Swedish coalition stalls over permanent residency revocation after contract dispute

In September 2023, non-political staff in the Justice Ministry edited migration draft directives, removing clauses the Sweden Democrats had fought for, which triggered a "vidistopp"—a total refusal to approve any government business. The freeze lasted until October 2, when the coalition approved the exact wording demanded by the Sweden Democrats. Two years later, the controversial plan to revoke between 100,000 and 180,000 permanent residency permits resurfaced, drawing criticism from courts and civil society.

Sweden Democrat officials, led by migration spokesperson Ludvig Aspling, accused the government of breaching the Tidö Agreement, prompting another eight-week crisis in early 2026. Party leader Jimmie Åkesson and Christian Democrat leader Ebba Busch clashed over the issue, with Åkesson eventually softening his stance on teen deportations and agreeing to postpone the residency revocation until after the election. The government later announced a separate press conference to address teen deportations while deferring the residency law.