Constitutional protection

The plan defends free basic research and wants to protect universities' independence against attempts to control higher education, at a time when the plan means right-wing populist forces want to control information and content ever more tightly. Stronger constitutional protection that also covers higher education and educational institutions' organization is a way to realize that independence. The plan does not express itself on the scope of the constitution, so the support is derived.

• free researchdecisive»Vänsterpartiet försvarar den fria grundforskningen.« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party defends free basic research.”
• protect institutions' independence»Vänsterpartiet vill värna universitetens oberoende och finansiering och höja studiestödet så att fler kan välja att vidareutbilda sig.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party wants to protect universities' independence and funding and raise student support so that more can choose to continue their education.”
• protect higher education from external control»Vänsterpartiet motsätter sig också alla försök att privatisera universitet och högskolor.« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party also opposes all attempts to privatize universities and colleges.”
• resist political control»Vi lever i en tid då högerpopulistiska krafter försöker styra information och innehåll allt hårdare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We live in a time when right-wing populist forces are trying to control information and content ever more tightly.”

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 programme gives the state a special responsibility to guarantee freedom of research, and sees the liberating force of knowledge as a necessary counterweight to the power of elites over thought. A clearer and stronger constitutional protection that also covers higher education and the organization of educational institutions fulfils that commitment. The election manifesto shows the same readiness to give constitutional protection to independent institutions when it comes to public service.

• guaranteed freedom of researchdecisive»ansvar att garantera forskningens frihet och att trygga grundforskningen.« (party programme ↗)“responsibility to guarantee freedom of research and to secure basic research.”
• constitutional protection for independent institutions»Vi vill grundlagsskydda public service.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to provide constitutional protection for public service.”
• knowledge as independent countervailing power»motvikt mot ekonomiska och sociala eliters strävan att ta makten över tanken.« (party programme ↗)“counterweight to the economic and social elites' pursuit of power over thought.”

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 states that academic freedom shall be valued and that the independence and autonomy of educational institutions shall be developed, and that political priorities shall not come at the expense of higher education's freedom to shape its own activities. The election manifesto moreover shows that the party is prepared to constitutionally protect independent institutions. Stronger constitutional protection that also covers higher education and the organisation of educational institutions is thus supported.

• academic freedom shall be valueddecisive»Den akademiska friheten ska värnas och« (party programme ↗)“Academic freedom shall be valued and”
• freedom to shape activities»Detta får dock inte gå ut över grundforskningen eller universitetens och högskolornas« (party programme ↗)“This must not, however, come at the expense of basic research or universities' and higher education institutions'”
• constitutional protection for independence»skydda ett oberoende public service i grundlagen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“protect an independent public service in the constitution.”
• institutional independence»Lärosätenas självständighet och oberoende ska« (party programme ↗)“Educational institutions' independence and autonomy shall”

The plan makes academic freedom a cornerstone and wants to strengthen the independence of higher education institutions, while at the same time being explicitly prepared to constitutionally protect rights and make the constitution harder to change. Extended constitutional protection that also includes higher education and the organisation of higher education institutions follows from that combination. The plan does not mention this constitutional protection specifically, so the conclusion is derived.

• academic freedom as cornerstonedecisive»Den akademiska och konstnärliga friheten liksom den fria kulturen är grundbultar i ett vitalt civilsamhälle.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Academic and artistic freedom as well as free culture are cornerstones of a vital civil society.”
• constitutionally protect rights»Vi vill stärka bland annat äganderätten, diskrimineringsförbudet, minoritetsskyddet och minoritetsspråkens ställning, och grundlagsskydda rätten till abort och reproduktiv hälsa.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to strengthen among other things property rights, the anti-discrimination provision, minority protection and the status of minority languages, and constitutionally protect the right to abortion and reproductive health.”
• stronger constitutional protection»Vi vill göra det svårare att ändra grundlagen, skydda oppositionens ställning i riksdagen och stärka domstolarnas oberoende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to make it harder to change the constitution, protect the position of the opposition in the Riksdag and strengthen the independence of the courts.”
• independence of higher education institutions»Högre utbildning och fria lärosäten ska självständigt kunna bedriva högkvalitativ forskning och utbildning.« (party programme ↗)“Higher education and free higher education institutions shall independently be able to conduct high-quality research and education.”

