2025-03-262024/25:CU7 · p.14CUCivil law & housing
Conditions for joint custody
Automatic joint custody and paternity establishment for unmarried parents
What's at stake: The decision mainly affects unmarried parents, who currently must go through a separate process to establish paternity before the future father automatically becomes a custodian together with the mother. A faster, automatic process would reduce the risk of legal complications if a parent dies before paternity is established, for example around inheritance or the child's custodianship, and would make it possible for expectant fathers to, for instance, take leave to attend ultrasound examinations.
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 unmarried parents should automatically be granted joint custody of the child as soon as paternity is established, with the possibility of establishing paternity already during pregnancy, or whether the current arrangement of registering paternity separately after birth should be retained.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions on automatic joint custody for unmarried parents, maintaining the position it has previously stated, without giving further reasons here.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 16 (SD, C)
The reservation (SD, C) calls for Parliament to instruct the government that paternity should be able to be established as soon as a pregnancy is confirmed, with routine help from maternity care, and that a known father should then automatically become a custodian together with the mother - unless the parent has shown themselves to be grossly unsuitable during the pregnancy. The reason given is that the current arrangement, under which paternity for unmarried parents cannot be established until at the earliest two months before the expected birth, risks unnecessary legal difficulties if a parent dies before paternity is established, and is experienced as frustrating by parents who are already living together as an expectant family.
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 16 by SD, C.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
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 | Yes | Abstain 0/0/20/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 93/0/0/13 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 16/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | No 0/20/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 17/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | No 0/62/0/10 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2024/25:268 by Andreas Lennkvist Manriquez et al. (V) motion 9, 2024/25:283 by Gudrun Brunegård (KD) motion 1, 2024/25:1389 by Mikael Eskilandersson et al. (SD) motions 12 and 14 and 2024/25:2951 by Martina Johansson et al. (C) motion 3 in this part.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:268 av Andreas Lennkvist Manriquez m.fl. (V) yrkande 9, 2024/25:283 av Gudrun Brunegård (KD) yrkande 1, 2024/25:1389 av Mikael Eskilandersson m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 12 och 14 samt 2024/25:2951 av Martina Johansson m.fl. (C) yrkande 3 i denna del.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected approximately 140 proposals on family law found in motions from the general motion period in 2024. The motions concern, among other things, waiting periods in case of divorce, property division and custody, residence and visitation rights in cases of domestic violence. The Riksdag refers primarily to enacted legislation and that work is already being conducted in the areas covered by the proposals.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to conduct a thorough analysis of how cohabitation law regulations relate to informal child marriage for minors. (SD, C) — Reservation 16
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's overriding commitment on custody is protective: the child's perspective shall be strengthened and abusers shall not be able to retain joint custody, and the child's best interests shall be tested in each case.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's overriding commitment on custody is protective: the child's perspective shall be strengthened and abusers shall not be able to retain joint custody, and the child's best interests shall be tested in each case. Automatic joint custody from confirmed pregnancy, with exception only for the one who proves grossly unsuitable, replaces that testing with a presumption and ignores the patriarchal control patterns the plan wants to counter. The plan's thrust towards modern family law does not make up for it.
Original (Swedish)
Planens avgörande åtagande om vårdnad är skyddande: barnperspektivet ska stärkas och våldsutövare ska inte kunna behålla gemensam vårdnad, och barnets bästa ska prövas i varje läge. Automatisk gemensam vårdnad från bekräftad graviditet, med undantag bara för den som visar sig grovt olämplig, ersätter den prövningen med en presumtion och bortser från de patriarkala kontrollmönster planen vill motverka. Planens strävan mot en modern familjerätt väger inte upp det.
- custody requires child protectiondecisive»Barnperspektivet måste stärkas i vårdnadstvister och det ska inte vara möjligt för våldsutövare att behålla gemensam vårdnad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The child's perspective must be strengthened in custody disputes and it must not be possible for abusers to retain joint custody.”
- child's best interests always tested»principen att i varje läge se till barnets« (party programme ↗)“principle that in each case attention must be given to the child's”
- understanding control patterns»Arbetet mot det patriarkala våldet behöver bygga på en förståelse för« (party programme ↗)“Work against patriarchal violence needs to be built on an understanding of”
- modern family law»från hur människor faktiskt lever, med en modern familjerätt.« (party programme ↗)“from how people actually live, with modern family law.”
