Sweden’s age of criminal responsibility could be lowered from 15 to 13 for the most serious offences under a government bill presented on 16 April, despite sharp criticism from the Council on Legislation (Lagrådet) and other legal bodies. If approved by parliament, the change would take effect on 2 August 2026 and would apply for five years.
Which crimes would fall under the new Swedish rule
The proposal would apply to offences carrying a minimum sentence of at least four years in prison. According to the government, that includes crimes such as murder, attempted murder, serious rape, kidnapping, explosions and some serious weapons offences. Children aged 13 and 14 would become criminally liable for those offences and could, in the most serious cases, face prison or other youth sanctions.
The reform is part of a broader tightening of Sweden’s juvenile justice system, presented by the government as a response to the use of children and young teenagers in gang-related violence. In recent years, Swedish authorities have repeatedly warned that criminal networks are recruiting minors for killings, bombings and weapons offences, partly because those under 15 cannot currently be sentenced under criminal law.
Why the government is pushing the reform anyway
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer has argued that the situation is so serious that the measure should be seen as proportionate, even after extensive criticism during the consultation process. The government says the reform is intended to target only the gravest crimes and is designed as a temporary measure, with an evaluation before any extension.
The proposal was submitted by Sweden’s centre-right government, which relies on parliamentary support from the Sweden Democrats. Together, those parties hold a majority in the Riksdag, making approval politically plausible, although the parliamentary process is still formally pending.
Why the Lagrådet says the proposal is flawed
The Lagrådet is the Swedish Council on Legislation, a body of senior judges that reviews major draft laws before they are sent to parliament. It does not veto legislation, but its opinions carry significant legal and constitutional weight in the Swedish system.
In its criticism, the Lagrådet said the preparation of the bill did not meet constitutional standards, questioned whether the measure would reduce crime, and warned that it could instead push gangs to recruit even younger children. It also said the lower criminal age was not compatible with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Sweden has incorporated into domestic law.
The government disputes that interpretation. It argues that the convention does not impose a binding minimum age of 14, even though 14 is mentioned in non-binding international recommendations.
How sentencing discounts would work for 13-year-olds
Alongside the lower criminal age, the government also wants a new sentencing discount system for offenders under 18. Under the model presented on Thursday, a 15-year-old would receive around 40 percent of an adult sentence, while a 13-year-old would receive around 10 percent.
Because Sweden’s longest fixed-term prison sentence is 18 years, the longest fixed-term sentence for a 13-year-old would in practice be just under two years. The percentages are meant as guidelines rather than automatic rules, and courts would still be able to decide on lower or higher sentence reductions depending on the case.
Government material also indicates that youth supervision or other sanctions may be used in some cases involving the youngest offenders, while completed murders and murder plots are expected to lead to custodial sentences.
A major shift in Sweden’s crime policy
If parliament approves the bill, the change would mark one of the most controversial shifts in Swedish crime policy in recent years. Supporters argue that organised crime has already adapted to the current system by exploiting children below the age of criminal responsibility. Critics counter that criminalising 13-year-olds risks undermining child protection principles without addressing the roots of youth recruitment into gangs.
The debate also fits into a broader political trend in Sweden, where crime policy has moved steadily toward tougher penalties, wider police powers and stronger executive action against organised violence. This latest proposal pushes that trajectory into territory that many legal experts and child-rights advocates had previously considered a red line.
