Sweden's 21 May 2026 Vote: Citizenship Can Now Be Revoked From Dual Nationals

What parliament actually voted on (21 May 2026)

On 21 May 2026, members of parliament backed a bill that would allow the state to revoke Swedish citizenship from dual nationals in defined circumstances. This is a major and contested change, and it is important to be precise about what it does and does not do.

The proposal covers two distinct groups:

• Dual citizens convicted of crimes that "seriously damage Sweden's vital interests." Reporting on the vote describes this as covering certain serious "system-threatening" offences, including crimes linked to national security, terrorism-related offences, and certain offences committed within the framework of criminal networks. The exact list of qualifying crimes is not written into the constitutional amendment itself; it is to be defined later in ordinary legislation.
• Dual citizens who obtained Swedish citizenship under false pretenses — for example, by giving false information during the application process.

Why it only applies to dual citizens

The measure is limited to people who hold another nationality in addition to their Swedish one. The reason is a basic principle of international law: a state generally may not take an action that would leave a person stateless (with no citizenship at all). Someone who holds only Swedish citizenship therefore cannot have it revoked under this proposal, because doing so would make them stateless.

In practice this means the change creates a difference in legal exposure between Swedish citizens who hold a second passport and those who do not. That distinction is one of the main reasons the proposal has been politically divisive.

Important: this is not law yet

This is the part most headlines skip. The change is an amendment to the Swedish constitution, and Sweden has a deliberately slow process for constitutional change. To amend the constitution, parliament must vote in favour twice, with a general election held in between the two votes.

The 21 May 2026 vote was the first of those two votes. A general election is scheduled for September 2026. The second, confirming vote cannot take place until after that election — so the earliest the change could be finalised is in the next parliamentary term. Even then, the specific crimes that count as "seriously damaging Sweden's vital interests" would still need to be set out in separate, ordinary legislation before the rule could be applied in real cases.

In other words: the direction of travel is now clear, but nothing changes for anyone today, and the final shape of the law is not yet fixed.

How the parties voted

The bill was supported by a majority in parliament. According to reporting on the vote:

• Opposed in full: the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet) and the Green Party (Miljöpartiet).
• Opposed in part: the Centre Party (Centerpartiet) opposed the section dealing with criminal offences specifically.
• In favour: the remaining parties forming the majority.

Because a constitutional change requires a second vote after an election, the composition of the next parliament will matter a great deal for whether this becomes law.

How this fits the wider 2026 citizenship reforms

This revocation proposal is separate from — but part of the same broader policy shift as — the package of stricter citizenship requirements that takes effect on 6 June 2026. Those changes affect how people acquire citizenship, while the revocation proposal concerns when citizenship can be taken away.

The June 2026 acquisition changes include a residence requirement raised from 5 to 8 years, a self-sufficiency (income) requirement of at least three income base amounts per year — roughly SEK 20,000 per month before tax — a civics knowledge test, a later Swedish language test, and a stricter "honourable conduct" requirement. For the full picture, see what's new in the 2026 Swedish citizenship rules, the 8-year residency rule, and the "honourable conduct" rule.

What this means for you

If you are applying for or have recently received Swedish citizenship, here is the practical takeaway:

• If you hold only Swedish citizenship, this proposal does not apply to you at all.
• If you are a dual citizen, nothing changes today. If the amendment is eventually confirmed and detailed in law, it would target serious criminal convictions and fraudulently obtained citizenship — not ordinary life, ordinary mistakes, or holding a second passport on its own.
• If you are still in the application process, the most important rule for you right now is the 6 June 2026 change to citizenship requirements, not this revocation proposal. Make sure your application is accurate and complete; giving false information has always been grounds for problems and is explicitly one of the two situations this proposal targets.

Frequently asked questions

Did Sweden just start revoking people's citizenship?

No. On 21 May 2026 parliament passed the first of two required votes on a constitutional amendment. It is not in force, and no one's citizenship can be revoked under it yet.

When could it actually become law?

A constitutional amendment in Sweden needs two parliamentary votes with a general election in between. The first vote was 21 May 2026 and an election is scheduled for September 2026, so the second vote can only happen afterwards. Specific qualifying crimes would also need to be set out in separate ordinary legislation.

Can my citizenship be revoked if I only have a Swedish passport?

No. The proposal applies only to dual nationals, because revoking citizenship from someone with no other nationality would make them stateless, which international law generally prohibits.

Which crimes would qualify?

The amendment does not list specific crimes. Reporting describes the target as serious offences that "seriously damage Sweden's vital interests" — including national-security and terrorism-related offences and certain serious crimes committed within criminal networks. The precise list would be defined later in ordinary legislation.

Is fraudulently obtained citizenship covered?

Yes. The proposal also covers dual citizens who obtained Swedish citizenship under false pretenses, such as by providing false information in the application.

Does this affect my children?

The proposal as voted on concerns dual nationals who are convicted of qualifying serious crimes or who obtained citizenship by fraud. It is not aimed at children for their parents' actions, and the precise scope would be set in later legislation. Until that detail exists and a second vote passes, nothing applies in practice.

Could this make me hesitate to apply for citizenship?

For the vast majority of applicants, no. The revocation proposal targets serious criminal convictions and fraud — not ordinary people living ordinary lives. The most relevant rule for a typical applicant remains the 6 June 2026 change to acquisition requirements (residence, income, knowledge test), not this revocation proposal.

How is "revocation" different from never being granted citizenship?

Revocation means taking away citizenship a person already holds. That is legally far more serious than refusing an application, which is why it requires a constitutional amendment and is limited to dual nationals (to avoid statelessness). Refusal of an application, by contrast, is governed by the ordinary citizenship requirements.

Where can I follow official updates?

Follow Migrationsverket and the Swedish government's official channels. Because this is a proposed constitutional change, the confirmed details will only be settled after the second parliamentary vote and any accompanying ordinary legislation.

A note on legal advice

This article is general information based on reporting of the 21 May 2026 vote, not legal advice. As a proposed constitutional change, the details may evolve before any second vote, and some specifics are not yet settled. For your specific situation, consult Migrationsverket or a qualified immigration advisor, and follow official sources for confirmed updates.