The investigator Cathrine Lilja Hansson proposes that a list be introduced in law for what should be checked when individuals apply for security-classified positions, for example within the police.
The list should be included in the security protection law, and what should be included is, among other things, criminality, association with criminals or terrorists, financial circumstances, abuse, health status, and connection to a foreign country.
The fact that connection to a foreign country or dual citizenship should be taken into account is something that the Security Service has emphasized. This is against the background of the threat from foreign powers being high in Sweden and that states such as Russia, China, and Iran are acting increasingly offensively.
"Get to the bottom of"
Already today, dual citizenship is a factor that is taken into account, but the government has considered that the guidelines need to be clarified.
Opponents have simultaneously warned that individuals with a foreign background are already being suspected and excluded from services.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (M) emphasizes that there is nothing in the proposals that implies that individuals with a connection to a foreign country will be automatically sorted out.
Shouldn't dual citizenship or a gang criminal family member explicitly be a hindrance to getting certain sensitive jobs?
Having a connection to a gang criminal is something that one can assume is a vulnerability that will really be gotten to the bottom of, and as a starting point, one can certainly say that it excludes one from having certain types of services, says Strömmer.
Dual citizenship can be a vulnerability, and if it is, one should naturally not come into question for a certain service. But it can also turn out that one is not exposed to risk.
Unclear if more will be denied
The investigator says that she has no idea if more people will be denied security-classified jobs if the proposals are implemented.
The purpose is not to deny more people but to have better processes, she says.
In contrast to the Security Service, the investigator does not want to specifically point out foreign connection, but has chosen to take a broader approach.
Economy can be just as important, if one is in economic distress or is a gambling addict, for example. It can just as well be such factors that determine that one is not suitable for a job, says Lilja Hansson.
# A list in law of what should be checked to employ a person in a security-classified position:
criminality
association with criminals, criminal networks, terrorist organizations, extremist movements, or extremists
financial circumstances
connection to a foreign country
abuse
health status
cooperation willingness, incorrect or incomplete information
other security-relevant circumstances
# Possibility to dismiss a state employee due to a security clearance decision. Today, there is essentially no legal support for this.
The new rules are proposed to come into force on June 1, 2026.
# Another proposal is that employees should be able to appeal a security clearance decision, which is not possible today. But how this should be done needs to be further investigated, according to the investigator.
