Today, people who have lived in Sweden for three years can vote in local and regional elections even if they do not have Swedish citizenship, but Christian Democrat leader Ebba Busch wants to tighten the requirements.
– We allow people to vote in municipal elections quite easily. It can swing a majority in an entire municipality, she points out.
– People who are not Swedish citizens but have lived in the municipality for only a few years can suddenly vote in local elections. One could consider where the time limit should be set. Or should a sudden, large influx of a few thousand citizens from another country be able to influence an entire municipality’s direction? It’s not entirely reasonable, continued the Christian Democrats’ leader in the tabloid Aftonbladet.
Although Busch is clear that three years as a resident in Sweden is too short a time to be allowed to vote in Swedish elections, she cannot answer what requirements would be reasonable instead.
At the same time, the government has set up an inquiry to produce proposals for stricter requirements in terms of Sweden’s laws, norms and language in order to be granted Swedish citizenship, and this inquiry will be presented at the beginning of next year.
Sweden Democrats want to end non-citizen voting rights
The Sweden Democrats have long argued that only Swedish citizens should have the right to vote in Sweden, and Jimmie Åkesson believes that it is unreasonable that foreigners should be able to influence Swedish politics
– Personally, I think it is perfectly reasonable that only Swedish citizens should have the right to vote in all general elections in Sweden, Åkesson has previously declared.
However, Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) is of a different opinion and believes that “the opportunity to participate in decision-making in matters that concern citizens locally is a way into Swedish society”.
– We are part of a Nordic tradition and community where national matters are exclusive to citizens, but after some time, people are included in the local community with participation that affects local matters without determining Sweden’s broader national direction, he adds.
Same rules for everyone
Ebba Busch’s party colleague Alice Teodorescu Måwe recently demanded that anyone granted Swedish citizenship must first sign a declaration of loyalty to Israel, but Busch would not comment in detail on that move.
– We want Sweden to be able to have an inclusive ‘we’, but then it must be crystal clear what rules apply at this dinner table. Otherwise you can’t eat here. Otherwise there is no place for you at this table. Then there is no citizenship. Then there is no right to vote for you.
