Sweden’s political parties have agreed that dual citizens who commit crimes that threaten national security should lose their citizenship.
A cross-party committee recommended that the change could be applied to anyone who had used bribes or false information to obtain their citizenship; and also if they committed crimes that were a threat to the state or came under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
But it stopped short of proposals by the minority government for gangsters to have their citizenship revoked.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said Sweden was dealing with “violent extremism, state actors acting in a hostile manner towards Sweden, as well as systemic organised crime”.
Under Sweden’s constitution, revoking citizenship is currently not allowed and a vote will take place next year in parliament on changing the laws.
Centre-left opposition parties say that revoking gang criminals’ citizenship would be a step too far, as deciding how to define the law would be difficult.
However, Sweden’s centre-right governing parties, backed by the more radical anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, want the changes to tackle the dramatic rise in gang crime and the high rate of gun killings.
“The proposals I received today will not give us the possibility to take back Swedish citizenship from gang leaders in criminal networks sitting abroad, directing shootings and bombings and murders on Sweden’s streets,” Strommer told Swedish Radio.
The government points to neighbouring Denmark, where citizenship can already be removed because of an act that is “seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the state”. The law was recently extended to include some forms of serious gang crime.
Sweden’s minority government has also moved to tighten rules on applying for citizenship.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell said that last year police reported 600 cases of people applying who were considered a threat to national security.
From June 2026, anyone seeking a Swedish passport will generally have to have lived in the country for eight years instead of five at the moment. Tests on Swedish language and society would also be included.
Forssell said it had been “far too easy” to become Swedish and that it should be something to feel proud of: “We are going to build a Sweden that sticks together, where Swedish citizenship matters more.”
“Girls and boys have the right to swim and play football. If you don’t accept that, Sweden is not the country for you.”
The leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Akesson, wants the government to go further, requiring new citizens to swear a declaration of loyalty to Sweden.
However, that did not feature in the recommendations of a government inquiry.
Inquiry author Kirsti Laakso Utvik said the changes would bring Sweden more closely into line with other European countries.
By BBC News
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