2025-04-092024/25:KU25 · p.4KUConstitution
Protection against discrimination
Extended constitutional protection against discrimination
What's at stake: The Instrument of Government currently lacks a general ban on discrimination based on political opinion, unlike several other grounds. The decision affects how strong a protection individuals have against being disadvantaged because of their political views, for example in public employment, and whether the issue should be pursued in parallel with the ongoing review.
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 a new, more comprehensive constitutional protection against discrimination - including on grounds of political opinion - should be investigated now, or whether parliament should wait for an already-commissioned committee's report to be finalised.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that the rights committee the government appointed in 2023 was tasked with assessing whether general protection against discrimination should be added to the Instrument of Government, but that the committee refrained from putting forward such a proposal. Since the committee's report is still being reviewed within the Government Offices, the committee sees no reason to propose measures now and rejects the motions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (SD)
The reservation stresses that protection against discrimination on grounds of political opinion is currently inadequate in Swedish law, since the European Convention's protection only applies together with a convention right and Sweden has not ratified Protocol 12's general ban on discrimination. It wants an inquiry into how general protection against discrimination on grounds of political opinion can be added to the Instrument of Government, with an explicit ban on being disadvantaged for being regarded as Swedish and against improper treatment based on political views in public and municipal employment.
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 1 by SD.
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: KDKristdemokraterna
Ja 203–62Ja 188–77
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 20/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 93/0/0/13 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | Abstain 1/0/13/4 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| C | No | Abstain 0/0/19/5 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | No 0/62/0/10 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Broke with the party line
| MPNils Seye Larsen (MP, Västerbottens län) | Yes — party line: Abstain |
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 2024/25:804 by Ulrika Westerlund et al. (MP) item 2, 2024/25:1375 by Matheus Enholm et al. (SD) items 3 and 4, 2024/25:1379 by Matheus Enholm et al. (SD) item 2 and 2024/25:3159 by Malin Björk et al. (C) item 1.3.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:804 av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP) yrkande 2, 2024/25:1375 av Matheus Enholm m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 3 och 4, 2024/25:1379 av Matheus Enholm m.fl. (SD) yrkande 2 och 2024/25:3159 av Malin Björk m.fl. (C) yrkande 1.3.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected approximately 50 proposals concerning freedoms and rights submitted as motions during the general motion period 2024. Parliament refers, among other things, to earlier and ongoing work on the issues that the proposals concern. The proposals concern, among other things, the right to court review, constitutional protection of the right to abortion, revocation of citizenship, discrimination, and the security and safety work of religious communities.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants an investigation into how general protection against discrimination based on political opinion can be introduced in the constitution. (SD) — Reservation 1
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 demands active work to prevent and stop various kinds of discrimination and that the exercise of public authority is guided by the equal value of all people.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands active work to prevent and stop various kinds of discrimination and that the exercise of public authority is guided by the equal value of all people. The counter-proposal's demand for investigating a general constitutional protection against discrimination is in line with that ambition and with the will to deepen the freedoms and rights that people have achieved. The plan however says nothing about political opinion as a ground for discrimination, which is why the conclusion is based on derivation.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver ett aktivt arbete för att förebygga och hindra olika sorters diskriminering och att den offentliga maktutövningen vägleds av alla människors lika värde. Motförslagets krav om att utreda ett generellt grundlagsskydd mot diskriminering ligger i linje med den ambitionen och med viljan att fördjupa de fri- och rättigheter folket drivit igenom. Planen säger dock inget om just politisk åskådning som diskrimineringsgrund, varför slutsatsen bygger på härledning.
- active work against discriminationdecisive»hindra olika sorters diskriminering i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“prevent various kinds of discrimination in society.”
