Swedish Moderates target abusers in citizenship crackdown

Sweden’s ruling Moderate Party has proposed permanently denying citizenship to anyone convicted of domestic violence, regardless of when the offense occurred or if the sentence has been served. The policy, announced ahead of September's general election, expands the government's ongoing effort to tie migration status directly to criminal behaviour.

"For us, it is obvious, if you abuse your partner, you choose not to be in Sweden," said Migration Minister Johan Forssell. The proposal builds on previous plans to block citizenship for gang members and those convicted of rape or other severe sexual offences.

"These crimes are so serious that they are a special category; you should not be granted Swedish citizenship. Gang crime is a systemic crime and sexual crimes leave such deep traces in people that you can't just look at the punishment," Forssell said. He linked the issue to what he described as an 'honour' problem, noting that while abuse occurs across all demographics, certain groups retain backward cultural norms. "The problem exists in all social groups, among ethnic Swedes, but we know that there are men who maintain a despicable honour culture that has more in common with the Middle Ages than Sweden in 2026," he said.

Trapped in the labor market

Alongside the punitive measures, the Moderates are targeting a structural flaw in Sweden's migration system that keeps vulnerable foreign women economically tethered to their abusers. Under current law, a foreigner who arrives as a family member and flees a violent relationship receives a 13-month residence permit that cannot be extended.

The party wants to review whether these individuals should be granted work permits. Without the right to work, victims face a stark choice between returning to an abusive home or losing their legal status entirely, creating a dependent dynamic that ultimately limits their ability to participate in the Swedish labor market.

"We are on the side of the victim. This law must be changed so that women do not risk losing their residence permit for leaving a violent relationship," Forssell said.

Deportation rules tighten

The citizenship pledge coincides with separate legislation taking effect in September that will automatically trigger deportation for any foreign-born individual convicted of a crime carrying a penalty harsher than a fine. That law has already drawn criticism from prosecutors.

The Moderates have signalled that this new framework does not go far enough regarding domestic abuse. If re-elected, the party wants to ensure that domestic violence convictions always result in deportation for foreign nationals.

"It is ultimately up to the courts to use the new law, but if this does not have the intended effect, we will do more to ensure that these women abusers are deported," Forssell said.