Sweden

What the government has said

“The government and a broad majority in the Riksdag are prepared to continue a negotiation at EU level along these lines.”Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer, 5 February 2025, translated from Swedish

Receipt: Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer, written answer to the Riksdag, 5 Feb 2025

Welcomed the return of detection orders (Sept 2025), was clearly disappointed when they were dropped (Nov 2025) and wants the widest scope (June 2026). General election on 13 September 2026: until the next government states a position in the Council, the label stands. On 15 October 2026 the Riksdag rejected Magdalena Andersson as Prime Minister, 99 votes to 248; on 19 October the Speaker gave Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist of the Centre Party an exploratory mandate. The Kristersson government stays in office meanwhile.

How it voted in the Council

Negotiating mandate, 26 November 2025

yes The Council position adopted in Coreper: voluntary scanning only, no detection orders. Coreper does not publish votes; the split was reported the same day by the Czech news agency CTK.

Chat Control 1.0, 23 July 2026

yes The vote that brought back the temporary rules: voluntary scanning of private messages allowed until 3 April 2028.

A government can oppose mandatory scanning and still vote for the voluntary regime. The two are listed separately for that reason. Council votes need 15 states with 65 % of the population; four states with more than 35 % block.

How its MEPs voted

On 9 July 2026 the European Parliament voted on a motion to reject the Council text that brought back voluntary scanning, Chat Control 1.0. Rejection needed 361 votes and got 314, so the text passed. Of the 21 MEPs elected in Sweden, 6 voted to reject it, 12 voted against rejection, 3 abstained and 0 did not vote.

• 6 for rejection, that is against voluntary scanning
• 12 against rejection, letting the text pass
• 3 abstained
• 0 did not vote

The government line above concerns mandatory scanning; this vote concerned the voluntary regime. They are different questions, which is why both are shown. Source: roll-call vote 195775 as published by the European Parliament and compiled by HowTheyVote.eu; all 27 delegations side by side on the governments page.

Who decides in Sweden

Minister

Gunnar Strömmer, Minister for Justice; answered the Riksdag in writing on 5 Feb 2025

Ministry in charge

Ministry of Justice

Permanent representation

Ambassador Mikaela Kumlin Granit, Permanent Representative (Coreper II); Ambassador Åsa Webber, Deputy Permanent Representative (Coreper I)

National parliament

Riksdag: written question answered by the Justice Minister on 5 Feb 2025 (receipt)

Source: www.government.se/government-of-sweden/ministry-of-justice/

Timeline

1. 19 October 2026The Speaker gives Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist of the Centre Party an exploratory mandate to test whether a government the Riksdag can tolerate can be formed; she is to report by 26 October. source
2. 16 October 2026The Speaker, Andreas Norlén, discusses the next steps with the party leaders by telephone and continues informal talks; he will announce the next step in forming a government on Monday 19 October, at a press conference at 13:30. source
3. 15 October 2026The Riksdag rejects the Speaker’s proposal of Magdalena Andersson as Prime Minister: 99 yes, 248 no, 2 absent. The Speaker may make up to four proposals; if all fail, an extra election must be held within three months. source
4. 13 October 2026Magdalena Andersson reports to the Speaker that she currently sees no point in continuing her exploratory talks; the Speaker then proposes her to the Riksdag as Prime Minister of a Social Democratic single-party government. source
5. 2 October 2026The Speaker asks Magdalena Andersson to resume, from 5 October, talks on forming a government the Riksdag can tolerate; she is to report by 12 October, and a vote on the prime minister follows once the task is completed. source
6. 28 September 2026Magdalena Andersson says there is currently no possibility for her to form a government and returns the task; the Speaker meets the party leaders on 30 September. The Kristersson government stays in office meanwhile. source
7. 18 September 2026The Speaker of the Riksdag, Andreas Norlén, asks Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson to form a government. source
8. 23 July 2026Council vote on Chat Control 1.0, the temporary rules. Sweden: yes.
9. 9 July 2026European Parliament votes on rejecting Chat Control 1.0; the motion fails, the text passes. MEPs elected in Sweden: 6 for rejection, 12 against, 3 abstained, 0 did not vote. source
10. Since 10 Jun 2026Recorded as supports. Receipt: Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer, written answer to the Riksdag, 5 Feb 2025 source
11. 26 November 2025Council negotiating mandate adopted in Coreper. Sweden: yes.

Sources

• Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer, written answer to the Riksdag, 5 Feb 2025 (receipt)
• Council minutes, 12 Sep 2025 (welcomes the return of detection orders), via netzpolitik.org
• Riksdag rejects a ‘vote no’ motion, 7 Oct 2025
• Council minutes, 10 Jun 2026 (widest scope), via netzpolitik.org
• Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU, management
• Speaker asks Magdalena Andersson to form a government, 18 Sep 2026 (Euronews)
• Andersson: no possibility for her to form a government, 28 Sep 2026 (Euronews)
• What the election could change in the Council count, 23 Sep 2026 (Brussels Record)
• Method: what the labels mean and where the population shares come from