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's principle is that women and men must be able to take equal responsibility for home, family and children and that parenthood must be responsible and equal, while the child's best interests must be considered in all decisions.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme's principle is that women and men must be able to take equal responsibility for home, family and children and that parenthood must be responsible and equal, while the child's best interests must be considered in all decisions. That fatherhood can be established as soon as pregnancy is confirmed and that a known father then becomes a guardian – with the exception of gross unsuitability – realizes equal parental responsibility without sidelining the child's best interests. Custody arrangements are not addressed in the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammets princip är att kvinnor och män ska kunna ta lika ansvar för hem, familj och barn och att föräldraskapet ska vara ansvarsfullt och jämlikt, samtidigt som barnets bästa ska beaktas vid alla beslut. Att faderskapet kan fastställas redan när graviditeten är bekräftad och att en känd far då blir vårdnadshavare - med undantag för grov olämplighet - förverkligar det lika föräldraansvaret utan att åsidosätta barnets bästa. Vårdnadsreglerna behandlas inte i planen.
- equal responsibility for familydecisive»måste få möjlighet att ta lika ansvar för hem, familj och barn och att jämnt fördela det« (party programme ↗)“must have the opportunity to take equal responsibility for home, family and children and to share it equally”
- equal parenthood»möjligheter till ett ansvarsfullt föräldraskap.« (party programme ↗)“opportunities for responsible parenthood.”
- child's best interests in all decisions»bästa ska beaktas vid alla beslut.« (party programme ↗)“best interests must be considered in all decisions.”
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 wants both parents to take an active and equal parenthood and for family policy to be adapted to all family constellations and become gender-neutral.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants both parents to take an active and equal parenthood and for family policy to be adapted to all family constellations and become gender-neutral. That paternity can be established when pregnancy is confirmed and that a known father then becomes guardian together with the mother aligns with this. The exception for gross unsuitability is necessary, because according to the plan, the child's security weighs most heavily.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att båda föräldrar tar ett aktivt och likvärdigt föräldraskap och att familjepolitiken anpassas till alla familjekonstellationer och blir könsneutral. Att faderskapet kan fastställas när graviditeten är bekräftad och att en känd far då blir vårdnadshavare tillsammans med modern ligger i linje med detta. Undantaget för grov olämplighet är nödvändigt, eftersom barnets trygghet enligt planen väger tyngst.
- equal parental responsibilitydecisive»dubblera pappornas uttag av föräldraledighet — varje förälder ska ta ut minst en tredjedel av föräldradagarna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“double fathers' take-up of parental leave — each parent shall take out at least one third of parental days.”
- adaptation to family reality»Samhället ska vara anpassat till olika familjekonstellationer.« (party programme ↗)“Society shall be adapted to different family constellations.”
- gender-neutral family policy»anpassa familjepolitiken så att den blir könsneutral och stärka rättigheterna för stjärnfamiljer, det vill säga alla olika typer av familjer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“adapt family policy so that it becomes gender-neutral and strengthen the rights of rainbow families, that is, all different types of families.”
- child's security as a limit»I vårt Sverige väger barns rätt till trygghet tyngre än våldsamma föräldrars rätt till sina barn.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“In our Sweden, children's right to security weighs more heavily than violent parents' right to their children.”
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 requires equal responsibility for home and family and that parental regulations are designed after the family's and children's best interests, and the election manifesto wants simpler and clearer regulations adapted to today's families.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires equal responsibility for home and family and that parental regulations are designed after the family's and children's best interests, and the election manifesto wants simpler and clearer regulations adapted to today's families. That paternity can be established during pregnancy and that a known father then becomes joint guardian with the mother follows from this, with the exception of serious unsuitability that meets the requirement for unconditional protection for the child.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver ett jämställt ansvar för hem och familj och att föräldraregelverket utformas efter familjens och barnens bästa, och valmanifestet vill ha ett enklare och tydligare regelverk anpassat till dagens familjer. Att faderskapet kan fastställas redan under graviditeten och att en känd far då blir vårdnadshavare tillsammans med modern följer av detta, med undantaget grov olämplighet som svarar mot kravet på villkorslöst skydd för barnet.
- equal family responsibilitydecisive»ett jämställt ansvar för hem och familj.« (party programme ↗)“equal responsibility for home and family.”
