2026-02-172025/26:KU22 · p.11KUConstitution
Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Tornedalians, Kvens and Lantalaiset
Follow-up on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Tornedalians, Kven people and Lantalaiset
What's at stake: The Commission has documented how the Swedish state's assimilation policy damaged the language, culture and identity of the Tornedalians. How quickly and clearly the state acts on the Commission's conclusions affects the minority's prospects for redress and for passing on the Meänkieli language to future generations.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
Whether parliament should now call on the government to move ahead with concrete measures and recognition in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report, or whether the matter should continue to be handled through the ongoing preparation within the Government Offices.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The Committee rejects the motions. The Committee notes that further measures have already been taken in response to the Commission's proposals and that the report is still being processed within the Government Offices, and therefore sees no reason to recommend a statement that would pre-empt that process.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 14 (S)
S considers that the Commission's final report clearly shows the pressure the state put on Tornedalians to assimilate linguistically, religiously and culturally, which has contributed to a decline in the use of Meänkieli. The state and the church have a moral responsibility to make amends to the minority, and the party wants the government to continue taking the inquiry's findings on board, act on them, and acknowledge the historical violations.
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 14 by S.
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: VVänsterpartiet
Ja 193–93Ja 174–112
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 19/0/0/3 | departs from the planagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | No 0/92/0/14 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/16/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 17/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 62/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2025/26:3437 by Jan Riise et al. (MP) demand 6 and 2025/26:3721 by Jennie Nilsson et al. (S) demand 24.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2025/26:3437 av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP) yrkande 6 och 2025/26:3721 av Jennie Nilsson m.fl. (S) yrkande 24.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected 63 proposals in motions on minority issues from the general motion submission period 2025. The proposals address among other things indigenous status for Tornedalians, Kvens and Lantalaiset, Sami rights to land and water, Jewish life in Sweden, Roma inclusion, a truth commission for Sweden-Finns, various measures to strengthen and highlight the national minorities, oversight and monitoring of minority policy, and the status of Älvdalen. The Riksdag refers among other things to the fact that work is already underway in the areas that the proposals concern.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to take action to strengthen Jewish life, increase security around Jewish institutions, and support Holocaust education. (S) — Reservation 14
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 explicitly states that the Swedish state has historically subjected indigenous peoples and national minorities to serious wrongs and that Sweden has a special task to strengthen their rights to identity, language and cultural heritage in light of that history.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly states that the Swedish state has historically subjected indigenous peoples and national minorities to serious wrongs and that Sweden has a special task to strengthen their rights to identity, language and cultural heritage in light of that history. The counter-proposal's requirement for continued work based on the commission's conclusions and recognition of the historical wrongs is exactly that commitment. The plan also wants to spread knowledge about how these structures look.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår uttryckligen fast att den svenska staten genom historien utsatt urfolk och nationella minoriteter för allvarliga oförrätter och att Sverige har en särskild uppgift att stärka deras rättigheter till identitet, språk och kulturarv sett i ljuset av den historien. Motförslagets krav på fortsatt arbete utifrån kommissionens slutsatser och erkännande av de historiska kränkningarna är just det åtagandet. Planen vill dessutom sprida kunskap om hur dessa strukturer ser ut.
- acknowledge historical wrongsdecisive»Den svenska staten har genom historien utsatt urfolk och nationella« (party programme ↗)“The Swedish state has historically subjected indigenous peoples and national”
- strengthened minority rights»de nationella minoriteternas rättigheter till identitet, språk, kulturarv« (party programme ↗)“national minorities' rights to identity, language, cultural heritage”
- special task»Sverige har en särskild uppgift att stärka urfolks och« (party programme ↗)“Sweden has a special task to strengthen indigenous peoples' and”
- knowledge about the history»Sverige behöver överhuvudtaget bygga upp och sprida kunskap om« (party programme ↗)“Sweden needs overall to build up and spread knowledge about”
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 highlights rights for national minorities and combating racism and discrimination as goals in their own right for policy.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme highlights rights for national minorities and combating racism and discrimination as goals in their own right for policy. Implementing the commission's conclusions and acknowledging the historical violations against Tornedalians, Kvens and Lantalaiset is an application of that commitment, as is the requirement that cultural heritage is brought to life. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demand in substance.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet lyfter rättigheter för nationella minoriteter och bekämpande av rasism och diskriminering som egna mål för politiken. Att fullfölja kommissionens slutsatser och erkänna de historiska kränkningarna mot tornedalingar, kväner och lantalaiset är en tillämpning av det åtagandet, liksom av kravet att kulturarvet levandegörs. Planen stöder därför motförslagets krav i sak.
