Social Democrats promise ‘mafia law’ in seven-part crime plan

Sweden's Social Democrats have made a seven-part offensive against organised crime an election pledge, including what the party calls a “Swedish mafia law” and wider use of crown witnesses.

Party leader Magdalena Andersson and justice policy spokesperson Teresa Carvalho presented the package on Monday. It would introduce collective criminal liability, expand restriction orders for gang criminals, raise sentences for especially serious economic offences, and turn the Economic Crime Authority into a broader Authority against Organised Crime.

S also wants property seized from criminals paid into a fund for crime-hit areas, closer monitoring of young people at risk through a companion or electronic monitoring, and a national risk-family programme intended to protect children in criminal environments.

The package is a campaign proposal, not a bill or current law. It gives no implementation timetable, cost or draft legal text. Sentence reductions for people who assist an investigation have already existed since July 2022, so the pledge would expand crown-witness use rather than introduce it from scratch. The Economic Crime Authority also already treats organised crime as a core task.

A same-day search found no substantive response from another parliamentary party. The Moderates' existing policy advocates tougher gang sentences, broader confiscation and stronger witness protection, but it was not issued in response to Monday's S announcement.

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