- family's and children's best interests»Föräldraförsäkringen ska utformas efter familjens och barnens bästa.« (party programme ↗)“Parental insurance shall be designed after the family's and children's best interests.”
- simpler and more modern regulations»Därför vill vi reformera föräldraförsäkringen för en mer jämställd, enkel och tydlig föräldraförsäkring anpassad till vårt moderna samhälle och arbetsliv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore we want to reform parental insurance for a more equal, simple and clear parental insurance adapted to our modern society and working life.”
- unconditional protection for children»villkorslöst skydd mot våld och förnedring inom och utom hemmet« (party programme ↗)“unconditional protection against violence and degradation inside and outside the home”
The plan does not address how paternity is established, but establishes that equality presupposes shared responsibility for home and children and that both guardians shall have a clear role from the child's earliest time.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address how paternity is established, but establishes that equality presupposes shared responsibility for home and children and that both guardians shall have a clear role from the child's earliest time. Based on the nearest applicable principle, it is supported that a known parent becomes a guardian early, with the exception when the parent is grossly unsuitable. The foundation is weak because the plan does not address the Parental Code's rules on establishment.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte hur faderskap fastställs, men slår fast att jämställdhet förutsätter delat ansvar för hem och barn och att båda vårdnadshavare ska ha en egen tydlig roll redan från barnets första tid. Utifrån den närmast liggande principen stöds att en känd förälder blir vårdnadshavare tidigt, med undantag när föräldern är grovt olämplig. Underlaget är svagt eftersom planen inte berör föräldrabalkens regler om fastställande.
- shared parental responsibilitydecisive»Jämställdhet förutsätter delat ansvar för hem och barn.« (party programme ↗)“Equality presupposes shared responsibility for home and children.”
- both guardians' role»Tre månader ska vara öronmärkta åt varje vårdnadshavare.« (party programme ↗)“Three months shall be allocated to each guardian.”
- equal right to family life»Alla ska ha samma rätt till respekt för sitt privat- och familjeliv.« (party programme ↗)“All shall have the same right to respect for their private and family life.”
- exception for unsuitable parent»umgänge med en förälder som utsatt barnet för övergrepp, psykisk eller fysisk misshandel.« (party programme ↗)“contact with a parent who has subjected the child to abuse, psychological or physical assault.”
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 both parents have the right and responsibility to participate in children's care and upbringing, that the child has the right to contact with both parents and the right to know their origin.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that both parents have the right and responsibility to participate in children's care and upbringing, that the child has the right to contact with both parents and the right to know their origin. That paternity can be established as soon as pregnancy is confirmed and that a known father then becomes custodian follows from these commitments, even though the plan does not address the paternity presumption.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att båda föräldrarna har rätt och skyldighet att delta i barnens omvårdnad och fostran, att barnet har rätt till kontakt med båda sina föräldrar och rätt till kännedom om sitt ursprung. Att faderskapet kan fastställas redan när graviditeten är bekräftad och att en känd far då blir vårdnadshavare följer av dessa åtaganden, även om planen inte behandlar just faderskapspresumtionen.
- both parents' responsibilitydecisive»Båda föräldrarna har rätt och skyldighet att delta i barnens omvårdnad och fostran.« (party programme ↗)“Both parents have the right and responsibility to participate in children's care and upbringing.”
- child's right to both parents»har rätt till kontakt med båda sina föräldrar« (party programme ↗)“has the right to contact with both parents”
- child's right to their origin»Varje barn har rätt till kännedom om sitt ursprung« (party programme ↗)“Every child has the right to know their origin”
- equal parenthood»Jämställdhet är bra för barnen.« (party programme ↗)“Gender equality is good for children.”
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 wants all family law to be gender-neutral and for family policy to be modernised according to how people actually form families, and to increase both parents' participation through more double days.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants all family law to be gender-neutral and for family policy to be modernised according to how people actually form families, and to increase both parents' participation through more double days. That paternity can be established early and a known father then becomes a guardian together with the mother follows from that line, with exception when the parent is seriously unsuitable. The question is not addressed explicitly, however.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att all familjelagstiftning är könsneutral och att familjepolitiken moderniseras efter hur människor faktiskt bildar familj, samt öka båda föräldrarnas delaktighet genom fler dubbeldagar. Att faderskap kan fastställas tidigt och att en känd far då blir vårdnadshavare tillsammans med modern följer av den linjen, med undantag när föräldern är grovt olämplig. Frågan behandlas dock inte uttryckligen.
