Response to interpellation 2025/26:585 on the registration of foreign influence
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns the need for legislation requiring actors acting on behalf of foreign powers with antagonistic intentions to register in order to increase transparency 1 2. SD argues that Sweden suffers from a lack of oversight where foreign powers, through civil society and religious communities, create unrest and threats to security 2 3. SD emphasizes that countries such as the USA and the UK already have such legislation and that Sweden should follow suit to prevent enemies from acting in the shadows 3 4. M confirms that there are significant threats from state actors and that the government is working to strengthen protection and increase oversight 1 5. M argues that it is reasonable to study other Western countries for inspiration 6 7.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)
Mr. Speaker! Nima Gholam Ali Pour has asked me if I intend to work for legislation that requires actors acting on behalf of a foreign power and with an antagonistic agenda to register themselves. Nima Gholam Ali Pour has also asked me if I assess that such legislation would contribute to increased transparency and strengthen the judiciary's ability to identify organizations, communities, and other actors who serve a foreign power and have antagonistic intentions. A further question is whether I share the assessment that organizations and companies in Sweden can act as agents for a foreign power without sufficient oversight and, if so, what measures I intend to take.
It is well known that foreign powers in various ways attempt to influence Sweden and the rest of Europe through, for example, threats, sabotage, and improper information influence.
Swedish authorities, including the Swedish Security Service, conduct extensive intelligence work and act in various ways to limit the scope for foreign powers' influence attempts in Sweden. At the same time, the government is actively working to strengthen the protection of Sweden's security. The work includes, among other things, measures for increased oversight of activities with links to foreign powers.
In the summer of 2027, a new law will enter into force which entails increased transparency in lobbying activities. The proposal means that lobbyists shall register with Kammarkollegiet and report information regarding their communication with certain political decision-makers. At the same time, a legislative amendment will enter into force which entails tightenings in the rules on party financing. Among other things, political parties are prohibited from receiving foreign contributions.
Within the EU, negotiations are also underway regarding the so-called transparency directive. This proposal aims, among other things, to increase transparency in activities involving interest representation on behalf of third countries where the purpose is to influence social development or public decision-making processes in the member states.
With the aim of preventing extremist and other anti-democratic environments in Sweden from being strengthened through foreign funding, the government appointed an inquiry in May last year. In June this year, I received the inquiry's report, which is titled A new regulatory framework for the scrutiny of foreign funding of religious communities and other activities. The investigator proposes a new law which means that larger contributions from foreign financiers shall be reported and can be prohibited if they are judged to harm Sweden's security or public order, or if the recipient counteracts society's fundamental values. We have just sent out the report for consultation.
In the serious security policy situation that prevails, it is very important that our authorities have the right tools to limit the scope for actions regarding foreign powers' influence attempts. After the report has been on consultation, we will work actively to analyze the investigation's proposals and the consultation responses and also move toward concrete action.
Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)
Mr. Speaker! I have submitted an interpellation where I raise questions about legislation in other Western countries that requires organizations or individuals to register if they act on behalf of a foreign power. This has for a long time been a problem in Sweden. Countries that have a hostile attitude towards Sweden have, through civil society and religious communities, conducted activities that have been destabilizing and constituted a threat to certain Swedish citizens.
Specific examples are Imam Ali Islamic Center, which has functioned as a platform for the Iranian intelligence service. Other examples are the mosques that have connections to the Turkish state and carry out transnational oppression. There are countless influencers and commentators in Sweden with close ties to the regime in Iran. There are Christian communities with close ties to Russia. The examples are many. None of them have ever had to account for whether they act on behalf of a foreign power, because some such requirements do not exist in Sweden.
The problem is obvious. We have countries that in some cases have a hostile attitude towards Sweden and, through individuals and organizations, can create unrest in Sweden or, in the worst case, even harm and kill people.
Certain authorities working with security issues know who these persons or organizations are, but not everyone does. And the public and politicians are not aware of which persons and organizations in Sweden actually represent foreign interests, especially not which ones want to harm Sweden.
This has caused problems here in Sweden. One example is the Eritrean festival organized at Järvafältet. There are clear links between the dictatorship in Eritrea and that festival, but it is only in recent years that it has become widely known.
The problem here is that dictatorships that exercise transnational oppression through civil society can, for example, organize festivals in Sweden and increase their influence in the affected diaspora. There is no law that requires organizations or individuals to register that they are acting on behalf of a foreign power.
Bare almost two months ago, news broke that a case officer at the Swedish Migration Agency had been dismissed for handing over information to an Iranian intelligence officer. This person also organizes an Iranian festival in Stockholm and poses as being part of the opposition to the regime. There are, of course, as many examples as one can count. The reason is that Sweden is a free and open society. Naturally, Sweden's enemies will exploit this openness to carry out various activities that are threatening to security.
Legislation is needed here that requires those acting on behalf of a foreign power to actually disclose this through some form of notification or registration so that it is known who these people are. I find it very strange, given the restless situation in the world and the threats against Sweden, that we do not already have such legislation or have appointed an inquiry to produce such legislation. I wonder if the Minister for Justice agrees with me.
Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)
Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the opportunity to discuss these important issues today.
