Swedish government seeks to outlaw begging

Sweden's center-right coalition government has come under fire for its plan to implement a national begging ban, with critics accusing it of attempting to "outlaw poverty" and arguing that the proposal may not only be unlawful but also fail to address the root causes of vulnerability.

Supported by the far-right Sweden Democrats, the three-party coalition, which secured a narrow victory in the 2022 national elections, has launched a nine-month investigation to explore the possibility of implementing a nationwide ban on begging, without contravening international conventions and human rights law, reported the Politico news website.

During a news briefing this week, Linda Lindberg, who leads the Sweden Democrats group, stated that, should the inquiry conclude such a ban is feasible, it could be enacted into legislation.

"This is good and absolutely necessary," Lindberg said. "Begging had been rare in Sweden until the early 2010s when many EU citizens came from other countries to Sweden to beg."

Stockholms Stadsmission, a Christian social welfare organization, strongly opposed the proposed ban, reported The Guardian newspaper.

Fanny Siltberg, a spokesperson for the group, said: "To ban begging, or to require permission to beg, is just shifting the problem in a futile attempt to outlaw poverty. Instead, we believe that this group's vulnerability can be reduced through structural poverty reduction and work against discrimination – both in home countries and within the EU.

"It is long-term work. In the meantime, society needs to take responsibility, for example offering paths into the workplace and housing market and in that way reduce the social vulnerability of these people."

Aida Samani, deputy legal director at Civil Rights Defenders, warned that the government could encounter legal challenges if it proceeds with a proposed begging ban.

"It is remarkable that the government is prioritizing this in a situation that they themselves describe as a crisis of organized and violent crime," she said. "Then, there is the question of the lawfulness of a ban. As far as I can see, a national ban on begging would most likely not be lawful."

Samani argued that banning begging would violate human rights protected by both European conventions and the Swedish Constitution.

The Civil Rights Defenders group warned that it will closely monitor the situation and may pursue legal action if the ban becomes law.

Samani said the proposed ban is part of a broader trend toward "more oppressive policies" in criminal and migration matters, and of "disregarding human rights and freedoms".

The plan has sparked internal discord among the coalition parties – the Moderates, the Liberals, and the Christian Democrats – noted The Guardian.

In a social media post, Anna Starbrink, a Liberal lawmaker, said: "I will not contribute to the introduction of such a ban. Of course, measures are needed to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people. But people in need cannot be forbidden from asking for help."