Stockholm — December 2025: Sweden’s government has unveiled a proposal to amend the constitution to allow authorities to revoke the citizenship of dual‑national criminal gang leaders, marking one of the country’s most far‑reaching measures yet in its campaign against escalating organised crime Straits Times.
The proposal goes significantly further than recommendations made earlier this year by a cross‑party parliamentary committee, which had suggested limiting citizenship removal to cases involving espionage or treason. The government now wants courts to have the power to strip citizenship from dual nationals convicted of crimes deemed to cause “very serious harm” to Swedish society, including major gang‑related offences Straits Times.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said the move reflects the severity of Sweden’s gang‑crime crisis, which has driven record levels of shootings, bombings and cross‑border criminal activity. He described the proposal as a necessary step to protect national security and public safety The Local Sweden.
Under the draft bill, only individuals with dual citizenship could be affected, in line with international conventions that prohibit rendering a person stateless. The government argues that the measure would allow Sweden to deport gang leaders who orchestrate violence but often avoid direct involvement in criminal acts Gamereactor.
If approved by parliament, the constitutional changes could come into force as early as 2027, following Sweden’s mandatory multi‑stage amendment process Devdiscourse.
The proposal is expected to spark intense political debate, with supporters calling it a long‑overdue tool against criminal networks and critics warning of potential human‑rights implications. The government maintains that the measure is tightly targeted and essential to restoring public confidence amid one of Europe’s most entrenched organised‑crime challenges.
Stockholm Parliament Building, Sweden by Pham Ngoc Anh
