agencies' exercise of power over individuals be developed through strong oversight authorities and that individuals' opportunities to assert their rights against government agencies increase.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme demands that oversight of government agencies' exercise of power over individuals be developed through strong oversight authorities and that individuals' opportunities to assert their rights against government agencies increase. Direct oversight of foreign officials' exercise of authority in Sweden follows from that commitment, since indirect scrutiny via the Police Authority's leadership does not provide the same guarantee of legal certainty. The plan simultaneously embraces deepened police cooperation across borders, but requires legal certainty in it.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att tillsynen över myndigheternas maktutövning mot enskilda utvecklas genom starka tillsynsmyndigheter och att den enskildes möjligheter att hävda sin rätt mot myndigheterna ökar. Direkt tillsyn över utländska tjänstemäns myndighetsutövning i Sverige följer av det åtagandet, eftersom indirekt granskning via Polismyndighetens ledning inte ger samma rättssäkerhetsgaranti. Planen bejakar samtidigt fördjupat polissamarbete över gränserna, men ställer krav på rättssäkerheten i det.
- strong oversight authoritiesdecisive»Tillsynen över myndigheternas maktutövning mot enskilda behöver utvecklas genom starka« (party programme ↗)“Oversight of government agencies' exercise of power over individuals needs to be developed through strong”
- individuals' rights against agencies»Den enskildes möjligheter att hävda sina rättigheter gentemot myndigheterna måste öka.« (party programme ↗)“Individuals' opportunities to assert their rights against government agencies must increase.”
- strengthened legal certainty»Rättssäkerheten och skyddet för de medborgerliga fri- och rättigheterna behöver förstärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Legal certainty and protection of civil liberties and rights need to be strengthened.”
- cross-border police cooperation»Sverige ska delta fullt ut i EU:s brottsbekämpning och den europeiska polismyndigheten Europol ska ges ett tydligare operativt mandat att bekämpa internationell brottslighet och terrorism.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall participate fully in the EU's crime prevention and the European police agency Europol shall be given a clearer operational mandate to combat international crime and terrorism.”
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 wants international police cooperation to be well developed but its powers to be clearly demarcated and protection of personal integrity to be safeguarded.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants international police cooperation to be well developed but its powers to be clearly demarcated and protection of personal integrity to be safeguarded. It also requires effective means against misuse of power. Direct supervision of foreign officials' exercise of authority in Sweden follows from these commitments; indirect review via Police Authority leadership does not provide the demarcation and control the plan presupposes.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att det internationella polissamarbetet är väl utvecklat men att dess befogenheter är tydligt avgränsade och att skyddet för den personliga integriteten värnas. Den kräver också effektiva medel mot maktmissbruk. Direkt tillsyn över utländska tjänstemäns myndighetsutövning i Sverige följer av dessa åtaganden; en indirekt granskning via Polismyndighetens ledning ger inte den avgränsning och kontroll planen förutsätter.
- demarcated powers in police cooperationdecisive»ordna sin verksamhet. Det europeiska polissamarbetet ska vara väl utvecklat samtidigt som dess befogenheter ska vara tydligt avgränsade, och skyddet för den« (party programme ↗)“arrange its activities. European police cooperation shall be well developed while its powers shall be clearly demarcated, and the protection of”
- safeguard personal integrity»personliga integriteten värnas.« (party programme ↗)“personal integrity is safeguarded.”
- means against misuse of power»Det måste finnas effektiva medel mot maktmiss« (party programme ↗)“There must be effective means against misuse of power”
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 establishes that the state's hard core is never negotiable, that Swedish law applies in all parts of the country and is upheld by a state monopoly on coercive power, and that all public exercise of power shall be governed by law and characterized by equal treatment and predictability.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that the state's hard core is never negotiable, that Swedish law applies in all parts of the country and is upheld by a state monopoly on coercive power, and that all public exercise of power shall be governed by law and characterized by equal treatment and predictability. Foreign officials exercising authority in Sweden without direct supervision by independent oversight bodies fits poorly with this. The counter-proposal's demand for strengthened direct oversight possibilities therefore follows from the plan's principles, even though the issue is not explicitly addressed.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att statens hårda kärna aldrig är förhandlingsbar, att svensk lag gäller i alla delar av landet och upprätthålls av ett statligt våldsmonopol, och att all offentlig maktutövning ska vara lagstyrd och präglas av likabehandling och förutsebarhet. Att utländska tjänstemän utövar myndighet i Sverige utan direkt tillsyn av de oberoende tillsynsmyndigheterna passar illa med detta. Motförslagets krav på stärkta direkta tillsynsmöjligheter följer därför av planens principer, även om frågan inte behandlas uttryckligen.
- statens kärna icke förhandlingsbardecisive»Statens hårda kärna får aldrig vara förhandlingsbar.« (party programme ↗)“The state's hard core shall never be negotiable.”
- statligt våldsmonopol»Den svenska lagen upprätthålls av ett statligt våldsmonopol.« (party programme ↗)“Swedish law is upheld by a state monopoly on coercive power.”
- lagstyrd maktutövning»All offentlig maktutövning ska vara lagstyrd och vägledas av principer om likabehandling och förutsebarhet.« (party programme ↗)“All public exercise of power shall be governed by law and guided by principles of equal treatment and predictability.”
- oberoende granskning av makten»Stärka domstolarnas oberoende och skyddet för medborgarnas fri- och rättigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the independence of the courts and the protection of citizens' freedoms and rights”
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 requires strengthened rule-of-law principles, increased transparency and accountability in Swedish administration and strengthened national self-determination.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires strengthened rule-of-law principles, increased transparency and accountability in Swedish administration and strengthened national self-determination. Direct supervision possibilities over foreign officials' exercise of authority on Swedish soil follow from both these commitments, since indirect review via the Police Authority leaves a gap in control. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver stärkta rättsstatliga principer, ökad transparens och ansvarsutkrävande i den svenska förvaltningsmodellen samt ett stärkt nationellt självbestämmande. Direkta tillsynsmöjligheter över utländska tjänstemäns myndighetsutövning på svensk mark följer av båda dessa åtaganden, eftersom indirekt granskning via Polismyndigheten lämnar en lucka i kontrollen. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- strengthened rule-of-law principlesdecisive»Sverigedemokraterna vill stärka de rättsstatliga principerna i den svenska förvaltningsmodellen genom ökade inslag av maktdelning och ett stärkt oberoende av domstolsväsendet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Sweden Democrats want to strengthen rule-of-law principles in Swedish administration through increased separation of powers and strengthened independence of the judiciary.”
- national self-determination»Stärka det nationella självbestämmandet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen national self-determination”
- transparency and accountability»Tjänstemannaansvar ska införas och åtgärder ska genomföras för att öka transparensen och möjligheten att utkräva politiskt ansvarsutkrävande.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Official accountability should be introduced and measures implemented to increase transparency and the possibility to enforce political accountability.”
- Swedish independence»Bejaka och stärka det svenska folkstyrets oberoende« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Uphold and strengthen the independence of Swedish 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.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:JuU5)
- Committee report full text (HC01JuU5)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:930 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:12 Ett starkt polissamarbete i Tornedalsregionen av Gudrun Nordborg m.fl. (V)
- Proposition 2024/25:12 — Ett starkt polissamarbete i Tornedalsregionen
Source: The Swedish Parliament