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Transparency Alone Isn't Enough to Tackle Lobbyists, Swedish Opinion Piece Argues
🇸🇪 Sweden /Elections & Politics

Transparency Alone Isn't Enough to Tackle Lobbyists, Swedish Opinion Piece Argues

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Sources not specified Context piece
  • Sweden is preparing to regulate lobbying for the first time, with a proposal for a register of influence communication.
  • The proposed register, which would show who meets whom and for what purpose, is considered insufficient by the authors.
  • The authors argue that transparency alone is not enough to address lobbying issues and could undermine public trust in politics.

Sweden, known for its transparency and open governance, is on the verge of regulating lobbying for the first time. A proposal from the Committee on Transparency (SOU 2025:52) suggests a register for influence communication, requiring those seeking to shape political decisions to disclose their contacts with policymakers.

But it is insufficient to address the problems with lobbying in Sweden.

— Alexander Katsaitis and Faradj KolievAuthors of the opinion piece in Dagens Nyheter, commenting on the proposed lobbying register.

While this is a welcome step, political scientists Alexander Katsaitis and Faradj Koliev argue in Dagens Nyheter that it is insufficient to tackle the problems associated with lobbying in Sweden. Lobbying, or influence communication, is a significant activity involving companies, unions, industry organizations, think tanks, and interest groups that daily work to shape political decisions. Surveys indicate frequent contact between political decision-makers and external actors aiming to influence policy.

Transparency is not enough – a register that only shows who meets whom risks even undermining trust in politics.

— Alexander Katsaitis and Faradj KolievAuthors of the opinion piece in Dagens Nyheter, expressing their core argument.

The growth of the PR and PA industry, along with the movement of individuals between political roles and lobbying firms, highlights the need for clearer rules. Although lobbying can improve decision-making by providing expertise and anchoring policy in societal interests, a lack of regulation can lead to imbalances. When certain actors gain privileged access due to resources or networks rather than broader representation, it erodes trust in the political system. Issues of money, influence, and revolving doors between politics and business are recurring themes in political debate, signaling a need for clearer game rules.

Lobbyism, or influence communication, is not a marginal phenomenon in today's Sweden.

— Alexander Katsaitis and Faradj KolievAuthors of the opinion piece in Dagens Nyheter, describing the prevalence of lobbying.

Katsaitis and Koliev express concern that the committee's main proposal, increased transparency through a register, is a step in the right direction but falls short. They point to the "disappointing" experiences of other countries with well-developed lobby registers, such as the United States and Ireland, suggesting that transparency alone may not be enough to effectively address the complexities of lobbying.

This is a symptom of a system that needs clearer rules of the game.

— Alexander Katsaitis and Faradj KolievAuthors of the opinion piece in Dagens Nyheter, referring to the issues surrounding influence and access in politics.
DistantNews Editorial

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

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