Sweden: Country Profile

Research & Recommendations

Freedom in the World 2026

PR Political Rights	40 40
CL Civil Liberties	59 60

Last Year's Score & Status

99 100 Free

A country or territory’s Freedom in the World status depends on its aggregate Political Rights score, on a scale of 0–40, and its aggregate Civil Liberties score, on a scale of 0–60. See the methodology.

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Previous Reports: 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026

Freedom in the World 2026 Policy Recommendations

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Strengthen democratic coordination and collective action in a contested global order

Democratic resilience will increasingly depend on stronger coordination among countries that share a commitment to freedom, the rule of law, and accountable governance.

Reimagine international democracy assistance to help reverse the global decline in freedom

International support for democratic institutions, civil society, and independent media has been associated with modest but meaningful improvements in democratic governance, and it is far less costly than the military outlays necessitated by rising authoritarian aggression.

Prioritize engagement with younger generations in the digital spaces where civic identity is now formed

Young people are increasingly dissatisfied with democracy—not because they reject its principles, but because they see institutions failing to deliver on them. Programmatic work should create clear pathways for meaningful political participation, from voting and policy engagement to community organizing and public leadership, so that young people can translate their expectations into agency.

Protesters gather in front of Sweden's parliament in Stockholm on June 21, 2016 to protest the newly approved legislation to tighten regulations for asylum and family reunification in the Scandinavian country which had a record 160,000 asylum-seekers last year.

Sweden is one of the few countries in the world that explicitly recognize, in their national security framework and through criminal law, the threat posed by repressive foreign governments to residents who engage in political activism.

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Policy Recommendations: Transnational Repression

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Raising awareness about the threat of transnational repression.

Like-minded governments and international organizations should work together to highlight the threat of transnational repression and establish international norms for addressing it.

Limiting the ability of perpetrators to commit transnational repression.

This includes agreeing on a common definition of transnational repression, and prohibiting the use of Interpol notices on their own to deny immigration or asylum benefits or conduct arrests.

Bringing accountability for acts of transnational repression.

Among other tactics, governments should deploy a robust strategy for targeted sanctions against perpetrators of transnational repression.