- minorities' rightsdecisive»Rättigheter för nationella minoriteter.« (party programme ↗)“Rights for national minorities.”
- against racism and discrimination»Bekämpande av rasism och diskriminering.« (party programme ↗)“Combating racism and discrimination.”
- living cultural heritage»Levandegörande av det svenska kultur- och världsarvet.« (party programme ↗)“Bringing to life the Swedish cultural and world heritage.”
The plan notes that national minorities have throughout history been subjected to abuse and discrimination and that there is a great responsibility to learn from history and secure their right to language and culture.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan notes that national minorities have throughout history been subjected to abuse and discrimination and that there is a great responsibility to learn from history and secure their right to language and culture. The counter-proposal's demand to take up the commission's conclusions, take action and acknowledge the historical violations is precisely this responsibility put into action. Meänkieli's weakened position is a direct result of the assimilation the plan distances itself from.
Original (Swedish)
Planen konstaterar att de nationella minoriteterna genom historien utsatts för övergrepp och diskriminering och att det finns ett stort ansvar att lära av historien och säkra deras rätt till språk och kultur. Motförslagets krav på att ta till sig kommissionens slutsatser, vidta åtgärder och erkänna de historiska kränkningarna är precis detta ansvar omsatt i handling. Meänkielis försvagade ställning är ett direkt resultat av den assimilering planen tar avstånd från.
- acknowledge historical abusedecisive»Än idag och genom historien har de nationella minoriteterna utsatts för övergrepp« (party programme ↗)“Throughout history and even today, national minorities have been subjected to abuse”
- responsibility to learn from history»Vi har ett stort ansvar att lära oss av historien« (party programme ↗)“We have a great responsibility to learn from history”
- Meänkieli must be preserved»De fem erkända nationella minoritetsspråken: finska, jiddisch, meänkieli, romani chib« (party programme ↗)“The five recognized national minority languages: Finnish, Yiddish, Meänkieli, Romani chib”
- strengthened minority rights»stärka nationella minoriteters och urfolket samernas rättigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen national minorities' and the Sami people's 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 election manifesto commits to strengthening minority protection and the status of minority languages and that those who have suffered shall receive redress, which supports the counter-proposal's requirement for continuing measures and an acknowledgement of the historical abuses of Tornedalians, Kvens and Lantalaiset.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto commits to strengthening minority protection and the status of minority languages and that those who have suffered shall receive redress, which supports the counter-proposal's requirement for continuing measures and an acknowledgement of the historical abuses of Tornedalians, Kvens and Lantalaiset. The party programme establishes that all structures that oppress or discriminate against people shall be fought. The consequences of assimilation policy for Meänkieli thus fall within the plan's commitment.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet åtar sig att stärka minoritetsskyddet och minoritetsspråkens ställning och att den som utsatts ska få upprättelse, vilket bär motförslagets krav på fortsatta åtgärder och ett erkännande av de historiska kränkningarna mot tornedalingar, kväner och lantalaiset. Partiprogrammet slår fast att alla strukturer som förtrycker eller diskriminerar människor ska bekämpas. Assimileringspolitikens följder för meänkieli faller därmed inom planens åtagande.
- strengthened minority protectiondecisive»Vi vill stärka bland annat äganderätten, diskrimineringsförbudet, minoritetsskyddet och minoritetsspråkens ställning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to strengthen inter alia property rights, the anti-discrimination rule, minority protection and the status of minority languages”
- fight oppressive structures»Vi bekämpar alla strukturer, formella och informella, som förtrycker eller diskriminerar människor.« (party programme ↗)“We fight all structures, formal and informal, that oppress or discriminate against people.”
- redress to those who suffered»Mer måste göras mot diskriminering. Vi vill stärka myndigheternas arbete mot diskriminering och höja ersättningen till dem som utsatts, samt lägga till kön och funktionsnedsättning som hatbrottsgrunder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More must be done against discrimination. We want to strengthen agencies' work against discrimination and increase compensation to those who have suffered it, as well as add gender and disability as hate crime grounds.”
