2025-04-292024/25:KrU8 · p.3KrUCulture
Counteracting fraud and misuse of subsidies and a central database
Measures against fraud in civil-society grants and a central grants database
What's at stake: The decision concerns how well the state can detect and prevent misuse of grants to civil-society organisations, or the same recipients receiving funding from multiple sources without a combined overview, which in turn affects public trust in the grant system and in the organisations that depend on this funding.
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 Riksdag should now instruct the government to set up a central database of state grants to civil society and national support functions against fraud, or whether it suffices to await ongoing follow-up of the democracy criteria and the government's review.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee shares the view that the new democracy criteria need to be followed up continuously, and expects such follow-up to take place through the annual agency dialogue, so it considers the request for evaluation already addressed. On fraud prevention and a central database, the committee points to ongoing work and the government's review, and considers that Riksdag should not pre-empt this. The motions are rejected.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 6 (S)
The reservation (S) refers to the National Audit Office's finding that state oversight of grants to civil-society organisations is too weak and relies on self-reporting, which opens the door to fraud and misuse of grants totalling around SEK 20 billion a year. The reservation calls for the government to set up a central database of all state grants to civil society and national support functions for risks such as economic crime and violent extremism, along with more site visits and better training for grant recipients.
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 6 by S.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have gone the other way
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: LLiberalerna, MModeraterna
Ja 134–88Nej 68–154
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 | Yes 18/0/0/6 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/87/0/19 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 15/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 20/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 11/0/0/5 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 55/0/0/13 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | No | Abstain 0/0/62/10 | differs | confidence: high | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2024/25:1415 by Jonas Andersson et al. (SD) motion 11 and 2024/25:3110 by Lawen Redar et al. (S) motion 64.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:1415 av Jonas Andersson m.fl. (SD) yrkande 11 och 2024/25:3110 av Lawen Redar m.fl. (S) yrkande 64.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected approximately 70 proposals concerning civil society, religious communities and folk high schools (folkhögskolor) in motions from the general motion period 2024. The proposals dealt with, among other things, government support, evaluation of democracy conditions, a central database for government subsidies to civil society, a national representative register for associations and merger of government agencies. Parliament refers, among other things, to the fact that work is already underway in many of the areas that the proposals concern.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to follow developments to ensure that reforms concerning state support to religious communities are implemented. (S) — Reservation 6
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 wants to move towards greater societal oversight where needed to prevent fraud and requires effective monitoring of organized economic crime.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to move towards greater societal oversight where needed to prevent fraud and requires effective monitoring of organized economic crime. A unified database over government grants and support functions against economic crime is such an oversight tool for common resources. At the same time the plan protects civil society's independence, which makes the support weak and dependent on control not steering the activities' content.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill gå mot en större samhällelig insyn där det behövs för att stävja fusk och kräver en effektiv uppföljning av organiserad ekonomisk brottslighet. En samlad databas över statsbidrag och stödfunktioner mot ekonomisk brottslighet är ett sådant insynsverktyg för gemensamma medel. Samtidigt värnar planen civilsamhällets självständighet, vilket gör stödet svagt och beroende av att kontrollen inte styr verksamheternas innehåll.
- increased oversight against frauddecisive»Vi vill gå mot en större samhällelig insyn« (party programme ↗)“We want to move towards greater societal oversight”
- effective monitoring»Det behövs en effektiv uppföljning av den organiserade« (party programme ↗)“There needs to be effective monitoring of the organized”
- public access and oversight»meddelarfriheten och offentlighetsprincipen« (party programme ↗)“freedom of the press and the principle of public access”
- civil society's independence»Vi driver på för villkor som säkrar en stark« (party programme ↗)“We push for conditions that secure strong”
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 establishes that tax fraud and welfare fraud must be stopped and that barriers to information exchange between authorities must be torn down so that authorities can do their job.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that tax fraud and welfare fraud must be stopped and that barriers to information exchange between authorities must be torn down so that authorities can do their job. A central database of state contributions and support functions against economic crime is precisely such a measure for coordinated control. The party programme's requirement for oversight of all publicly financed activities points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att skattefusk och välfärdsbrottslighet ska stoppas och att sekretesshinder mellan myndigheter ska rivas så att myndigheterna kan göra sitt jobb. En central databas över statsbidrag och stödfunktioner mot ekonomisk brottslighet är just en sådan åtgärd för samlad kontroll. Partiprogrammets krav på granskning av all skattefinansierad verksamhet pekar åt samma håll.