- equal value of all people»Den offentliga maktutövningen ska vägledas av alla människors lika« (party programme ↗)“The exercise of public authority should be guided by the equal value of all”
- deepened freedoms and rights»fördjupa de politiska fri- och rättigheter folket drivit igenom i konflikt« (party programme ↗)“deepen the political freedoms and rights that people have achieved through conflict”
- law should protect rights»Grundlagarna ska värna demokratin och människors fri- och« (party programme ↗)“Constitutional law should protect democracy and people's freedoms 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's goal is a society without prejudice and discrimination, and the election manifesto confirms that discrimination on the labour market must be combated, which also covers undue special treatment in public employment.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's goal is a society without prejudice and discrimination, and the election manifesto confirms that discrimination on the labour market must be combated, which also covers undue special treatment in public employment. Freedom to express one's views is also a fundamental democratic right in the party programme. However, the documents mention neither political opinion as a ground for discrimination nor any constitutional amendment, so the conclusion is uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planens mål är ett samhälle utan fördomar och diskriminering, och valmanifestet slår fast att diskrimineringen på arbetsmarknaden ska motarbetas, vilket täcker även otillbörlig särbehandling vid offentlig anställning. Friheten att uttrycka sin mening är dessutom en grundläggande demokratisk rättighet i partiprogrammet. Dokumenten nämner dock inte politisk åskådning som diskrimineringsgrund och inte någon grundlagsändring, så slutsatsen är osäker.
- combat discrimination in working lifedecisive»Diskrimineringen på arbetsmarknaden ska motarbetas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Discrimination on the labour market must be combated.”
- society without discrimination»klasskillnader, patriarkat, rasism eller homo- och transfobi, ett samhälle utan fördomar och« (party programme ↗)“class differences, patriarchy, racism or homo- and transphobia, a society without prejudice and”
- freedom to express one's views»Demokrati handlar om frihet. Den innefattar friheten att få uttrycka sin mening, kritisera,« (party programme ↗)“Democracy is about freedom. It includes the freedom to express one's views, criticise,”
- freedoms and rights as foundation»rättigheterna bildar den nödvändiga utgångspunkten« (party programme ↗)“the rights form the necessary starting point”
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 demands sharper protection against discrimination: the election manifesto wants to strengthen anti-discrimination legislation and the party programme establishes that all forms of discrimination shall be countered and that strong legislation is needed.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands sharper protection against discrimination: the election manifesto wants to strengthen anti-discrimination legislation and the party programme establishes that all forms of discrimination shall be countered and that strong legislation is needed. Investigating a general constitutional protection against discrimination is in line with this. However, political opinion is not a ground that the plan lists, so support is principled rather than explicit.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver ett skarpare skydd mot diskriminering: valmanifestet vill stärka diskrimineringslagstiftningen och partiprogrammet slår fast att alla former av diskriminering ska motverkas och att det krävs stark lagstiftning. Att utreda ett generellt grundlagsskydd mot diskriminering ligger i linje med detta. Politisk åskådning är dock ingen grund som planen räknar upp, så stödet är principiellt snarare än uttryckligt.
- strengthened anti-discrimination legislationdecisive»stärka lagstiftningen mot diskriminering och se över rätten till rättshjälp i diskrimineringsfall.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen the legislation against discrimination and review the right to legal aid in cases of discrimination.”
- all discrimination is countered»Alla former av diskriminering ska motverkas.« (party programme ↗)“All forms of discrimination shall be countered.”
- strong legislation and ombudsman»Det krävs också en stark lagstiftning och en stark diskrimineringsombudsman.« (party programme ↗)“Strong legislation and a strong discrimination ombudsman are also required.”
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 explicitly wants to strengthen the anti-discrimination provision and place more rights under constitutional protection, and states that democracy presupposes respect for people's different political views.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly wants to strengthen the anti-discrimination provision and place more rights under constitutional protection, and states that democracy presupposes respect for people's different political views. Investigating a general constitutional safeguard against discrimination on grounds of political opinion aligns with that commitment. The plan therefore supports the demand, even if it does not point to political opinion as a ground for discrimination.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill uttryckligen stärka diskrimineringsförbudet och grundlagsskydda fler rättigheter, och slår fast att demokratin förutsätter respekt för människors olika politiska ståndpunkter. Att utreda ett generellt grundlagsskydd mot diskriminering på grund av politisk åskådning ligger i linje med det åtagandet. Planen stöder därför kravet, även om den inte pekar ut just politisk åskådning som diskrimineringsgrund.
- strengthened anti-discrimination provision in constitutiondecisive»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 position of minority languages, and constitutionally protect the right to abortion and reproductive health.”
