Government Tightens Rules for Swedish Citizenship
The Swedish government is introducing stricter rules for obtaining Swedish citizenship, arguing that it should be a privilege earned through responsibility, work, and integration. Under the current system, individuals can become Swedish citizens without knowing the Swedish language, lacking basic knowledge of Swedish society, or even being able to
support themselves financially. According to the government, this is about to change. The new proposal includes tougher requirements: ✅ Applicants must have no criminal record . ✅ They must work and be able to support themselves . ✅ They must speak Swedish and have basic knowledge about Sweden . “These should be matters of course,” government representatives have stated, emphasizing that citizenship must be tied to participation and contribution to Swedish society. The Left Party and the Green Party have opposed the changes, while the Social Democrats , during their eight years in government, did not move to amend the existing law. The Moderate Party (Moderaterna) , a key force behind the initiative, says the reforms are necessary to strengthen integration and ensure that Swedish citizenship carries both meaning and responsibility.