Sweden withdraws controversial proposal to jail 13-year-olds
Stockholm (AFP) – Sweden's right-wing government withdrew Thursday a heavily contested proposal to lower the age at which children can be sentenced to prison from 15 to 13, citing a lack of support in parliament.
But Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said the government would present a revised proposal within weeks, lowering the age to 14. He said he expected parliament to approve the measure by August.
The minority government, backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats, has made the fight against crime a top priority since coming to power in 2022.
"Things are a bit uncertain in parliament, and that is why we have decided to act responsibly in this situation by making the decision this morning to withdraw this bill," Strommer told reporters.
The proposal, which parliament had been due to vote on on June 15, had been met with fierce criticism in a country known for championing children's rights.
Most of the 126 authorities and organisations the government consulted before presenting the bill were critical or opposed the measure, including the police and the prison service.
A government-appointed commissioner had recommended lowering the age to 14 for serious offences, but the government had chosen to go a step further to 13.
Sweden's main opposition Social Democrats are in favour of lowering the age to 14.
"I think most feel more comfortable with 14," Strommer said.
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Yeah, just throw the problem in a hole. That never fails right?
Maybe try figuring out why 13 year olds are committing so many crimes and fix that first?
If they solve it, the can't fear monger. To solve it would involve solutions they'd call "woke". The gangs recruiting the kids is where they get their own drugs. The gangs launder their money by buying all the public property they are selling, but that is also where them themself get their dirt cheap previouly publically owned properties. So no. They need them, want them, and have too much shared economic interest with them.