- no one disadvantaged by origin»Vi måste fortsätta arbetet för ett Sverige där ingen missgynnas på grund av kön, härkomst eller funktionsnedsättning, ett Sverige där kulturen, medierna och akademin är fri, ett Sverige där alla behövs.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We must continue the work for a Sweden where no one is disadvantaged on the basis of origin or disability, a Sweden where culture, media and academia are free, a Sweden where everyone is needed.”
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 establishes that the status of Tornedalians as a national minority shall be maintained, that the state shall support offerings with a minority language profile and that schools shall provide knowledge of minorities.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the status of Tornedalians as a national minority shall be maintained, that the state shall support offerings with a minority language profile and that schools shall provide knowledge of minorities. Taking in the commission's conclusions, taking action and acknowledging historical violations follow from these commitments and from the goal that prejudice and discrimination shall be combated.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att tornedalingarnas ställning som nationell minoritet ska upprätthållas, att det offentliga ska understödja ett utbud med minoritetsspråksprofil och att skolan ska ge kunskap om minoriteterna. Att ta till sig kommissionens slutsatser, vidta åtgärder och erkänna de historiska kränkningarna följer av dessa åtaganden och av att fördomar och diskriminering ska bekämpas.
- Tornedalians' statusdecisive»Samernas, sverigefinnarnas, tornedalingarnas, judarnas och romernas ställning som nationella minoriteter och samernas ställning som urfolk ska upprätthållas.« (party programme ↗)“The status of the Sami, Swedish Finns, Tornedalians, Jews and Roma as national minorities and the status of the Sami as indigenous people shall be maintained.”
- support for Meänkieli and culture»Det offentliga ska understödja ett språk-, kultur- och medieutbud med minoritetsspråksprofil.« (party programme ↗)“The state shall support language, culture and media offerings with a minority language profile.”
- knowledge of minorities' history»Skolan ska ge alla elever kunskap om Sveriges urfolk, nationella minoriteter och minoritetsspråk.« (party programme ↗)“Schools shall provide all students knowledge of Sweden's indigenous people, national minorities and minority languages.”
- combat discrimination»Sverige ska vara ett öppet och tolerant land. Fördomar och diskriminering ska bekämpas.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall be an open and tolerant country. Prejudice and discrimination shall be combated.”
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 explicitly counts the Tornedalians among the national minorities whose linguistic and ethnic rights shall be recognised to strengthen their self-confidence and cultural identity.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme explicitly counts the Tornedalians among the national minorities whose linguistic and ethnic rights shall be recognised to strengthen their self-confidence and cultural identity. To recognise the historical harms and take measures based on the commission's conclusions is to fulfil that commitment, and the plan highlights reconciliation between peoples as an important political thought. Justice furthermore requires a balance between people's rights and responsibilities. The demand is supported.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet räknar uttryckligen tornedalingarna till de nationella minoriteter vars språkliga och etniska rättigheter ska tillerkännas för att stärka deras självtillit och kulturella identitet. Att erkänna de historiska kränkningarna och vidta åtgärder utifrån kommissionens slutsatser är att infria det åtagandet, och planen lyfter försoning mellan folkgrupper som en viktig politisk tanke. Rättvisan förutsätter dessutom en balans mellan människors rättigheter och skyldigheter. Kravet stöds.
- Tornedalians' linguistic rightsdecisive»Genom att tillerkänna samer, sverigefinländare, tornedalingar, romer och judar språkliga och etniska rättigheter stärks deras självtillit och kulturella identitet.« (party programme ↗)“By recognising Sami people, Swedish Finns, Tornedalians, Roma and Jews' linguistic and ethnic rights their self-confidence and cultural identity are strengthened.”
- reconciliation between peoples»En viktig del av den internationella politiken är tanken om försoning mellan folkgrupper och tidigare fiender.« (party programme ↗)“An important part of international policy is the thought of reconciliation between peoples and former enemies.”
- minority languages as cultural value»Sveriges ursprungsbefolkning och nationella minoriteter är en levande del av det svenska samhället och deras språk är en värdefull del av den svenska kulturen.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's indigenous population and national minorities are a living part of Swedish society and their languages are a valuable part of Swedish culture.”
- justice as fundamental value»Rättvisa är ett grundvärde, som i en samhällsgemenskap förutsätter en balans mellan alla människors intressen, rättigheter och skyldigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Justice is a fundamental value, which in a community requires a balance between all people's interests, rights and responsibilities.”