- gender-neutral family lawdecisive»Se till att all familjelagstiftning är könsneutral« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ensure that all family law is gender-neutral”
- modernised family policy»Samtidigt är familjepolitiken inte tidsenlig och utformad utifrån hur människor idag väljer att bilda familj och leva sina liv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time, family policy is not up to date and is designed based on how people today choose to form families and live their lives.”
- both parents' participation»Öka flexibiliteten i föräldraförsäkringen och göra fler dagar till dubbeldagar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase flexibility in parental insurance and make more days into double days”
- family has a special position»Att familjen – i de olika former den kan ha« (party programme ↗)“That the family – in the different forms it can have”
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 states that shared custody shall be the norm and that children's need for both their parents shall be met regardless of family structure.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto states that shared custody shall be the norm and that children's need for both their parents shall be met regardless of family structure. That paternity can be established already during pregnancy and that a known father then automatically becomes a custodian, unless he is gravely unsuitable, realizes that norm. The exception for gross unsuitability is covered by the plan's requirement that the child's best interests always be considered.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att gemensam vårdnad ska utgöra norm och att barns behov av båda sina föräldrar ska tillgodoses oavsett familjekonstellation. Att faderskapet kan fastställas redan under graviditeten och att en känd far då automatiskt blir vårdnadshavare, om han inte är grovt olämplig, förverkligar den normen. Undantaget för grov olämplighet ryms i planens krav att barnets bästa alltid ska beaktas.
- shared custody as normdecisive»Att gemensam vårdnad utgör norm« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That shared custody is the norm”
- child's need for both parents»Att barns behov av båda sina föräldrar tillgodoses, oavsett vilken familjekonstellation vuxna personer väljer är grundläggande.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That children's need for both their parents is met, regardless of what family structure adults choose is fundamental.”
- mother and father in child's life»att alla barn bör ha rätt till både en moders- och en fadersgestalt« (party programme ↗)“that all children should have the right to both a maternal and a paternal figure”
- the child's best interests»Att barnets bästa alltid ska beaktas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That the child's best interests always be considered”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:CU7)
- Committee report full text (HC01CU7)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1017 — Likvärdig myndighetsutövning vid borgerlig vigsel av Kerstin Lundgren (C)
- Motion 2024/25:1078 — Uppföljning av riskbedömningar i vårdnadsmål och utvärdering av barnkonventionens införande av Marléne Lund Kopparklint (M)
- Motion 2024/25:1128 — Rätten att själv bestämma över sin kvarlåtenskap av Alexandra Anstrell och Mats Green (båda M)
- Motion 2024/25:1198 — Separerande av vigsel och välsignelse av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2024/25:1222 — Införande av registrering av testamenten och framtidsfullmakter av Ingemar Kihlström (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1226 — Testamentsregister av Larry Söder (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1299 — Vårdnadstvister och konsekvenser av Runar Filper (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1334 — Alla barns rätt till ett tryggt familjeliv av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1389 — Familjerätt av Mikael Eskilandersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1413 — Krafttag mot hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck av Sara Gille m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1414 — Mäns våld mot kvinnor och våld i nära relationer av Michael Rubbestad m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1516 — Situationen kring gode män och förvaltare av Peder Björk och Malin Larsson (båda S)
- Motion 2024/25:1522 — Registrering av testamenten av Peter Hedberg och Malin Larsson (båda S)
- Motion 2024/25:1618 — Ansvar för barn till föräldrar som förolyckas av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C)
- Motion 2024/25:1657 — Kriminalisering av det ekonomiska våldet av Karin Sundin (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1865 — Ersättning till borgerliga vigselförrättare av Marianne Fundahn (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1903 — Åtgärder för att stoppa mäns våld mot kvinnor och barn av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:2047 — Borgerlig vigselförrättare av Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson och Mats Sander (båda M)
- Motion 2024/25:2048 — Bodelning som drar ut på tiden av Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2284 — Sänkning av åldersgränsen för omyndigas rätt att disponera egna tjänade pengar till 15 år av Mattias Eriksson Falk och Roger Hedlund (båda SD)
Source: The Swedish Parliament