- respect for political views»allmän acceptans och respekt för människors olika åsikter, oavsett om det handlar om politiska ståndpunkter,« (party programme ↗)“general acceptance and respect for people's different views, regardless of whether it concerns political positions,”
- more on discrimination»Mer måste göras mot diskriminering. Vi vill stärka myndigheternas arbete mot diskriminering och höja ersättningen till dem som utsatts, samt lägga till kön och funktionsnedsättning som hatbrottsgrunder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More must be done against discrimination. We want to strengthen the authorities' work against discrimination and raise compensation for those affected, as well as add gender and disability as hate crime grounds.”
- combat discriminatory structures»Vi bekämpar alla strukturer, formella och informella, som förtrycker eller diskriminerar människor.« (party programme ↗)“We combat all structures, formal and informal, that oppress or discriminate against people.”
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 basic law protection for individual freedoms and rights to be strong, discrimination law to be modernized and the right to engage politically to be valued.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants basic law protection for individual freedoms and rights to be strong, discrimination law to be modernized and the right to engage politically to be valued. Investigating a basic law protection against discrimination on the grounds of political opinion lies in that direction. The plan does not specifically address political opinion as a discrimination ground, so the support is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att grundlagsskyddet för de individuella fri- och rättigheterna ska vara starkt, att diskrimineringslagen moderniseras och att rätten att engagera sig politiskt värnas. Att utreda ett grundlagsskydd mot diskriminering på grund av politisk åskådning ligger i den linjen. Planen behandlar inte just politisk åskådning som diskrimineringsgrund, varför säkerheten är låg.
- strong basic law protectiondecisive»Grundlagsskyddet för demokratin och de individuella fri- och rättigheterna ska vara starkt.« (party programme ↗)“Basic law protection for democracy and individual freedoms and rights shall be strong.”
- modernized discrimination law»Vi vill modernisera diskrimineringslagen, prioritera polisens hatbrottsverksamhet och säkerställa att alla skolor står upp för alla människors lika värde.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to modernize discrimination law, prioritize police hate-crime operations and ensure that all schools stand up for all people's equal worth.”
- right to engage politically»rättigheten att engagera sig politiskt måste värnas« (party programme ↗)“the right to engage politically must be valued”
- combat discrimination»Fördomar och diskriminering ska bekämpas.« (party programme ↗)“Prejudice and discrimination shall be combated.”
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 explicitly requires that the Constitution ensures that no one is discriminated against on the grounds of, among other things, political or other opinion.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires that the Constitution ensures that no one is discriminated against on the grounds of, among other things, political or other opinion. That is exactly what the counter-proposal wants to investigate. The plan also counts freedom of opinion among the rights the Constitution must always protect and wants effective constitutional review that checks that laws follow the Constitution.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen att grundlagen säkerställer att ingen diskrimineras på grund av bland annat politisk eller annan åskådning. Det är precis vad motförslaget vill utreda. Planen räknar dessutom åsiktsfriheten till de rättigheter grundlagen alltid ska skydda och vill ha en effektiv lagprövning som kontrollerar att lagar följer grundlagen.
- constitutional protection against discriminationdecisive»neras på grund av kön, ålder, funktionsvariationer, etniskt ursprung, religion, sexuell identitet, politisk eller« (party programme ↗)“on the grounds of sex, age, functional variations, ethnic origin, religion, sexual identity, political or”
- the Constitution shall protect rights»Grundlagen ska säkerställa de rättigheter som alltid« (party programme ↗)“The Constitution shall ensure the rights that must always”
- freedom of opinion as a fundamental right»tet, åsiktsfrihet, religionsfrihet, yttrandefrihet, tryckfrihet, mötesfrihet, föreningsfrihet, demonstrationsfrihet« (party programme ↗)“of opinion, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom of demonstration”
- effective constitutional review»Det ska finnas en effektiv lagprövningsrätt.« (party programme ↗)“There shall be effective constitutional review.”
