Several of the parties have signaled that the next term of office will focus more on everyday crimes, such as theft and fraud, and on men's violence against women.
But the fight against the gangs is not over.
In recent years, a long list of penalties have been increased and the police have been given many new tools. The Tidö parties will continue on this line, according to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M).
His prime ministerial rival Magdalena Andersson and S are also going into the election with new hard-line policies.
A new step in the fight against gangs after the election could be special legislation aimed at gang criminals. Both the Tidö parties and the Social Democrats want to be able to make life difficult for them, for example through contact bans, grant freezes, travel bans and business bans.
The Tidö parties also promise to introduce criminalisation of participation in criminal gangs. M also promises to extend the law that gives the police expanded powers, for example to secretly wiretap for preventive purposes. It expires in 2028.
Is there resistance?
S is running for election on a "mafia law" that will make it easier for gang leaders to be punished for crimes committed by others in their organisation.
V and MP are opposed to even more repressive measures. They have said no in the Riksdag to a number of government bills that S voted for. For example, juvenile prisons, secret coercive measures against children under 15 and reduced sentencing discounts for young people under 18.
V and MP currently have no clear demands for laws that must be torn up if they enter into a government collaboration with S. V first wants to have the government's introduced measures evaluated. MP wants a review of the entire Criminal Code.
Some of the measures have been very quick and very poorly prepared, says V's group leader in the Riksdag Samuel Gonzalez Westling.
“No support”
MP would, if possible together with any collaborating parties after the election, above all want to repeal the lowering of the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years.
–There is also no support for assuming that a general increase in repression contributes positively to reducing crime in general, says legal policy spokesperson Ulrika Westerlund.
What V and MP are primarily campaigning on when it comes to the fight against crime is efforts to prevent young people from being recruited by gangs. S has also promised such efforts.
Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) claims that S promises to continue cracking down on gangs cannot be trusted if an S-led government cooperates with V and MP.
We will not lead a government that is “soft on crime”. That is a clear promise from us to the voters, says the party’s justice policy spokesperson Teresa Carvalho (S)
She assures that if there are parties that do not want to take a hard line on socially harmful crime, they will not be able to dictate the terms.
That would be completely unreasonable and it won't happen.
Facts: The parties' election promises (a selection)
The Moderates
1. Abolish today's sentence discount for those convicted of multiple crimes
2. Protective legislation for women - higher penalties for violent men
3. Generally threatening people should be banned from entering certain public places for a limited period of time.
4. Special legislation for gang criminals
5. Introduce a new type of security guard, security guards, with increased powers for security on streets and squares
Sweden Democrats
1. Make membership in criminal gangs illegal
2. Lock up gang criminals at a lower price in prisons with lower standards and cheaper food
3. Introduce special legislation against gang criminals
4. Introduce a state interactive pedophile map
5. Gang criminals with dual citizenship should be deported
Christian Democrats
1. Protect the elderly against fraud through increased requirements for banks
2. Allow cameras with facial recognition for surveillance against criminal networks
3. National relocation program for families whose children need a change of environment
4. Give police the ability to match criminal footage with the passport register to find children who are victims of sexual crimes
5. Increase protection for women and children fleeing violent relationships
Liberals
1. Increase penalties for child recruitment
2. Digital bans on pedophiles from online places where children are present
3. Parole for sex offenders should be conditional on treatment, such as medical castration
4. Electronic ankle cuffs should be the main rule for men who are subject to a no-contact order.
5. Major government investment in visible police officers
Social Democrats
1. Mafia teams against gang leaders
2. Spot young people on their way into crime, with companions or electronic monitoring.
3. Abolish today's sentence discount for those convicted of multiple sexual offenses at the same time
4. Special measures against gang criminals, for example with contact bans, travel bans and business bans.
5. Increased punishment for crimes against women, doubled supervision time and area arrest for violent men in close relationships
The Green Party
1. Catch children at risk early through collaboration between schools, social services, leisure, healthcare and the police
2. Don't put children in prison
3. Strengthen the quality of youth care, at HVB homes and Sis homes
4. Strengthen support for women exposed to violence
5. Strengthen local police presence
The Left Party
1. Stop gang recruitment of young people through more resources for schools and social services - increased government grants to municipalities
2. More and better dropout programs for young people who want to leave gangs
3. Stop welfare crime by stopping "profit hunting" in healthcare, schools and social care
4. Improve the integration of serious criminals into society after serving their sentences
5. Strengthen border security against weapons and drugs
The Centre Party
1. Guarantee police presence in the 110 municipalities that lack police offices
2. Trauma-screen children to detect violence trauma and prevent gang recruitment
3. Fast track prosecution of recurring thefts, threats and fraud against small business owners
4. Create an Ecocrime unit with cutting-edge expertise against corruption, economic crime and environmental crime
5. Introduce a national program and financial support to enable women to leave violent relationships
