This is stated in a constitutional bill that the government has decided to submit to the Riksdag.
Today, it is not possible to revoke Swedish citizenship. But the government wants it to be possible when a person has dual citizenship.
This should be possible if the person has cheated or threatened to obtain citizenship, and if the person has been convicted of a crime that seriously harms Sweden's "vital interests".
According to the government, this may involve crimes that seriously threaten Sweden's security, or "some serious systemic" gang crime.
“Domestic terrorism”
Examples include shootings and explosions, but also other serious violent crimes "that threaten society's ability to maintain public order and safety" in, for example, a city district.
"Organized crime is a kind of domestic terrorism with a large capital of violence. It silences witnesses, threatens social workers and defrauds our welfare system," says Henrik Vinge, chairman of the Justice Committee (SD).
According to him, the police estimate that there are around 1,400 people active in the gangs who have dual citizenship.
The bill also contains proposals to restrict freedom of association for criminal organizations. This is aimed at making it a crime to participate in criminal gangs. According to Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (M), this could also include extremist organizations, such as the violence-prone right-wing extremist activist clubs.
In addition, the right to abortion should be given constitutional protection.
The bill is based on proposals presented by the Constitutional Committee in January 2025. All parties except V and MP were then in favor of being able to revoke citizenship if people have cheated or threatened to do so or have been guilty of crimes that seriously threaten national security.
Going one step further
However, the proposal regarding crimes that harm Sweden's "vital interests" was not included, but is something that the Tidö parties have gone ahead with on their own. S and the rest of the opposition opposed it because they considered the wording to be too unclear.
According to Henrik Vinge, however, it is accepted in international law and is in line with what Sweden's neighboring countries do.
S now states that the proposals will be analyzed in depth.
"There is no doubt about where we stand. The Social Democrats want to take away the passports of gang leaders, terrorists and those who have obtained their citizenship on false grounds," says Amalia Rud Stenlöf (S).
The government is submitting a constitutional bill to the Riksdag that contains three proposals.
- An opportunity to strip gang criminals of their Swedish citizenship
- Restrict freedom of association for criminal groups
- Constitutionally protect the right to abortion
The amendments are proposed to enter into force on 1 January 2027.
Because they concern the Constitution, two identical parliamentary resolutions are required, with an election in between.
The government is simultaneously investigating how the actual bills to revoke citizenship and prohibit participation in criminal gangs should look.
