The democratic requirements concern everyone

The Swedish Parliament’s new democratic requirements for religious communities that collect church fees or receive government grants came into force in 2025. As of January 1, 2025, fee-collection assistance and government grants may be withdrawn if a religious community, or any of its representatives, does any of the following:

• uses violence, coercion, or threats against a person, or otherwise violates a person’s fundamental rights and freedoms

• discriminates against individuals or groups of people, or otherwise violates the principle of the equal value of all human beings

• defends, promotes, or incites actions such as those listed in any of the points above

• opposes or undermines the democratic system of government

Representatives include:

• representatives of the Catholic Diocese of Stockholm

• representatives of an activity within the Catholic Diocese of Stockholm

• representatives of a parish in the Catholic Diocese of Stockholm

• representatives of an activity within a parish in the Catholic Diocese of Stockholm

This means that everyone in the diocese - also a visitor from another country - is expected to take responsibility for ensuring that the democratic requirements are met, so that we can continue to collect church fees, receive government grants, and thereby exist as a religious community.