‘If you want to build a future here, welcome to Sweden!’​on September 9, 2025 at 3:06 pm

A few politicians could even be spotted wearing traditional costumes from their home regions. This is a relatively recent phenomenon, and one which the comedian Jonathan Unge poured scorn on in a newspaper column a few years back.

“People who are responsible for our nation’s finances and justice system are walking along in knickerbockers and stockings with balls on them. One man who’s probably responsible for our defence was seen in a very large hat, super-stripy waistcoat and high-heeled shoes. What the hell is going on? Have we turned into Norway or something?”

No, as it happens. For one thing, there weren’t all that many costumes this year. Also, Norway this week voted for a red-green government, while Sweden’s will remain a darker shade of blue for at least one more year unless something untoward happens.

By the time the country artist Jill Johnson had stopped singing everyone had taken their seats, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (wearing a regular suit) got stuck into the main business of the day as he read out this year’s ‘Statement of government policy’, starting with the simple message that “Sweden is fantastic”.

But, and there was a definitely a but, under the previous government the country had gone to hell in a hand basket and “Sweden had reached the end of the road”:

So what can we expect from Sweden’s government in the year leading up to the 2026 elections?

Here’s a quick digest of what Kristersson wants to see happen:

Crime & Punishment

• Police to use real-time facial recognition technology to tackle gang crime
• Double sentences for serious gang crime
• Secret surveillance of under 15s suspected of gang crime from October 1st
• Lower the age of criminal responsibility, presumably from 15 to 14 in line with the findings of an official inquiry, although Kristersson didn’t specify
• Special juvenile prisons will open on July 1st next year

Immigration

The Prime Minister also had a few words to say about people who move to Sweden to work.

“Sweden must get even better at attracting international talent to strengthen our competitiveness. To achieve this, the government will propose making it easier to change jobs while also combating work permit fraud.

“The government is also working to make it easier for researchers and doctoral students to stay in Sweden. The signal from Sweden will be clear: If you are a highly qualified talent within your profession and you want to build your future here with us – welcome to Sweden!”

Decide for yourself how many grains of salt you’d like to apply, if any. 

Repatriation

Children

• A ban on the use of mobile phones in schools will come into force on July 1st next year
• 2026 will be a “year of movement” for children, with the public health authority tasked with the introduction of a special leisure time card for children aged 8 to 16

Economy

• Kristersson reiterated some of the promises that are on their way in this month’s budget
• The government wants one of the EU’s five planned AI giga factories to be located in Sweden

Interestingly, politicians saved some of their enthusiastic applause for a reform that might affect them personally as Kristersson reminded them that the government wants to make it easier to build homes near water, in a controversial reform of the country’s coastal protection rules.

Kristersson finished up by underscoring his government’s commitment to a new nuclear power programme and Sweden’s continued support for Ukraine.

Truth be told, there was quite a bit more. It was a long speech. But after painting a gloomy picture of the state of the world, he ended on a high note that he’ll hope voters agree with:

“A better tomorrow awaits.”

Before wrapping up, the Prime Minister also presented a new health minister, Elisabet Lann.

She replaces Acko Ankarberg Johansson, who announced this week that she would be leaving the government and the parliament following consultation with her Christian Democrat party leader Ebba Busch.

Then an army band belted out the national anthem and the parliamentarians headed back out into the warm Stockholm afternoon.

Sweden’s King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel arrive at the Riksdag. Photo:

Magnus Lejhall/TT

In other political news, police have launched a preliminary investigation into harassment after Sweden’s Minister for Civil Defence, Carl-Oskar Bohlin, posted a video to X that he had filmed of a group of pro-Palestinian activists following him after he left a meeting with Moderate Party colleagues on Monday evening.

The activists can be heard shouting “shame on you” and “there’s a genocide happening” as the minister walks along quiet streets in Gamla Stan in Stockholm.

Bohlin said he turned back after a while and made his way to the parliament building because he didn’t want the “idiots” finding out where he lived.

Other politicians, allies and rivals alike, have rallied around the minister, insisting that they have the right to be left alone when not performing their political duties.

The high-profile murders of the former prime minister Olof Palme and foreign minister Anna Lindh mean that Swedish politicians are understandably nervous about security and commentators have raised questions about why the security police didn’t escort the minister home.

The Prime Minister also appeared to address the incident in his speech.

“We can’t have all the world’s conflicts in our streets and squares. You can think what you like about the Middle East, but you can’t spread hatred, threats and anti-Semitism in Sweden.”

He may have planned to say this anyway, but with Bohlin’s video racking up millions of views his words elicited loud applause.

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