Background & Purpose
There is a need for greater transparency in how political decisions are made and how political parties are funded.
Proposals & Debate
The government proposed a new set of laws to stop anonymous 'dark money' and foreign influence in Swedish politics. This included banning all anonymous and foreign donations, creating a mandatory registration for lobbyists to show who they are communicating with, and giving union members the right to opt-out of their fees being used for political party funding.
The Decision
The Swedish Parliament approved the new laws. Political parties can no longer accept anonymous or foreign money, and lobbyists must now register their activities.
Does this affect you?
- Political parties: They must now follow stricter reporting rules and return any anonymous or foreign donations.
In Practice
- Political parties must reject any donation that is unknown or anonymous.
- Lobbyists must register with the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet) and report their communication with politicians.
- Trade union and employer association members can formally declare that their membership fees should not be used for political donations.
- Political parties will face stricter audits to ensure they follow the funding rules.