Swedish plan to remove citizenship from people seen as threat to state

Sweden’s political parties have agreed to ban dual citizens who threaten national security.

The cross-party committee said that the amendment could be applied to anyone who used bribery or false information to obtain citizenship; and if they committed crimes that were dangerous to the state or that came under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

But it stopped short of complying with the local government’s demand that criminals be stripped of their citizenship.

The Minister of Justice, Gunnar Strommer, said that Sweden is fighting “violent, state-sponsored violence against Sweden, as well as organized crime”.

Under Swedish law, revocation of citizenship is illegal and a vote will be held next year in parliament on changing the law.

Center-left opposition parties have said decriminalization would be a difficult task, as deciding how to interpret the law would be difficult.

However, Sweden’s centrist ruling parties, backed by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, want the reform to combat a sharp rise in crime and gun homicides.

“The decision I received today will not give us the opportunity to take back Swedish citizens from terrorist leaders who live abroad, directing shootings and bombings and killing people on the streets of Sweden,” Strommer told Swedish radio.

The government is pointing to neighboring Denmark, where citizenship can already be revoked for a practice that is “too much based on the interests of the state”. The law was recently expanded to include other types of serious gang crime.

Sweden’s small government has also changed to tighten the rules for applying for citizenship.

Immigration Minister Johan Forssell said last year the police had reported 600 cases of applicants deemed to be a threat to national security.

From June 2026, anyone applying for a Swedish passport will generally have to stay in the country for eight years instead of the current five. Tests about the Swedish language and people will also be included.

Forssell said it was “very easy” to be Swedish and should be proud: “We will build a Sweden that unites us, where Swedish citizenship is very important.”

“Girls and boys have the right to swim and play football. If you don’t agree, Sweden is not your country.”

The leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Akesson, wants the government to go further, requiring new citizens to swear a declaration of loyalty to Sweden.

However, this was not reflected in the statement issued by the government.

Researcher Kirsti Laakso Utvik said the change would make Sweden more connected to other European countries.