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 counter-proposal demands that a general constitutional protection against discrimination based on political opinion be investigated, with a ban on improper differential treatment in public employment.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal demands that a general constitutional protection against discrimination based on political opinion be investigated, with a ban on improper differential treatment in public employment. The plan states that the constitution should have a clear catalogue of freedoms and rights that provide practical protection against authorities, that all exercise of power should be guided by equal treatment and predictability and that each person should be assessed based on their actions. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget kräver att ett generellt grundlagsskydd mot diskriminering på grund av politisk åskådning utreds, med förbud mot otillbörlig särbehandling i offentlig anställning. Planen slår fast att grundlagen ska ha en tydlig katalog av fri- och rättigheter som ger praktiskt skydd mot myndigheter, att all maktutövning ska vägledas av likabehandling och förutsebarhet och att var och en ska bedömas efter sina handlingar. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- tydlig rättighetskatalogdecisive»Vår svenska grundlag ska ha en tydlig katalog av fri- och rättigheter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Our Swedish constitution shall have a clear catalogue of freedoms and rights.”
- likabehandling i maktutövning»principer om likabehandling och förutsebarhet.« (party programme ↗)“principles of equal treatment and predictability.”
- likhet inför lagen»Det jämlika människovärdet är grunden för likheten inför lagen« (party programme ↗)“Equal human dignity is the foundation for equality before the law”
- starkare rättighetsskydd»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”
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 explicitly wants to strengthen the constitutional protection of rights and values every citizen's right to express themselves freely without reprisals.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly wants to strengthen the constitutional protection of rights and values every citizen's right to express themselves freely without reprisals. It also opposes special treatment and opposes discrimination against native-born citizens. An investigated constitutional protection against discrimination on the grounds of political opinion thus aligns with the plan's commitments, even though the plan does not mention precisely that ground for discrimination.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill uttryckligen förstärka grundlagens rättighetsskydd och värna varje medborgares rätt att uttrycka sig fritt utan repressalier. Den vänder sig också mot särbehandling och mot att inrikes födda diskrimineras. Ett utrett grundlagsskydd mot diskriminering på grund av politisk åskådning ligger därmed i linje med planens åtaganden, även om planen inte nämner just den diskrimineringsgrunden.
- 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, property rights and freedom of religion”
- protection for free opinion formation»Varje journalists, konstutövares och medborgares rätt att uttrycka sig fritt utan att utsättas för hot eller repressalier ska värnas och stärkas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Every journalist's, artist's and citizen's right to express themselves freely without being subjected to threats or reprisals shall be protected and strengthened.”
- no discrimination against native-born»Dessutom behöver diskrimineringen av inrikes födda upphöra genom att vi ej ger förtur till nyanlända vad gäller jobb och bostäder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Furthermore, discrimination against native-born citizens needs to cease by not giving priority to newly arrived persons regarding jobs and housing.”
- against special treatment»Motverka diskriminering och särbehandling p.g.a. kön« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Counter discrimination and special treatment based on sex”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:KU25)
- Committee report full text (HC01KU25)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1173 — Dubbelt medborgarskap av Larry Söder (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1180 — Förbud mot offentliga böneutrop av Christian Carlsson (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1181 — Att motverka islamistisk terror av Christian Carlsson (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1375 — Grundlag av Matheus Enholm m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1379 — Kommunpolitik av Matheus Enholm m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1380 — En behövlig myndighetsöversyn av Matheus Enholm m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:139 — Utredning om kristofobi av Hans Eklind (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1413 — Krafttag mot hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck av Sara Gille m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1416 — Trossamfundsfrågor av Alexander Christiansson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1444 — Förutsättningar för en grundskola i världsklass av Patrick Reslow m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1448 — En förskola i världsklass av Patrick Reslow m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:170 — Handlingsplan för att motverka förföljelse av kristna av Magnus Jacobsson (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1728 — Sveriges kristna kulturarv av Julia Kronlid och Aron Emilsson (båda SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1745 — Politik för minoriteter av Jan Riise m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1793 — Grundlagsskydd för aborträtten av Linnéa Wickman m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:189 — Utökade möjligheter för kommuner att stoppa moskébyggen av Jonas Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1934 — Konstitutionella frågor av Jessica Wetterling m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:2035 — Äganderätt och miljöundantag av Mats Green (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2112 — Utredning gällande slöjförbud i för- och grundskolan av Ellen Juntti och Lars Beckman (båda M)
- Motion 2024/25:229 — Fackförbund utan partikoppling av Josef Fransson (SD)
Source: The Swedish Parliament