I have no straight answer regarding the specific proposal being highlighted here. But I have no problem, on a general level, without going into the individual examples in the post, confirming that there are significant threats to Sweden's internal security from both violent extremists and state actors of various levels who act actively in Sweden to promote their interests. These threats can appear in different ways.
I think we are now taking steps to gain much better control over this. It is about how national resources are used, for example in civil society, in study association activities or other things. We are also shining a light on religious communities and foreign funding and influence coming from that direction.
The processes are underway – let's see where they lead us! I am, in any case, convinced that there is a great need for further measures, and we shall take them if we receive the citizens' trust to govern even after the election on September 13.
Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)
Mr. Speaker! Today we have criminal gangs carrying out missions on behalf of foreign powers. With the legislation we are discussing here today, such an occurrence could have been detected much earlier. When Sweden's enemies can utilize civil society and religious communities without us acting, they move on to the gangs.
Over the years, there have been many examples of politicians in Sweden who have had close ties to dictatorial regimes. We have so many mosques that are financed by foreign powers that this government, as the Minister for Justice has mentioned, has worked to introduce a law to prohibit such financing. It is obvious that foreign powers, especially those that spread extremism or want to destabilize Sweden, have found a loophole in the legislation. One has seen how Islamic religious communities can be influenced with money. One has seen how the civil society of diasporas can be influenced. One has also seen how this affects politics.
Legislation is needed here that creates transparency regarding who acts in whose interest. If someone forms an association on behalf of another country that has an antagonistic stance towards Sweden, is it not too much to demand that the association must register that it actually acts for another country. Countries such as the USA and the UK already have such legislation because they want to know how other countries act in their countries.
This is not about prohibiting people from having international contacts. It is also not about prohibiting organizations from representing the interests of other countries. It is about transparency. If someone acts on behalf of a foreign power, it should be known. Then authorities, journalists, politicians, and the public can themselves assess the activities being carried out.
I actually believe that most Swedes would consider this a self-evident principle. If someone represents a company, it is normally known. If someone represents an interest organization, it is also known. Then it is not unreasonable that the person representing a foreign state also discloses it. I find it difficult to see why Sweden would have less need for transparency and security than the United Kingdom, the USA, or France, all of which have introduced such legislation.
There have been mosques and associations that have received grants from a municipality until it has emerged that there have been links between that mosque or association and a dictatorship. It would be better to require from the very beginning that those persons and organizations acting on behalf of a foreign power actually disclose this so that politicians and authorities have a correct basis when they make decisions on, for example, granting subsidies.
Mr. Speaker! Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear from increased transparency. If one acts on behalf of a foreign power, it should be known. Sweden shall not be a free zone where agents of foreign powers can act in secrecy.
The government has appointed many inquiries that I believe have led to good proposals. It is working on this problem. But something as obvious as that one should register if acting as an agent for a foreign power, it should have appointed an inquiry on that a long time ago. There are countries, such as the USA and the United Kingdom, that already have such legislation.
Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)
Mr. Speaker! I have not much more to add than to say that I think it is very good that we raise these issues and that we also inventory the need for additional legislation.
I think it is very reasonable that Sweden looks at other countries in the Western world and sees how they handle different types of threats to their internal security. The area we are now discussing is no exception in that regard.
Again: Excellent that the questions are being raised and that we are discussing them here today! We look forward and obviously have much more to do during the coming years.
Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)
Mr. Speaker! I would like to thank the Minister for Justice for the debate. I would also like to thank the Minister for Justice for granting me some agreement.
If one acts on behalf of a foreign power, it should be known to journalists, authorities, and the public here in Sweden. It is not a controversial demand to make. As the world is, it is actually a very reasonable demand.
For many years, we have had refugee espionage here in Sweden. It has been a huge problem, and it has been made possible by certain religious communities and associations acting on behalf of foreign powers. There have been connections there, and one has not had to account for this because Sweden has not had legislation requiring such an account.
At the same time, the United Kingdom, the USA, and France have concluded that openness regarding who acts on behalf of foreign powers actually strengthens both democracy and national security. I find it difficult to understand why the same principle could not apply in Sweden.
If the government considers foreign influence to be a serious threat, which the government does, the next step should be to create the transparency required to meet that threat. Then one must take the next step and demand that those who act on behalf of a foreign power cannot do this in secret. They must register.
It is particularly important that countries such as Iran, China, and Russia cannot use the Swedish civil society or religious communities in Sweden to influence public opinion in Sweden or destabilize the country. As long as we do not require registration of foreign influence, Sweden's enemies will use various organizations and individuals to cause trouble here in Sweden.
Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)
Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Nima Gholam Ali Pour, for the opportunity to discuss these important issues today!
There is no doubt that it is a core task for this government to protect the citizens and to protect the free, open society against all other threats to both external and internal security.
When it comes to internal security, we know that the threats come from different sources. They come from organized crime, of course, and from terrorism, violent extremism, and state actors – not infrequently in interaction with each other in different ways.
We take with us what we have spoken about today as we look forward. We are doing a great deal, and much is in progress, but more will need to be done. We will undoubtedly look at what is being done additionally in other countries to find inspiration for our own part.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.