Aesthetic subjects as a mandatory element of upper-secondary school
What's at stake: The decision affects whether all upper-secondary students, regardless of programme or home background, are guaranteed teaching in artistic and creative subjects. It particularly affects students from homes unfamiliar with higher education, who might otherwise miss out on that exposure.
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 aesthetic subjects should be reinstated as a mandatory subject on all national programmes in upper-secondary school, or whether the current arrangement, in which the government and Skolverket decide on the range of subjects, should continue to apply.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee points out that the subjects of compulsory school and the subjects common to all upper-secondary programmes are listed in the Education Act and that it is the Riksdag that decides what these are, but that it is the government, or the agency the government designates, that decides on other subjects, on the content of syllabuses and subject plans, and on the qualification goals. The committee notes that, under its instructions, Skolverket must continuously assess the need to develop these governing documents and, in doing so, draws on subject experts, programme councils and reference groups and gathers input widely, and that a review of subjects and subject plans was recently carried out in connection with the move to subject-based grading. Against this background, the committee rejects the demand to reinstate aesthetic subjects in law as mandatory on all national programmes.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 6 (MP)
The reservation (MP) wants aesthetic subjects reinstated as a mandatory subject on all national programmes in upper-secondary school, arguing that teaching involving aesthetics and creativity can improve learning and critical thinking, reduce stress and foster a more positive attitude toward school, and that it is especially important for students from homes unfamiliar with higher education to have access to these subjects.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
V–
S–
MP–
C–
L–
KD–
M–
SD–
YesNoAbstainAbsent
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 6 by MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The plan's stance / Actual vote
AI
Vote
Confidence
Evidence
V
–
No 1/19/0/4
S
–
Yes 93/0/0/13
MPown reservation
–
No 0/14/0/4
C
–
Yes 19/0/0/5
L
–
Yes 13/0/0/3
KD
–
Yes 15/0/0/4
M
–
Yes 60/0/0/8
SD
–
Yes 61/0/0/11
Broke with the party line
VTony Haddou(V, Göteborgs kommun)
Yes — party line: No
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
2024/25:1856 by Kristina Axén Olin et al. (M) and
2024/25:3217 by Amanda Lind et al. (MP) proposals 39 and 40.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna
2024/25:1856 av Kristina Axén Olin m.fl. (M) och
2024/25:3217 av Amanda Lind m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 39 och 40.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected approximately 60 proposals about upper secondary school in motions from the general motion period 2024. The proposals concern, among other things, education in upper secondary school, subjects and special knowledge areas, and career guidance. Parliament refers, among other things, to existing regulations and ongoing work.
Counter-proposals
The counter-proposal wants aesthetic subjects to be reintroduced as mandatory across all national programs in upper secondary school. (MP) — Reservation 6
Motion 2024/25:1395 — Jordbruk - ökad konkurrenskraft utan förlust av biologisk mångfald av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
Motion 2024/25:1446 — En gymnasieskola och vuxenutbildning i världsklass av Patrick Reslow m.fl. (SD)
Motion 2024/25:1447 — En grundskola i världsklass av Patrick Reslow m.fl. (SD)
Motion 2024/25:1464 — En tillväxtorienterad politik för industrilandet Sverige av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
Motion 2024/25:1479 — Sprid kunskap med hjälp av de bästa pedagogerna av Helena Gellerman (L)
Motion 2024/25:148 — Arbetsmarknadskunskap i gymnasieskolan av Eva Lindh (S)
Motion 2024/25:1536 — Ansvarsfull ekonomi som ett ämne i skolan för elever i högstadiet och gymnasiet av Marléne Lund Kopparklint och Jennie Wernäng (båda M)
Motion 2024/25:1705 — Bättre arbetsmiljö av Carina Ödebrink och Azra Muranovic (båda S)
Motion 2024/25:1830 — Ökad kunskap inom ekonomi på högstadiet av Jennie Wernäng och Marléne Lund Kopparklint (båda M)
Motion 2024/25:1841 — Översyn av elitidrottares gymnasieutbildningar av Kristina Axén Olin m.fl. (M)
Motion 2024/25:1856 — Återinförande av estetiska ämnen i gymnasieskolan av Kristina Axén Olin m.fl. (M)
Motion 2024/25:2079 — Ofrivillig barnlöshet och ytterligare IVF-försök av Camilla Brodin och Christian Carlsson (båda KD)
Motion 2024/25:2218 — Yrkesutbildning för fler av Johanna Rantsi och Sten Bergheden (båda M)
Motion 2024/25:2221 — Företagsamhet och entreprenörskap i gymnasieskolan av Johanna Rantsi (M)