- stop welfare frauddecisive»Skattefusk, välfärdsbrottslighet och penningtvätt ska stoppas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tax fraud, welfare fraud and money laundering must be stopped.”
- torn down barriers to information exchange»Sekretesshinder mellan myndigheter ska rivas så att polisen och andra yrkesgrupper kan göra sitt jobb.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Barriers to information exchange between authorities must be torn down so that the police and other professional groups can do their job.”
- oversight of public funds»Oavsett i vilken form skattefinansierad verksamhet drivs ska medborgarna ha möjlighet att« (party programme ↗)“Regardless of what form publicly financed activities take, citizens must have the ability to”
The plan demands that citizens shall always be able to scrutinise power, that all forms of corruption are countered and that the finances of operations are disclosed openly so that arrangements involving tax evasion are stopped.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands that citizens shall always be able to scrutinise power, that all forms of corruption are countered and that the finances of operations are disclosed openly so that arrangements involving tax evasion are stopped. A comprehensive picture of which state grants go where aligns with this openness. At the same time, the plan wants to support and encourage civil society initiatives, which sets limits on how burdensome the inspection can be.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att medborgarna alltid ska kunna granska makten, att alla former av korruption motarbetas och att verksamheternas ekonomi redovisas öppet så att upplägg med skatteundandragande stoppas. En samlad bild av vilka statsbidrag som går vart ligger i linje med den öppenheten. Samtidigt vill planen stödja och uppmuntra civilsamhällets insatser, vilket sätter gränser för hur betungande kontrollen får bli.
- scrutiny and anti-corruptiondecisive»kunna granska makten. Alla former av korruption« (party programme ↗)“scrutinise power. All forms of corruption”
- stop improper arrangements»eventuellt också via så kallade skatteparadis, ska stoppas.« (party programme ↗)“possibly also through so-called tax havens, shall be stopped.”
- open financial disclosure»Verksamheternas ekonomi ska« (party programme ↗)“The finances of operations shall”
- support for civil society»Politiken bör på olika vis synliggöra, stödja och« (party programme ↗)“Politics should in various ways make visible, support and”
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 that policy manages taxpayers' money carefully and wants to tighten rules against corruption and increase transparency, which carries the requirement for a comprehensive picture of what subsidies go to which organisations.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that policy manages taxpayers' money carefully and wants to tighten rules against corruption and increase transparency, which carries the requirement for a comprehensive picture of what subsidies go to which organisations. Openness is pointed out in the party programme as a fundamental prerequisite to prevent corruption and abuse. The control must, however, be designed so that it does not stifle civil society's own strength.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att politiken hushållar med skattebetalarnas pengar och vill skärpa reglerna mot korruption och öka transparensen, vilket bär kravet på en samlad bild av vilka bidrag som går till vilka organisationer. Öppenhet pekas i partiprogrammet ut som en grundförutsättning för att förhindra korruption och övergrepp. Kontrollen måste dock utformas så att den inte kväver civilsamhällets egen kraft.
- stewardship of tax revenuedecisive»Politiken ska hushålla med skattebetalarnas pengar. Mer pengar ska läggas på välfärdens kärna, mindre på bidrag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Policy shall manage taxpayers' money carefully. More money shall go to the core of welfare, less to subsidies.”
- transparency and anti-corruption»Sverige ska bli ännu mer transparent. Vi vill inrätta en antikorruptionsmyndighet, skärpa regler mot korruption och införa ett lobbyregister.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become even more transparent. We want to establish an anti-corruption agency, tighten rules against corruption and introduce a lobby register.”
- openness against abuse»Öppenhet och transparens är grundförutsättningar för frihet, demokrati och för att förhindra korruption och övergrepp.« (party programme ↗)“Openness and transparency are fundamental prerequisites for freedom, democracy and to prevent corruption and abuse.”
- civil society shall not be stifled»Politikens uppgift är att riva hinder och röja väg för denna utvecklingskraft.« (party programme ↗)“The task of politics is to remove barriers and clear the way for this creative force.”
