2026-03-112025/26:UbU7 · p.13UbUEducation
Conditions for independent schools
Profit ban and ownership form for independent schools
What's at stake: The decision affects how much of the per-pupil funding can be taken out as profit rather than spent on teaching, and whether the ownership form of independent schools and preschools should be restricted to counter market-driven control at the expense of equal education.
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 profit-taking from school vouchers should be banned outright and stock companies barred from running independent schools, preschools and adult education, or whether the ban on value transfers in certain situations already proposed by the ongoing inquiry into profit in schools is sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that the Inquiry on Profit in Schools has already, in its interim report, proposed a ban on value transfers in certain situations, and is awaiting further work on the matter. The committee therefore rejects the motions calling for an outright profit ban and for barring stock companies from operating independent schools, preschools and adult education.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 26 (V)
The reservation (V) wants to de-commercialize the entire education system by banning profit-taking from per-pupil funding and barring stock companies from running independent schools, preschools, adult education and after-school care. The reasoning is that profit-seeking wastes resources that should go to teaching and widens differences between schools, and that the proposals in the ongoing inquiry into profit in schools are insufficient.
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 26 by V.
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: LLiberalerna
Ja 149–20Ja 136–33
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 0/18/0/4 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | Abstain 0/0/89/17 | differs | confidence: high | explicit |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/15/3 | differs | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Abstain 0/0/21/3 | differs | confidence: high | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | Yes | Yes 16/0/0/3 | match | confidence: high | not addressed |
| M | Yes | Yes 56/0/0/12 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | Yes | Yes 62/0/0/9 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2025/26:973 by Nooshi Dadgostar et al. (V) amendments 2 and 3, 2025/26:1083 by Markus Kauppinen et al. (S) amendment 1, 2025/26:3186 by Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist et al. (C) amendment 59, 2025/26:3364 by Camilla Hansén et al. (MP) amendment 7, 2025/26:3722 by Daniel Riazat (-) amendments 1, 3 and 6-9 and 2025/26:3810 by Anders Ygeman et al. (S) amendments 13, 18 and 81.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2025/26:973 av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V) yrkandena 2 och 3, 2025/26:1083 av Markus Kauppinen m.fl. (S) yrkande 1, 2025/26:3186 av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist m.fl. (C) yrkande 59, 2025/26:3364 av Camilla Hansén m.fl. (MP) yrkande 7, 2025/26:3722 av Daniel Riazat (-) yrkandena 1, 3 och 6-9 samt 2025/26:3810 av Anders Ygeman m.fl. (S) yrkandena 13, 18 och 81.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected 150 proposals in motions on general school matters. The proposals were submitted during the general motion period 2025. Among other things, the proposals concern measures to improve knowledge results, responsibility and resource distribution within the school system, school choice, independent schools, supervision, school digitalization and special teaching forms. Parliament refers among other things to applicable regulations and ongoing work.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants an investigation into introducing a national cap on class sizes with exceptions only for special reasons. (V) — Reservation 26
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 requires a total ban on all profit-driven activities in welfare and that private school choice is abolished starting next term.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires a total ban on all profit-driven activities in welfare and that private school choice is abolished starting next term. The party programme states that no actors who are there to make profits should exist in school, health care and care. The counter-proposal's requirements for a ban on profit extraction from school funding and against joint-stock companies as operators is precisely this commitment.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver ett totalförbud mot alla vinstdrivande verksamhetsformer inom välfärden och att marknadsskolan avskaffas med start nästa mandatperiod. Partiprogrammet slår fast att inga aktörer som är där för att göra vinster ska finnas i skola, vård och omsorg. Motförslagets krav på förbud mot vinstuttag ur skolpengen och mot aktiebolag som huvudmän är precis detta åtagande.
- total ban on profits in welfaredecisive»Vänsterpartiet vill införa ett totalförbud mot alla vinstdrivande verksamhetsformer inom välfärden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party wants to introduce a total ban on all profit-driven activities in welfare.”
- abolish private school choice»Vänsterpartiet vill avskaffa marknadsskolan med start nästa mandatperiod.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party wants to abolish private school choice starting next term.”
- no profit actors in school»se några aktörer som är där för att göra vinster i välfärden.« (party programme ↗)“see any actors who are there to make profits in welfare.”
