Swedish government coalition seeks to revoke citizenship in case of dual nationality for serious crimes

sweden - A commission consisting of members of all political parties in Sweden presented a report proposing that individuals with dual nationality could lose their Swedish citizenship under certain conditions.

A commission consisting of members of all political parties in Sweden presented a report on Wednesday recommending that individuals with dual nationality could lose their Swedish citizenship under certain conditions. These conditions include committing crimes that threaten the security of Sweden, such as espionage, high treason, incitement to war, and rebellion. Currently, this is not possible under the current constitution, so they agree that the constitution should be amended.

The three Swedish government parties and supporting party Sweden Democrats support the findings of the report, but want to go a step further. They believe that criminal activities that seriously harm Sweden's vital interests should also fall under the new conditions. "To be very concrete: the top of criminal networks sitting abroad and directing murders, shootings, and bombings in Sweden," said Defense Minister Gunnar Strömmer.

The government's consideration to expand the conditions without a majority has sparked strong criticism from Swedish opposition parties. They fear that if the government parties push through their proposal, the conditions set could become too broad. Opposition believes not only gang-related crimes but also other forms of crime could be cited as reasons for revoking citizenship. The fact that the current government is considering pushing through broader conditions is causing further confusion.

"If they continue on their own, they are breaking with a long tradition in Swedish politics of broad consensus on constitutional issues. It would be extremely un-Swedish," said Magdalena Andersson, leader of the largest opposition party, the Social Democrats.

The critical opposition words do not impress Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the far-right Sweden Democrats. "We have a majority in the Swedish Riksdag. If the constitution needs to be amended, a choice is necessary. Voters must decide whether they think the Social Democrats, who do not want to revoke the passports of criminal gang leaders, are right, or that we, who do, are right."

In order to implement the desired changes, the current government must win the 2026 elections. In the next term, a new vote will be needed to amend the constitution.

The Swedish government also wants to tighten the requirements and conditions for obtaining Swedish citizenship, as announced earlier this week. The minimum required residency period will increase from 5 to 8 years, and the costs for applying for citizenship will double. They are also imposing stricter requirements when it comes to the condition of 'leading an honest and orderly way of life'. In the desired new situation, stateless individuals born in Sweden must not have been convicted of a national security crime for five years or more.

"The days when citizenship was granted almost without requirements are over. Citizenship must be something you earn," said Minister of Migration Johan Forssell during a press conference. Last week, Forsell presented 'historically low' figures on asylum-related immigration to Sweden in 2024. Last year, 6250 asylum-related residence permits were granted in the Scandinavian country. This is the lowest number since 1985. "I think the number of asylum seekers will need to continue to decline," said Forsell, emphasizing that the government prioritizes continuing to reduce immigration.