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 explicitly requires that follow-up of donation-giving be strengthened and that hidden financing be stopped, which is exactly the control strengthening the counter-proposal wants to achieve with a central database and national support functions.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly requires that follow-up of donation-giving be strengthened and that hidden financing be stopped, which is exactly the control strengthening the counter-proposal wants to achieve with a central database and national support functions. The party programme states that no tax money shall go to activities that undermine democracy, which requires that one can see which donations go where. The plan's requirement for digital accessibility and insight into public documents bears the database proposal.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver uttryckligen att uppföljningen av bidragsgivning stärks och att dold finansiering stoppas, vilket är precis den kontrollförstärkning motförslaget vill åstadkomma med en central databas och nationella stödfunktioner. Partiprogrammet slår fast att inga skattemedel ska gå till verksamheter som motarbetar demokratin, vilket kräver att man kan se vilka bidrag som går vart. Planens krav på digital tillgänglighet och insyn i allmänna handlingar bär databasförslaget.
- strengthened follow-up of donationsdecisive»Vi vill både stärka uppföljningen av bidragsgivning och stoppa dold finansiering av trossamfund så att de inte blir verktyg för extremistiska krafter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want both to strengthen follow-up of donation-giving and stop hidden financing of faith communities so they do not become tools for extremist forces.”
- no donations to anti-democrats»Inga skattemedel ska gå till verksamheter som vill förändra det demokratiska samhället med våld eller på annat sätt motarbetar grundläggande demokratiska värderingar.« (party programme ↗)“No tax money shall go to activities that want to change the democratic society through violence or otherwise undermine fundamental democratic values.”
- increased digital insight»Diarier och allmänna handlingar bör i större utsträckning göras tillgängliga på nätet för att underlätta insyn.« (party programme ↗)“Diaries and public documents should to a greater extent be made accessible online to facilitate insight.”
- digitally accessible administration»En central princip är därför att alla offentliga funktioner som till en rimlig kostnad kan göras digitalt tillgängliga också ska göras digitalt tillgängliga.« (party programme ↗)“A central principle is therefore that all public functions that at reasonable cost can be made digitally accessible shall also be made digitally accessible.”
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 evaluation, cost monitoring and quality control are important political tasks and that public support should only go to activities that align with fundamental values.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that evaluation, cost monitoring and quality control are important political tasks and that public support should only go to activities that align with fundamental values. A central database of state subsidies and support functions against economic crime and violent extremism are tools for just that control. The election manifesto also wants authorities to be able to share information between them to prevent and clear up crime.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att utvärdering, kostnadsuppföljning och kvalitetskontroll är viktiga politiska uppgifter och att offentligt stöd bara ska gå till verksamhet som stämmer med grundläggande värden. En central databas över statsbidrag och stödfunktioner mot ekonomisk brottslighet och våldsbejakande extremism är verktyg för just den kontrollen. Valmanifestet vill dessutom att myndigheter ska kunna dela uppgifter mellan sig för att förebygga och klara upp brott.
- control of public fundsdecisive»Utvärdering, kostnadsuppföljning och kvalitetskontroll är därför viktiga politiska« (party programme ↗)“Evaluation, cost monitoring and quality control are therefore important political”
- authorities shall be able to share information»Total översyn av sekretessreglerna, så att myndigheter kan dela uppgifter mellan sig för att förebygga och klara upp brott.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Comprehensive review of confidentiality rules, so that authorities can share information between them to prevent and clear up crime.”
- conditional public support»Stöd ska därför utgå till de trossamfund som bedriver« (party programme ↗)“Support should therefore go to those faith communities that conduct”
- civil society's independence»ideella organisationer är fristående från den offentliga« (party programme ↗)“non-profit organizations are independent from the public”
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 builds an entire section on around 20 billion kronor annually disappearing to benefit fraudsters and criminals and that control must be tightened, among other things through a special benefit fraud unit and stopping payments to extremists.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan builds an entire section on around 20 billion kronor annually disappearing to benefit fraudsters and criminals and that control must be tightened, among other things through a special benefit fraud unit and stopping payments to extremists. A central database of state grants to civil society and national support functions against economic crime and violent extremism are just such control measures. The plan's goal to halve benefit fraud argues against being satisfied with today's self-reporting.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bygger ett helt avsnitt på att omkring 20 miljarder kronor årligen försvinner till bidragsfuskare och kriminella och att kontrollen måste skärpas, bland annat genom en särskild bidragsbrottsenhet och stopp för utbetalningar till extremister. En central databas över statsbidrag till civilsamhället och nationella stödfunktioner mot ekonomisk brottslighet och våldsbejakande extremism är just sådana kontrollåtgärder. Planens mål att halvera bidragsbrotten talar emot att nöja sig med dagens självrapportering.