- private school choice has failed»Marknadsskolan är ett historiskt misslyckande, som visar vilka« (party programme ↗)“Private school choice is a historical failure, showing which”
The election manifesto explicitly states that profit-taking from schools shall be prohibited and that society shall take back control over when and where independent schools establish themselves, and the party programme requires that no profit is taken from school activities and that market school is abolished.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly states that profit-taking from schools shall be prohibited and that society shall take back control over when and where independent schools establish themselves, and the party programme requires that no profit is taken from school activities and that market school is abolished. The counter-proposal's requirements to prohibit profit-taking from school money and against limited companies as principals are the same thing in substance. The plan gives no support for a limited ban on certain value transfers being sufficient.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår uttryckligen fast att vinstuttagen i skolan ska förbjudas och att samhället ska ta tillbaka kontrollen över friskolornas etablering, och partiprogrammet kräver att ingen vinst tas ut på skolverksamhet och att marknadsskolan avskaffas. Motförslagets krav på förbud mot vinstuttag ur skolpengen och mot aktiebolag som huvudmän är samma sak i sak. Planen ger inget stöd för att ett begränsat förbud mot vissa värdeöverföringar räcker.
- prohibited profit-taking in schoolsdecisive»Vi vill förbjuda vinstuttagen i skolan och ta tillbaka kontrollen över var och när fristående skolor etablerar sig.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to prohibit profit-taking from schools and take back control over where and when independent schools establish themselves.”
- no profit on school activities»Ingen vinst på skolverksamhet.« (party programme ↗)“No profit on school activities.”
- abolished market school»I linje med detta måste marknadsskolan avskaffas.« (party programme ↗)“In line with this, market school must be abolished.”
- resources remain in schools»För det krävs mer resurser och att resurserna stannar i skolan genom ett stopp för marknadsskolan.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“For that requires more resources and that resources remain in schools through stopping market school.”
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 explicitly says the Green Party wants to abolish profit-driven share companies in schools and that schools shall not be a market, and the election manifesto that profit-hunting in schools shall be stopped.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme explicitly says the Green Party wants to abolish profit-driven share companies in schools and that schools shall not be a market, and the election manifesto that profit-hunting in schools shall be stopped. The counter-proposal's demands for a ban on profit extraction from school funding and on share companies as principals are thereby the party's own line. The programme also states that market-based schools strengthened inequality, which is the counter-proposal's reasoning.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet säger uttryckligen att Miljöpartiet vill avskaffa vinstdrivande aktiebolag inom skolan och att skolan inte ska vara en marknad, och valmanifestet att vinstjakten i skolan ska stoppas. Motförslagets krav på förbud mot vinstuttag ur skolpengen och mot aktiebolag som huvudmän är därmed partiets egen linje. Programmet slår också fast att marknadsskolan förstärkt klyftorna, vilket är motförslagets skäl.
- abolish profit-driven school companiesdecisive»plats för framtidstro, för alla barn. Miljöpartiet vill avskaffa vinstdrivande aktiebolag inom« (party programme ↗)“place for future hope, for all children. The Green Party wants to abolish profit-driven share companies in”
- stop profit-hunting»sätta stopp för vinstjakten i skolan« (2022 manifesto ↗)“put a stop to profit-hunting in schools”
- market-based schools increase inequality»Marknadsskolan har bidragit till att förstärka klyftorna i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Market-based schools have contributed to strengthening inequality in society.”
- schools are not a market»Vi vill reformera skolan i grunden. Skolan ska inte vara en marknad – den ska vara en« (party programme ↗)“We want to reform schools fundamentally. Schools shall not be a market – they shall be a”
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 election manifesto establishes that free school choice shall be preserved and further developed and that shortcomings shall be addressed with quality requirements for profit distribution, strengthened oversight and closure of failing schools.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that free school choice shall be preserved and further developed and that shortcomings shall be addressed with quality requirements for profit distribution, strengthened oversight and closure of failing schools. The party programme wants to see jointly financed welfare where more actors contribute. A general profit ban and a ban on joint-stock companies as principals go directly against these commitments. The plan therefore rejects the counter-proposal.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att det fria skolvalet ska värnas och vidareutvecklas och att bristerna ska åtgärdas med kvalitetskrav för vinstutdelning, skärpt tillsyn och stängning av dåliga skolor. Partiprogrammet vill se en gemensamt finansierad välfärd där fler aktörer bidrar. Ett generellt vinstförbud och ett förbud mot aktiebolag som huvudmän går rakt emot dessa åtaganden. Planen avvisar därför motförslaget.
- preserve free school choicedecisive»För att uppnå det måste vi värna och vidareutveckla det fria skolvalet, och åtgärda de brister som finns.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To achieve that we must preserve and further develop free school choice, and address the shortcomings that exist.”
- many providers in welfare»Centerpartiet vill se en välfärd som är gemensamt finansierad men som ger valfrihet och där fler aktörer bidrar till ökad innovation, effektivitet och kvalitet.« (party programme ↗)“The Centre Party wants to see welfare that is jointly financed but that provides choice and where more actors contribute to increased innovation, efficiency and quality.”
- quality requirements for profit distribution»Vi vill ställa kvalitetskrav för vinstutdelning och stärka rättssäkerheten i betygssystemet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to set quality requirements for profit distribution and strengthen legal certainty in the grading system.”
- quality, not ownership form»Dåliga skolor ska stängas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Failing schools shall be closed.”
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 plan's decisive commitment is that profit interests shall be phased out of the school system and that independent schools operated as profit-making joint-stock companies shall be converted to an organizational form without profit motives.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's decisive commitment is that profit interests shall be phased out of the school system and that independent schools operated as profit-making joint-stock companies shall be converted to an organizational form without profit motives. This is substantively what the counter-proposal requires. The plan simultaneously maintains that freedom of choice shall be protected, which the counter-proposal does not question.
Original (Swedish)
Planens avgörande åtagande är att vinstintresset ska fasas ut ur skolväsendet och att friskolor som drivs som vinstdrivande aktiebolag ska omvandlas till en associationsform utan vinstsyfte. Det är i sak vad motförslaget kräver. Planen håller samtidigt fast vid att valfriheten ska värnas, vilket motförslaget inte ifrågasätter.
- phased out profit interestsdecisive»Rätten att välja skola ska värnas och utvecklas, samtidigt som vinstintresset behöver fasas ut« (party programme ↗)“The right to choose a school shall be protected and developed, while profit interests need to be phased out”
- providers without profit motives»en associationsform utan vinstsyfte.« (party programme ↗)“an organizational form without profit motives.”
- new independent school reform against profit-seeking»Vi vill se en ny friskolereform med en samlad friskolelag som sätter stopp för friskolor där kortsiktiga vinster går före elevernas kunskaper.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to see a new independent school reform with a comprehensive independent schools law that stops independent schools where short-term profits come before pupils' knowledge.”
- freedom of choice without profit extraction»Friheten för föräldrar och elever att själv välja skola är här för att stanna – men inte friskolornas vinstuttag på bekostnad av elevernas kunskaper.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The freedom for parents and pupils to choose their own school is here to stay – but not independent schools' profit distribution at the expense of pupils' knowledge.”
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 plan establishes that independent schools shall be encouraged and supported by the public, that school choice shall be free and that production of welfare services in private operation shall be given equal conditions as publicly run activity.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that independent schools shall be encouraged and supported by the public, that school choice shall be free and that production of welfare services in private operation shall be given equal conditions as publicly run activity. The public sector shall furthermore as far as possible be based on the absence of monopoly. A ban on profit extraction and on joint-stock companies as principals directly contradicts these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att fristående skolor ska uppmuntras och stödjas av det offentliga, att skolvalet ska vara fritt och att produktion av välfärdstjänster i enskild regi ska ges lika förutsättningar som offentligt driven verksamhet. Den offentliga sektorn ska dessutom så långt möjligt bygga på frånvaro av monopol. Ett förbud mot vinstuttag och mot aktiebolag som huvudmän strider direkt mot dessa åtaganden.
- equal terms for private operationdecisive»produktion av välfärdstjänster i enskild regi eller via stiftelser, kooperativ och ideella« (party programme ↗)“production of welfare services in private operation or via foundations, cooperatives and non-profit”
- support for independent schools»skolor ska uppmuntras och stödjas av det offentliga.« (party programme ↗)“schools shall be encouraged and supported by the public.”
- free school choice»Valet av skola ska vidare vara fritt för« (party programme ↗)“The choice of school shall furthermore be free for”
- absence of monopoly»Den offentliga sektorns verksamhetsformer ska så långt möjligt bygga på« (party programme ↗)“The public sector's forms of operation shall as far as possible be based on”
The plan establishes that free school choice should be maintained and that profit distribution should be conditional on high quality requirements, with revoked license for schools that seriously fall short - not generally prohibited.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that free school choice should be maintained and that profit distribution should be conditional on high quality requirements, with revoked license for schools that seriously fall short - not generally prohibited. A ban on profit distribution and on companies as education providers thus directly contradicts the plan's line. Freedom of choice and a diversity of providers are according to the party programme central parts of the welfare model.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att det fria skolvalet ska bevaras och att vinstutdelning ska villkoras av höga kvalitetskrav, med indraget tillstånd för skolor som allvarligt brister - inte förbjudas generellt. Ett förbud mot vinstuttag och mot aktiebolag som huvudmän strider därmed direkt mot planens linje. Valfrihet och en mångfald av aktörer är enligt partiprogrammet centrala delar av välfärdsmodellen.