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 neither mentions the commission nor the Tornedalen peoples' situation.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan neither mentions the commission nor the Tornedalen peoples' situation. The nearest principles are that every person deserves fundamental respect, that a free society can never accept oppression, and that the party wants to learn from history without getting stuck in nostalgia. Taking on board the inquiry's conclusions and recognizing historical violations follows from these principles, but the plan provides no explicit support.
Original (Swedish)
Planen nämner varken kommissionen eller tornedalingarnas situation. Närmast liggande principer är att varje människa förtjänar grundläggande respekt, att ett fritt samhälle aldrig får acceptera förtryck, och att partiet vill lära av historien utan att fastna i nostalgi. Att ta till sig utredningens slutsatser och erkänna historiska kränkningar följer av dessa principer, men planen ger inget uttryckligt stöd.
- no oppression accepteddecisive»Ett fritt samhälle får heller aldrig acceptera förtryck på grund av kön,« (party programme ↗)“A free society can never accept oppression based on gender,”
- fundamental respect for every person»människa förtjänar grundläggande respekt« (party programme ↗)“human being deserves fundamental respect”
- learn from history»av historien, utan att fastna i nostalgi« (party programme ↗)“of history, without getting stuck in nostalgia”
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 recognizes the Tornedalian Finnish nation and establishes that national minorities as groups should be exempted from general assimilationist efforts and given far-reaching cultural autonomy.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly recognizes the Tornedalian Finnish nation and establishes that national minorities as groups should be exempted from general assimilationist efforts and given far-reaching cultural autonomy. The counter-proposal's requirement to recognize the historical violations and proceed with the commission's conclusions is in line with that commitment, as is the plan's desire to preserve minorities' cultural values. The plan does not, however, address the commission itself.
Original (Swedish)
Planen erkänner uttryckligen den tornedalsfinska nationen och slår fast att nationella minoriteter som grupper ska undantas från allmänna assimileringssträvanden och ges långtgående kulturell autonomi. Motförslagets krav på att erkänna de historiska kränkningarna och gå vidare med kommissionens slutsatser ligger i linje med det åtagandet, liksom med planens vilja att värna minoriteters kulturella värden. Planen behandlar dock inte kommissionen som sådan.
- cultural autonomy for minoritiesdecisive»assimileringssträvanden och ges långtgående kulturell autonomi« (party programme ↗)“assimilationist efforts and given far-reaching cultural autonomy”
- recognized Tornedalian Finnish nation»relation till de samiska och tornedalsfinska nationerna« (party programme ↗)“relation to the Sámi and Tornedalian Finnish nations”
- protect minorities' cultural values»Urfolkens ställning och kulturella värden ska värnas i den utrikespolitiska inriktningen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Indigenous peoples' position and cultural values should be protected in foreign policy direction.”
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 (2025/26:KU22)
- Committee report full text (HD01KU22)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:1333 — Älvdalska som ett nationellt minoritetsspråk av Runar Filper (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1449 — Stärkt arbete för nationella minoriteters rättigheter av Johan Büser (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1618 — Politik för sverigefinnar av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:169 — Arabiskans betydelse i världen och Sverige av Jamal El-Haj (-)
- Motion 2025/26:171 — Politik för äldres rättigheter och välmående av Nadja Awad m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:2786 — En politik för de nationella minoriteterna och minoritetsspråken av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:2787 — En politik för urfolket samer av Jessica Wetterling m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:3036 — Älvdalska som ett eget språk av Malin Höglund (M)
- Motion 2025/26:3126 — Tornedalingar som urfolk av Cecilia Engström (KD)
- Motion 2025/26:3423 — Judiskt liv i Sverige av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:3424 — Politik för urfolket samerna av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:343 — Åtgärder för att motverka den muslimska antisemitismen av Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:3435 — Politik för Sveriges nationella minoriteter av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:3436 — Politik för romer av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:3437 — Politik för tornedalingar, kväner och lantalaiset av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:3459 — Utgiftsområde 17 Kultur, medier, trossamfund och fritid av Björn Wiechel m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:3489 — Skydd för den judiska minoriteten av Joar Forssell (L)
- Motion 2025/26:3509 — Feminism, fred och frihet - ett rättvist bistånd för en säkrare och mer resilient värld av Daniel Helldén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:3583 — Demokrati och konstitutionella frågor av Muharrem Demirok m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2025/26:3721 — Utgiftsområde 1 Rikets styrelse av Jennie Nilsson m.fl. (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament