Sweden Democrats Demand Referendum on Constitution Change
Sweden Democrats demand referendum on constitutional changes requiring two-thirds majority. Party leader Jimmie Åkesson says citizens should decide directly. All other parties already support the amendment in first parliamentary vote.
The Sweden Democrats want a public referendum on upcoming constitutional changes. Party leader Jimmie Åkesson announced they will submit a formal request to parliament. He stated they need to 'pull the emergency brake' on the proposal during a press conference.
The constitutional amendment would make future changes to Sweden's basic law more difficult. It requires a two-thirds majority in the second parliamentary decision. Currently no qualified majority is needed for the second vote.
All other parties except the Sweden Democrats voted for the proposal in its first reading. Because this involves constitutional change, the next vote cannot occur until after next year's general election.
Åkesson argued this change affects Sweden's entire democratic system. He believes Swedish citizens should have direct say through a referendum.
The proposal originated from a parliamentary committee investigation in 2023. Its stated goal was to strengthen Swedish democracy.
This creates a political dilemma. The Sweden Democrats advocate for public input while opposing measures that would protect the constitution from easy modification. The party appears to be using the referendum demand to rally support against changes they cannot block through normal parliamentary procedures.