- quality-conditional profitdecisive»• Se till att skolor som drivs i företagsform lever upp till högt ställda kvalitetskriterier för att få göra vinstutdelning samt dra in tillståndet för skolor som allvarligt brister« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ensure that schools run in corporate form meet high quality criteria in order to be allowed to distribute profits and revoke the license for schools that seriously fall short”
- protect free school choice»Det fria skolvalet gör att alla barn oavsett bakgrund och ekonomi kan välja den skola som passar dem bäst. Den friheten vill vi bevara.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Free school choice means that all children regardless of background and economy can choose the school that suits them best. We want to preserve that freedom.”
- freedom of choice in welfare»För Moderaterna är valfrihet en central del av den svenska« (party programme ↗)“For the Moderate Party, freedom of choice is a central part of the Swedish”
- diversity of providers»En mångfald av aktörer är också en förutsätt« (party programme ↗)“A diversity of providers is also a prerequisite”
The plan values free school choice and sees freedom of choice within welfare as something that benefits society and is worth defending; according to the party programme, alternative and private forms of operation shall be permitted in welfare services.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan values free school choice and sees freedom of choice within welfare as something that benefits society and is worth defending; according to the party programme, alternative and private forms of operation shall be permitted in welfare services. A ban on profit-taking and on joint-stock companies running independent schools goes against this. The plan's response to shortcomings in independent schools is instead sharpened requirements and expanded supervision.
Original (Swedish)
Planen värnar det fria skolvalet och ser valfrihet inom välfärden som något som gynnar samhället och är värt att försvara; enligt partiprogrammet ska alternativa och privata driftsformer vara tillåtna i välfärdstjänsterna. Ett förbud mot vinstuttag och mot att aktiebolag driver fristående skolor går emot detta. Planens svar på brister i friskolor är i stället skärpta krav och utökad tillsyn.
- value free school choicedecisive»Det fria skolvalet ska värnas för att ge valfrihet åt föräldrar och elever.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Free school choice shall be valued to give freedom of choice to parents and students.”
- private forms of operation permitted»utförandet av dessa välfärdstjänster skall alternativa och privata driftsformer vara« (party programme ↗)“in the provision of these welfare services alternative and private forms of operation shall be.”
- freedom of choice in welfare»Sverigedemokraterna ser att marknadsekonomi, valfrihet inom välfärden och internationell handel gynnar samhället och är viktigt att försvara« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats see that market economy, freedom of choice within welfare and international trade benefit society and are important to defend.”
- sharpened requirements and supervision»Öka kraven för fristående förskolor samt utöka Skolinspektionens befogenheter och kontroller« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase requirements for independent preschools and expand the School Authority's powers and inspections.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:UbU7)
- Committee report full text (HD01UbU7)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:1083 — Ökad samhällskontroll av välfärden av Markus Kauppinen m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1346 — Anpassbar skolplikt med hänsyn till barn med neuropsykiatriska funktionsnedsättningar av Runar Filper (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:1808 — Förbud mot vinstuttag i skolan av Aida Birinxhiku m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1827 — Bindande krav på lärartäthet, klasstorlek och elevhälsovård av Aylin Nouri (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1857 — Förberedelser av unga för en digitaliserad värld av Denis Begic (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1863 — Veto vid utökning och nyetablering av friskolor av Kristoffer Lindberg m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1905 — Skolskjuts till och från fritis för barn inom anpassad skola av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2025/26:2171 — Regelverk för distansstudier i grundskolan av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2025/26:2294 — Avgiftsfri skolfrukost i landets skolor av Linnéa Wickman m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:2337 — Stärkt rätt till skolskjuts till och från fritidshemmet för barn inom anpassad skola av Louise Thunström (S)
- Motion 2025/26:2455 — Skolplikt till 18 års ålder av Sofia Skönnbrink och Amalia Rud Stenlöf (båda S)
- Motion 2025/26:2456 — Etablering av fristående skolor av Sofia Skönnbrink m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:2472 — Förtydligande av begreppet inre organisation i skollagen av Charlotte Nordström (M)
- Motion 2025/26:2599 — Rätt till skolskjuts vid funktionsnedsättning eller allvarlig sjukdom av Mattias Eriksson Falk m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:2660 — Ett modernt läsår med tre terminer av Louise Eklund (L)
- Motion 2025/26:2725 — Hälsosam och kvalitetssäkrad skolmat av Markus Wiechel (SD)
- Motion 2025/26:2736 — Förstärkt skolplikt av Lawen Redar (S)
- Motion 2025/26:2746 — Avgiftsbefriad och mer tillgänglig grundskola av Jonathan Svensson (S)
- Motion 2025/26:2787 — En politik för urfolket samer av Jessica Wetterling m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:2791 — En jämlik förskola, skola och vuxenutbildning för alla av Isabell Mixter m.fl. (V)
Source: The Swedish Parliament