Sweden’s parliament approved a controversial new law that gives authorities the power to revoke residence permits from migrants on grounds of “bad conduct” — even for behavior that does not constitute a criminal offense. Under the new rules, unpaid debts, undeclared employment, or associations with extremist organizations can trigger deportation proceedings.
The law applies retroactively to both pending and already-issued permits, a provision that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and rights organizations. Civil Rights Defenders, a Stockholm-based NGO, condemned the measure as arbitrary. The legislation is part of a broader tightening of immigration policy by Sweden’s right-wing government and the nationalist Sweden Democrats, with parliamentary elections looming in September.
