Moderates would tie welfare and citizenship to a ‘Sweden contract’ in election manifesto

The Moderates’ final election manifesto says newcomers would have to sign and complete a ‘Sweden contract’ before qualifying for economic support, welfare benefits or Swedish citizenship.

The party released its 2026 manifesto on 1 September, less than two weeks before Sweden’s parliamentary election. Its integration chapter says the contract would set out rights and obligations and require participants to learn Swedish, seek work and follow what the party calls fundamental Swedish values.

The manifesto does not specify who would assess completion, which payments could be withheld or how the condition would interact with existing residence and citizenship law. It is an election pledge, not a rule currently in force.

The contract itself is not new. The Moderates adopted it at their party conference in October 2025, when Sveriges Radio reported that refusal could also affect an extended residence permit and some financial support. The fresh development is that the party has now put the pledge into its formal election platform.

The same package would normally limit publicly funded interpreters to three years after a residence permit, create ‘integration zones’ with special incentives, investigate faster citizenship for people the party considers exceptionally well integrated, and ban family reunification for cousins living as partners. The party’s current integration policy page also says failure to complete the contract could be grounds to withdraw a residence permit.

None of those changes would take effect solely because they appear in a manifesto. They would require the Moderates to retain power and, depending on the measure, secure legislation or other formal decisions after the 13 September election.

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