Sweden's Moderate Party Proposes Femicide as New Crime Classification

Sweden's Moderate Party is advocating for the creation of a new legal classification: femicide. This proposed crime would specifically address the murder of women motivated by their gender. The party's proposal, announced by Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, seeks to impose a life sentence on individuals convicted of killing a woman because she is a woman.

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We want those who murder a woman because she is a woman to be locked up for life.

Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer described femicide as a persistent societal problem and a "constant failure" that society has struggled to address. He believes that by explicitly defining the motive behind the crime in its classification, society can better visualize the violence, the underlying reasons, and the destructive patterns that lead to these acts. This, he argues, will also improve the society's capacity for preventive measures.

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a societal problem that is constant over time and a constant failure that society does not manage to get a handle on.

Several other European countries, including Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, and Malta, have already implemented femicide as a distinct legal category. The Moderate Party's proposal aligns with these international efforts to recognize and combat gender-based violence more effectively. The party suggests that the penalty for this crime should, as a starting point, be life imprisonment.

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By already in the classification clarifying what the background to the crime is, we can make visible the violence, the motives and the destructive patterns in our society that lead to this crime.

While Sweden already has provisions for aggravated penalties for crimes motivated by gender, the Moderates argue this is insufficient. Malmer Stenergard stressed the importance of distinguishing femicide to bring greater attention to the issue and provide justice for victims and their families, noting that the number of women murdered annually remains a significant concern. The party plans to initiate an investigation to develop the legal framework for this proposed law if they continue to lead Sweden after the upcoming elections, aiming for a clear and legally secure application of the definition.

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We do not think that is enough.