Society & Swedish Values

Equality is the foundation

Jämställdhet — gender equality — is one of the most important values in modern Sweden. It is not just a slogan: it is built into laws, parental leave, the workplace, and how people behave in everyday life. Both parents are expected to share childcare, household work, and earning a living. Sweden has one of the most generous parental leave systems in the world, with 480 days that can be split between parents.

The wider idea is egalitarianism — the belief that no one is more important than anyone else. You can see it in the language: Swedes use du (informal "you") with almost everyone, including bosses, doctors, and teachers. There is little formal hierarchy, and people often address each other by first name.

Lagom and the everyday culture

A word you will hear often is lagom — roughly "just the right amount", not too much and not too little. It captures a preference for moderation, balance, and not standing out too loudly. Lagom shapes how Swedes eat, work, decorate, and even disagree.

Other everyday norms: punctuality matters (being on time is a sign of respect), and communication is direct — people say what they mean, plainly, without too much small talk. Quiet is normal; not every silence needs to be filled.

Allemansrätten — the right to roam

Allemansrätten is the right of everyone to access nature, even on private land. You may walk, cycle, ski, swim, camp for one night, and pick wild berries and mushrooms — as long as you do not disturb and do not destroy (inte störa, inte förstöra). You must keep your distance from homes, leave no trash, and be careful with fire. This right is unique in the world and is a core part of Swedish identity.

Trust, secularism, and LGBTQ+ rights

Swedish society runs on trust — trust between strangers, and trust in institutions like the police, courts, schools, and tax authority. People generally assume others will follow the rules, and that public officials will be fair and not corrupt.

Sweden is one of the most secular countries in the world. Religion is private; church and state were formally separated in 2000. LGBTQ+ rights are strongly protected: same-sex partnerships have existed since 1995, and same-sex marriage has been legal since 2009. Same-sex couples can adopt and access fertility treatment.

Anti-discrimination and minority rights

The Discrimination Act (Diskrimineringslagen) protects people from discrimination on seven grounds: sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation, and age. Complaints go to the Equality Ombudsman (Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO).

Sweden recognises five national minorities: Sami, Sweden Finns, Tornedalians, Roma, and Jews. They have special rights to use their languages with public authorities, and to preserve their culture. The Sami are also recognised as an Indigenous people.

Children's rights and work-life balance

Children have strong legal protection in Sweden. Corporal punishment was banned in 1979 — Sweden was the first country in the world to do so. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Barnkonventionen) became Swedish law on 1 January 2020, meaning courts and authorities must apply it directly.

Work-life balance is built into the system: standard working hours are 40 per week, employees have at least 25 days of paid vacation per year, and parents can stay home with a sick child (VAB). The result is a society that values both productivity and time with family.

What else is on the test?

Society & Swedish Values is just one of 20 topic areas covered on the medborgarskapsprovet. The other 19 cover democracy, laws, history, healthcare, education, work, taxes, housing, geography, and integration. See the full topic list →