The Royal Library in Stockholm is setting up a new Council for National Minorities. One of the aims is to draw attention to material that is considered “offensive” or “objectionable”.
The library has several collections of books, movies, newspapers, etc. that are several hundred years old. Now it feels it must “take responsibility for the older collections by calling attention to the fact that material may be offensive or objectionable.
– We know that there are parts of the Royal Library’s collections and descriptions that can be considered offensive today because they were created at a time when the view of minorities was different, says National Librarian Karin Grönvall in a press release.
This can include describing the material, how it should be presented or that an explanatory text should be added. For example, work has already been done on “Sápmi on film”, which has been provided with ethical recommendations.
– We hope that this work will lead to interesting discoveries in the collections or better descriptions, where the national minorities’ part in the common history becomes more visible and clearer, says Grönvall.
The library is now looking for members of the Jewish, Roma, Sami, Swedish-Finnish and Tornedalian communities to join the council.
It is Sweden's national library, located in Humlegården in Stockholm. The library collects and preserves all printed material published in Sweden since 1661.
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The Swedish government wants to have more power to act quickly in serious crises during peacetime – without having to wait for approval from parliament.
The proposal has been met with strong criticism from several sides, with people warning that it paves the way for abuse of power and risks undermining democratic principles.
A new bill proposes constitutional amendments that would allow decisions on temporary measures in situations such as cyberattacks, natural disasters, or terrorist attacks.
The proposed changes to the constitution are said to be aimed at enabling the government to act more quickly in crises, even in peacetime.
By delegating special powers from the Riksdag, the government will be able to issue temporary regulations that are valid for up to three months. However, these may not change or repeal the constitution.
– The government needs the right tools to govern the country, Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) states.
Spread of infection and cyber attacks
In particularly urgent cases, the government will be able to take a so-called activation decision – a form of state of emergency – to take immediate action without the prior approval of the Riksdag. This is said to be relevant in events such as:
• Nuclear accidents
• Natural disasters
• Extensive spread of infectious diseases
• Terrorist attacks
• Major financial crises
• Extensive IT disruptions or cyberattacks
The government itself claims that the reform is necessary to protect society and safeguard democratic governance in emergency situations where crucial decisions must be made very quickly.
“Ensures separation of powers”
However, several organizations, including LO, the Swedish Union of Journalists, and the Stockholm District Court, have sharply criticized the proposal. The Swedish Union of Journalists warns that a future authoritarian government could use these powers to implement changes without the support of the Riksdag, which in practice risks undermining democracy.
To limit the risks, the government claims that it will only be able to use these powers if it is clear that the Riksdag’s decision cannot be delayed.
An activation decision must also be approved retrospectively by a three-quarters majority in the Riksdag. If regulations are not submitted to parliament within a week or approved within a month, they cease to apply immediately, it is stated.
– This ensures the separation of powers and reduces the scope for a government with more despotic ambitions to take liberties, argues Gunnar Strömmer.
– In practice, the Riksdag always has the final say, he assures us.
Concerns about abuse
The bill also contains proposals to allow the Riksdag to meet in locations other than Stockholm in the event of serious crises. In addition, digital meetings will be made possible to ensure that the Riksdag can function even under extreme conditions.
The legislative changes, which are proposed to come into force on January 1, 2027, are based on a report supported by seven of the eight parties in parliament.
Despite broad political support, the proposal has raised concerns among critics. On social media, many warn that the changes could reduce the influence of the people even more than today and lead to abuse of power, as well as being misused to introduce various totalitarian and repressive measures.
Sweden continues to stand out as one of Europe’s most borderless and generous countries when it comes to granting citizenship to migrants.
According to recent Eurostat statistics, Sweden grants the most citizenships per capita in the EU, apart from tiny Luxembourg. This is despite the ruling coalition parties (Tidö) promising a “paradigm shift” in immigration policy.
In 2023, Spain granted the most citizenships in absolute terms, with over 240,000 new passports, followed by Italy (214,000) and Germany (200,000). But when the numbers are put in relation to the size of the population, the picture changes dramatically.
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, with a population of just 680 000, tops the list with 8.8 citizenships per thousand inhabitants, followed by Sweden in second place with 6.4. Spain comes third with 5.0, and Italy drops to fifth place with 3.6.
Sweden also stands out in naturalization rates – the percentage of foreign nationals living in the country who are granted citizenship. At 7.9%, Sweden topped the EU in 2023, meaning that almost eight out of every hundred foreign nationals in the country became Swedish citizens. Romania followed with 5.9% and Italy with 4.1%. The EU average, by comparison, was 2.6%.
It is worth noting that the Tidö parties campaigned on a tougher immigration policy and have promised to tighten citizenship rules, including extending the period of residence from the current five years to at least eight years, as well as introducing requirements for Swedish language skills and a declaration of loyalty. Despite this, 66,000 citizenships were granted in 2024, according to the Migration Agency, only a marginal decrease from 68,000 the year before.
Internal frustration
The lack of concrete measures to stop mass migration has led many Sweden Democrats to react with frustration – even high-ranking ones.
Last November, for example, Member of Parliament Josef Fransson called for a moratorium on citizenship in a written question to the government, stating that “despite the mandate we received from the voters, Sweden continues to hand out citizenship generously to foreigners who do not meet the requirements stipulated in the Tidö Agreement“.
He pointed out that the number of new citizenships granted during the Moderate-led government’s rule in 2023 corresponded to the entire population of Skövde.
