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🇸🇪 Sweden /Culture & Society

Swedish government wins votes on crime and immigration reforms

From Svenska Dagbladet · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Approved/passed
  • The Swedish Riksdag has approved the government's proposal to abolish 'mängdrabatt,' a form of sentence reduction for multiple crimes.
  • The vote passed 176 to 171, with the government and Sweden Democrats securing the majority.
  • Stricter requirements for family reunification were also approved, including a two-year waiting period for those with temporary residence permits.

Sweden's government has successfully pushed through key legislative proposals in the Riksdag, including the abolition of sentence discounts for multiple crimes and stricter rules for family reunification. The votes, which passed narrowly with 176 votes for and 171 against, signal a significant policy shift.

It is completely insane that the Social Democrats are not going to vote for this proposal.

— Elin BöhlinDistrict chairman Elin Böhlin of the Moderate Youth League, commenting on the Social Democrats' stance on the family immigration proposals.

The abolition of 'mängdrabatt,' a practice where individuals convicted of multiple offenses receive a reduced overall sentence, was a contentious issue. The government, supported by the Sweden Democrats, argued for the reform, while the opposition expressed concerns about its feasibility and implementation timeline. The vote saw the government secure the necessary majority, despite strong debate.

The problem is that it is an experiment we have tried before and it failed, we have very bad experiences. If the karensavdrag disappears, sick leave will increase.

— Jan-Olof JackeCEO Jan-Olof Jacke of Svenskt Näringsliv, expressing concerns about removing the waiting day for sickness benefits.

Additionally, the Riksdag approved enhanced requirements for family immigration. Under the new rules, individuals with temporary residence permits must wait at least two years before their family members can be granted permits. Furthermore, the fulfillment of income requirements will be re-evaluated each time a temporary permit is extended.

If she can find a solution that does not harm companies with this cost shock, then we can talk about how we will solve it.

— Elisabeth Thand RingqvistElisabeth Thand Ringqvist of the Centre Party, indicating openness to discussing solutions regarding the cost shock for businesses.

These decisions have sparked debate and protest. The Moderate Youth League demonstrated outside parliament against the family immigration measures. Meanwhile, concerns about the potential increase in sick leave due to the removal of a 'karensavdrag' (a waiting day for sickness benefits) were raised by business representatives, although discussions on potential solutions are ongoing.

The government is asking parliament for a blank check. I am not going to sign that. It would be deeply irresponsible towards the voters.

— Teresa CarvalhoTeresa Carvalho, the Social Democrats' spokesperson for legal policy, criticizing the government's request for broad authority.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Svenska Dagbladet in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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