- stop benefit frauddecisive(2022 manifesto)
- no taxpayers' money to extremists»Stoppa utbetalningar av skattemedel till extremister« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop disbursements of taxpayers' money to extremists”
- special control function»Inrätta en bidragsbrottsenhet på Försäkringskassan« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Establish a benefit fraud unit at the Social Insurance Agency”
- sharpened sentences for benefit fraud»Skärpa straffen för bidragsbrott« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sharpen sentences for benefit fraud”
flags: citat_ej_verifierat
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 states that both fraud and systems that encourage fraud and corruption must be counteracted and that clear results must be demanded for each public investment.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that both fraud and systems that encourage fraud and corruption must be counteracted and that clear results must be demanded for each public investment. A central database on state grants and support functions against economic crime and violent extremism is exactly the control tools required for that. The plan also explicitly wants to stop state support for extremist organizations, which presupposes knowing where the funds go.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att både fusk och system som lockar till fusk och korruption ska motverkas och att tydliga resultat ska begäras för varje offentlig satsning. En central databas över statsbidrag och stödfunktioner mot ekonomisk brottslighet och våldsbejakande extremism är precis de kontrollverktyg som krävs för det. Planen vill dessutom uttryckligen stoppa statligt stöd till extremistiska organisationer, vilket förutsätter att man vet vart medlen går.
- counteract fraud and corruptiondecisive»Både fusk och sådana system som tenderar att locka till fusk och korruption ska motverkas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Both fraud and systems that tend to encourage fraud and corruption must be counteracted.”
- no grants to extremists»Stoppa statligt stöd till extremistiska organisationer och andra grupper som verkar segregerande« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop state support for extremist organizations and other groups that work to segregate”
- results requirement on grants»Begära tydliga resultat för varje offentlig satsning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Demand clear results for each public investment”
- accountability»Sverigedemokraterna vill stärka möjligheter för ansvarsutkrävande när hanteringen av de offentliga resurserna brister.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden-democrats want to strengthen opportunities for accountability when the management of public resources falls short.”
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:KrU8)
- Committee report full text (HC01KrU8)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1210 — Folkbildningens roll i samhällsbygget av Mikael Larsson och Anders Karlsson (båda C)
- Motion 2024/25:127 — Stärkande av folkbildningen av Tomas Eneroth (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1337 — Kulturmiljöer av Runar Filper m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1343 — Folkbildningsfrågor av Jonas Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1415 — Åtgärder mot extremism i civilsamhället av Jonas Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1416 — Trossamfundsfrågor av Alexander Christiansson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1420 — Politik för ett starkt och oberoende civilsamhälle av Jonas Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1430 — Vissa frågor i Mellanöstern och Afrika av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:152 — Offentliga satsningar på musik av Mirja Räihä och Per-Arne Håkansson (båda S)
- Motion 2024/25:1585 — Minskade anslag till studieförbunden släcker lamporna på landsbygden av Karin Sundin m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1656 — Plats på folkhögskolor för personer med funktionsnedsättning av Karin Sundin (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1709 — Stärkt folkbildning av Johanna Haraldsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1774 — Stärkt kulturpolitik - stärkt demokrati av Mats Berglund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1901 — Stärkande av civilsamhället genom folkbildning av Anders Ådahl (C)
- Motion 2024/25:1946 — Åtgärder för att minska hat mot hbtq-personer av Margareta Cederfelt (M)
- Motion 2024/25:207 — Ett civilsamhälle skilt från staten av Josef Fransson (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:2213 — Införande av ett nationellt föreningsregister av Fredrik Lundh Sammeli (S)
- Motion 2024/25:2343 — Kompetensförsörjningsinsatser i norra Sverige av Isak From m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:2443 — Förbättrade villkor för kompetensutveckling, folkbildning och högskolor av Lars Isacsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:2450 — Föreningsfriheten och ideella föreningars oberoende av Lena Hallengren (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament