The Swedish government today submitted Proposition 2025/26:150 to the Riksdag, seeking to authorise police use of artificial intelligence for real-time facial recognition — a measure that would make Sweden one of the first EU countries to explicitly legislate for live biometric surveillance by law enforcement.
What the Proposition Contains
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (Moderaterna) presented the proposition, which was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Lotta Edholm. The bill, referred to the Committee on Justice (Justitieutskottet), proposes a legal framework for Swedish police to deploy AI-powered facial recognition technology in real-time public settings.
The proposition comes from the Ministry of Justice (Justitiedepartementet) and represents a significant expansion of police surveillance capabilities. At over 200 pages, the detailed legislative text addresses the conditions under which real-time biometric identification may be deployed, the safeguards required, and the oversight mechanisms proposed.
Key Facts
- Document: Proposition 2025/26:150
- Filed: 3 March 2026
- Ministry: Justitiedepartementet (Ministry of Justice)
- Referred to: Justitieutskottet (Committee on Justice)
- Signed by: Deputy PM Lotta Edholm; Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (M)
EU Context: The AI Act Framework
The proposition arrives against the backdrop of the EU AI Act, which entered into force in 2024 and imposes strict conditions on real-time biometric identification in publicly accessible spaces. The EU regulation classifies such systems as "high-risk" and generally prohibits their use, but allows narrow exceptions for law enforcement in cases involving serious crime, missing persons, and imminent terrorist threats.
Sweden's proposition appears designed to operationalise these exceptions within Swedish national law. The question is whether the proposed framework stays within the EU's carefully drawn boundaries or pushes beyond them — a matter that will likely be scrutinised closely by both the Justice Committee and civil liberties organisations.
Political Landscape
The government coalition — comprising the Moderaterna (M), Kristdemokraterna (KD), and Liberalerna (L), with support from Sverigedemokraterna (SD) — has consistently prioritised law enforcement and public safety. This proposition fits within a broader legislative programme that includes strengthened security at public gatherings (Prop. 2025/26:133), enhanced civilian protection during heightened readiness (Prop. 2025/26:142), and detention-based sentencing for young offenders (Prop. 2025/26:132).
Opposition parties, particularly the Social Democrats (S), the Green Party (MP), and the Left Party (V), can be expected to raise concerns about proportionality, privacy, and the risk of discriminatory profiling. The Centre Party (C) has historically been sceptical of expanded surveillance measures.
What to Watch
- Justice Committee deliberations: The bill's referral to JuU means the committee will hold hearings and take evidence — the key arena for substantive scrutiny
- EU AI Act compliance: Whether the proposed framework remains within the EU's exceptions for biometric surveillance
- Civil society reaction: Privacy advocates and digital rights organisations are likely to mobilise
- Cross-party dynamics: Whether SD's support holds and how Liberal members reconcile security with their traditional civil liberties stance
- International precedent: Sweden's approach could set a benchmark for other EU member states considering similar legislation
Also Filed Today
The AI facial recognition bill was not the only significant legislative action on 3 March. The government also submitted:
- Prop. 2025/26:148 — Increased opportunities for home charging of electric vehicles, from the Ministry of Justice
- Prop. 2025/26:149 — Teacher certification and qualifications in the ten-year primary school, from the Ministry of Education
- Prop. 2025/26:109 — Reduced VAT on admission to dance events, from the Ministry of Finance
- Skr. 2025/26:156 — Government response to the Swedish National Audit Office report on IVO's handling of healthcare complaints
- Skr. 2025/26:153 — Government response to the National Audit Office report on international climate initiatives
The Finance Committee (Finansutskottet) also published its report FiU36 today, recommending approval of new mortgage rules that would raise the loan-to-value cap from 85% to 90% and remove the enhanced amortization requirement. A debate and vote on this report is scheduled for 4 March.
Implications
If enacted, this proposition would represent a watershed moment for Swedish policing and digital rights. The balance between public safety and personal privacy — a tension that runs through much of the current government's legislative programme — is nowhere more acute than in the deployment of AI-powered surveillance.
The Riksdag's handling of this bill will be closely watched both domestically and across Europe. As the first major EU member state to propose comprehensive national legislation for real-time AI facial recognition by police, Sweden may set the template — for better or worse — that other countries follow.