Questions about the Moderates’ intentions
In January 2025, the report “Stricter requirements for Swedish citizenship” was presented, proposing a longer period of residence and requirements for self-sufficiency. However, the reforms are not expected to enter into force until June 1, 2026, which means that Sweden will continue to follow the current more generous rules until then.
However, many observers question what effect the proposed changes will actually have in practice. Critics stress that Sweden continues to experience large-scale mass migration, and that the government should rather focus on ambitious re-immigration programs to tackle immigration-related problems.
Several observers have also questioned whether the Moderates and the other liberal parties in government have any genuine desire to change Sweden’s migration policy course. Critics say it is largely a matter of rhetoric and symbolic gestures – in order to retain power, not lose voters and maintain cooperation with the Sweden Democrats, on whose support the government depends.
Strängnäs, a municipality in Sweden, is preparing for one of the largest investments in its history. Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) plans to build one of Europe’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) data centers in the city.
The data center, which will be built on an area of approximately 350,000 square meters, will have a capacity of 750 megawatts – more than twice as large as previously planned. The project is expected to create over 1,000 permanent jobs and approximately 2,000 jobs during the construction phase.
The investment amounts to approximately SEK 95 billion (€8.7 billion) and is expected to take 10–15 years.
– Strängnäs has all the conditions to become the location of Northern Europe’s first AI center. We can offer an excellent geographical location, we have a high level of education and good cooperation with the municipalities in the Mälardalen region, says Jacob Högfeldt (M), chairman of the municipal council in Strängnäs, to Datacenter-Forum.
Brookfield‘s European CEO, Sikander Rashid, highlights the importance of investing in AI infrastructure on a large scale.
– To be competitive in AI development and realize its economic productivity, it is important to invest at scale in the infrastructure that underpins this technology. This extends beyond data centers and into data transmission, chip storage and energy production.
Strängnäs part of a broader strategy
The investment in Strängnäs is part of Brookfield’s broader strategy to invest around €20 billion in AI infrastructure in Europe, which also includes plans for large data centers in France and other countries.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has expressed his support for the investment on social media, emphasizing Sweden’s long tradition of strong companies.
Sverige har en lång tradition av innovation och starka företag.
AI är en oerhörd kraft för att Sverige ska fortsätta vara ett land i framkant. Det är därför regeringen nu tar fram en samlad AI-strategi – och orsaken till att vi tillsatte AI-kommissionen. Nu ser vi resultat.
Translation of above tweet: “Sweden has a long tradition of innovation and strong companies. AI is an incredible force that will enable Sweden to remain at the forefront. That is why the government is now developing a comprehensive AI strategy – and why we appointed the AI Commission. We are now seeing results.
I welcome the announcement today by the Canadian company Brookfield that it plans to invest up to SEK 95 billion in a new AI center in Strängnäs. It will be one of the largest data centers of its kind in Europe. It is also one of the largest investments in AI infrastructure to date in our country. I am particularly pleased that it is in my hometown.
We have a fantastic tech scene, and the latest investments from companies such as Brookfield, Nvidia, and Microsoft are clear proof of that.”
Sweden has competitive advantages that make the country attractive for large data center investments, including a relatively stable energy supply, high digital maturity, and proximity to academic hubs such as KTH and Uppsala University.
In addition, EU data protection regulations require sensitive data to be stored within the Union’s borders, which increases demand for local data centers.
The investment in the AI center could make Strängnäs a central node in Europe’s AI ecosystem and help strengthen Sweden’s role in the global AI race.
The Swedish government has reached an agreement with Estonia to rent prison places in the city of Tartu, with the aim of relieving pressure on the heavily burdened Swedish prison system.
– The entire prison will be placed at Sweden’s disposal, confirmed Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) during a press conference.
The prison in question has capacity for 600 inmates and is expected to be operational in spring 2026, provided that the Riksdag approves the agreement and the necessary legislative changes are implemented. The agreement is scheduled to be signed this summer.
The prison in Tartu has 400 rooms, corresponds to a Swedish security class 2 facility, and is intended for male inmates over the age of 18 who are not considered to pose a high security risk.
The Prison and Probation Service will make individual assessments in each case to determine which inmates are suitable to serve their sentences in Estonia.
– The intention is that the Prison and Probation Service will assess the suitability of each individual case for serving their prison sentence in Estonia, Strömmer continues.
Swedish conditions will apply
For the agreement to enter into force, it must be approved by a three-quarters majority in the Riksdag. The government wants broad political support on this issue.
– We will invite all parties in the Riksdag to a briefing and discussion on the agreement, said the Minister of Justice.
Although Estonian law applies on site, Sweden and Estonia have agreed on exceptions to ensure that the conditions for inmates correspond as closely as possible to those in Sweden. This applies, for example, to rules on contact with the outside world, where legislation differs between the two countries.
– An overall conclusion is that there are very many similarities. This also reflects the fact that we basically have a common view on how the prison and probation service should be run, says Gunnar Strömmer.
8,500 euros per month
Henrik Vinge (SD), chair of the Committee on Justice, emphasizes that it will not make any significant difference to criminals whether they are imprisoned in Sweden or Estonia.
– The rooms will be of a similar standard and have similar equipment to living quarters in Swedish prisons.
Swedish prison staff will also be on site in Tartu to ensure that the agreement is implemented as intended.
The cost per inmate is €8,500 per month, which is significantly lower than the average cost in Sweden, which is around €11,500. However, this price does not include the cost of leave, which will be carried out in Sweden.
