Red-Green Election Promise to Criminals: No Child Soldiers in Prison and Volume Discounts Reinstated for Crimes

The red-green parties, led by the Social Democrats, failed to stop several of the Tidö government’s controversial legal reforms when the parliament gathered for an extra decision session on Thursday. Among the decisions passed were the scrapping of the volume discount and the lowering of the minimum age for criminal responsibility to 14 years. This has infuriated the red-green coalition, which is now making an election promise to the country’s criminals.

Amanda Lind, spokesperson for the Green Party, is strongly critical of the decision and says she is “disappointed” that it will be possible to sentence 14-year-old child soldiers to prison.

– We see great risks with this, and it is also a proposal that has been heavily criticized by the consultative bodies. We will do what we can to overturn this after the election, Lind told TV4.

In a post on Facebook, one of the Green Party’s top representatives writes that “a society that truly takes responsibility does not put children in prison.” According to this reasoning, it applies even when children have committed serious acts of violence within gang environments, including murder.

Social Democrats Only Want to Scrap Volume Discount for Certain Crimes

The Social Democrats also criticize another decision—the change to the so-called volume discount for crimes. The new arrangement means that those convicted of multiple serious crimes may in larger part receive a longer total prison sentence.

The Social Democrats voted against the government’s proposal. Instead, the party has advocated for a more limited change, primarily covering sexual offenses.

Teresa Carvalho, the Social Democrats’ spokesperson for legal policy, believes that the issue may need to be revisited after the election. At the same time, the party’s leadership rejects the notion that the Social Democrats’ stance would mean a softer criminal policy.

Teresa Carvalho together with party leader Magdalena Andersson last year, when they promised to “crush the gangs.” Photo: Social Democrats

However, they only want to scrap the volume discount for violent and sexual crimes. For example, fraud against Swedish pensioners would still be eligible for a discount for the perpetrators.

– Let me be very clear: we Social Democrats want to scrap the volume discount for violence and sexual crimes. And we are running in the election on starting with sexual offenses, Carvalho told TV4.