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 academic freedom shall be given protection in the constitution, without limiting the protection to research. The party programme makes individual academic freedom a fundamental principle for all public activities in research and higher education and wants to give educational institutions an organizational form with greater autonomy from government power. The counter-proposal's demand for clearer constitutional protection that also covers education and the organization of educational institutions is therefore the plan's line.

• constitutional protection for academic freedomdecisive»Den akademiska friheten ska ges skydd i grundlagen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Academic freedom shall be given protection in the constitution.”
• academic freedom as a fundamental principle»Individuell akademisk frihet ska vara en bärande princip för all offentlig verksamhet inom« (party programme ↗)“Individual academic freedom shall be a fundamental principle for all public activities in”
• autonomy from government power»lärosäten ska ges en ny myndighetsform, som ger större autonomi från regeringsmakten.« (party programme ↗)“educational institutions shall be given a new organizational form that provides greater autonomy from government power.”
• strengthened constitutional protection»Vi vill se ett förstärkt grundlagsskydd för vårt demokratiska statsskick, öka domstolarnas oberoende och verka för en författningsdomstol som ska kunna häva lagar eller bestämmelser som strider mot grundlagsskyddade fri- och rättigheter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to see strengthened constitutional protection for our democratic system of government, increase the independence of the courts, and work for a constitutional court that can overturn laws or provisions that conflict with constitutionally protected freedoms and rights.”

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 establishes that universities and higher education institutions shall enjoy a high degree of self-determination in relation to the state and that freedom of thought is a prerequisite for knowledge-seeking. The constitution shall according to the plan ensure and protect the fundamental freedoms, including freedom of opinion and expression. Stronger constitutional protection that also covers higher education and the organization of educational institutions follows from this line.

• educational institutions' self-determinationdecisive»högskolor ska åtnjuta stort mått av självbestämmande i förhållande till staten« (party programme ↗)“higher education institutions shall enjoy a high degree of self-determination in relation to the state”
• freedom of thought»Tankens frihet är en förutsättning« (party programme ↗)“Freedom of thought is a prerequisite”
• constitutionally protected freedoms»åsiktsfrihet, religionsfrihet, yttrandefrihet, tryckfrihet, mötesfrihet, föreningsfrihet, demonstrationsfrihet« (party programme ↗)“freedom of opinion, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom of demonstration”

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 academic freedom must be better protected and that research should be free from political pressure, at the same time as the Constitution should have a clear catalogue of freedoms and rights and protection for citizens' rights should be strengthened. The counter-proposal's requirement for a clearer and stronger constitutional protection that also covers higher education and the organisation of higher education institutions follows from these commitments. The plan therefore supports the requirement.

• protect academic freedomdecisive»Vi måste bättre värna den akademiska friheten i Sverige och se till att forskningen står fri från politiska pekpinnar och möjliggöra banbrytande forskningsresultat.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We must better protect academic freedom in Sweden and ensure that research is free from political pressure and enable breakthrough research results.”
• clearer constitutional protection»Vår svenska grundlag ska ha en tydlig katalog av fri- och rättigheter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Our Swedish Constitution should have a clear catalogue of freedoms and rights.”
• stronger rights protection»Stärka domstolarnas oberoende och skyddet för medborgarnas fri- och rättigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the independence of the courts and protection of citizens' freedoms and rights”
• free research»Värna den fria forskningen från politiska pekpinnar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect free research from political pressure”

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 constitutional protections of rights are strengthened and that the possibility of normative review in the constitution is increased, while at the same time political control of higher education must decrease and academic independence must increase. A clearer constitutional protection that also covers higher education and the organization of higher education institutions is an application of both these commitments. The plan does not explicitly mention constitutional protection for academic freedom, so coverage is derived.

• strengthened constitutional protectiondecisive»Förstärka grundlagens rättighetsskydd vad gäller yttrandefrihet, äganderätt och frihet från religion« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen constitutional protection of rights regarding freedom of expression, right to property and freedom from religion”
• academic independence»Slå vakt om den högre akademins självständighet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Safeguard the independence of higher academia”
• reduced political control»Den politiska styrningen av högre utbildning ska minska och akademins självständighet öka.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Political control of higher education must decrease and academic independence must increase.”
• strengthened normative review»Öka möjligheten till normprövning i grundlagen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase the possibility of normative review in the constitution”

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.