Analysing the Bill on Democracy Criteria

The SMC has continuously monitored and analysed the bill on democracy criteria for state support to faith denominations and civil society organisations proposed by the former government. On the 27th of March 2024, a new version of the bill was released by the new government after a previously announced review of the previous one. 

The work to develop so-called democracy criteria, a number of conditions to be placed on Swedish faith denominations and civil society that want to receive financial support from the state, has been going on for several years. In 2022, the former government presented parliament with a bill which was withdrawn by the new government but is now presented in a slightly revised form.   

The bill primarily concerns financial state support to faith denominations as well as state support to civil society through the Swedish inheritance fund, but in the long-term, it is meant to be implemented on all financial state support to Swedish civil society through various statutes and directives. The state’s support to the Church of Sweden will continue to follow separate legislation. 

Remaining risks  

The new bill contains several improvements, e.g. it is now more clearly defined who is to be seen as a representative of an organisation. Several problem areas do, however, remain. One is that the bill’s definitions of threats and violence remain subjective and detached from the established definitions in Swedish criminal law.  

Kristina Patring, advisor on Freedom of Religion or Belief at the SMC, have analysed the bill. In the analysis, you can read about more examples of changes in the text of the bill after the government’s dialogue with Swedish faith denominations. In addition to the clarification about the definition of who is to be seen as a representative, it is now also clear that the age of a representative for a faith denomination or civil society organisation is to be considered when authorities evaluate if a breach of the democracy criteria has taken place or not. Previous formulations that said that state support would be immediately withdrawn from faith denominations that subject young people to ”conversation therapy” have also been removed.   

The time frame for the implementation of the new bill, if voted through parliament, remains unknown. But if it is approved, it will be in force from the 1st of January 2025.