Riksdag parties want to expand opportunities for young people to stay in Sweden

Teenage deportations that split families and forced integrated young people to leave Sweden became one of the most emotionally charged election issues. The Riksdag has decided on a so-called valve that will make it possible for more people to stay. That legislation came into effect on Thursday, October 1.

But the valve is too narrow according to the parties on the red-green side, who believe that the possibilities to stay must be widened.

Despite the fact that the actual government negotiations between them are going slowly, they are now acting in the Riksdag to bring about a change. When the Riksdag opened on Monday, the Green Party submitted its motion. The Left Party launched a so-called committee initiative on Wednesday and next week the Center Party will come up with its proposal.

- We have to stop the deportations, but we also have to create better ways for those who have already been deported in this group to be able to return to Sweden, says Niels Paarup-Petersen (C).

His party therefore wants the Swedish Migration Agency to set up special return centers that can assist people who have a strong and lasting connection to Sweden.

- These people must be prioritized so that they do not have to stand in line for 14 months at the Migration Agency, says Paarup-Petersen.

Samuel Gonzalez Westling, the Left Party's group leader in the Riksdag, believes that there are several things that mean that the bar for being allowed to stay is too high in the current legislation. Among other things, he points to the age limit of 21 years and the high income requirements for work permits.

- These are people who have their natural domicile in Sweden. Their parents are here, they grew up here, they have their whole lives here, says Gonzalez Westling.

Until the new valve came into effect, deportations had been temporarily stopped. This means that the stoppage ended as of October 1.

- It means that many young people are now at risk of being deported, perhaps even before Christmas, says Annika Hirvonen (MP).

The Social Democrats are positive about letting the social security committee prepare the new proposals on deportations. Spokesperson Ida Karkiainen does not want to comment further until she has seen the details. But she emphasizes that the party wants to do more than what the Tidö government has achieved.

- The government's valve will not be enough. We want legislation that clearly takes into account the connection to Sweden, says Karkiainen.

But even if there is a majority in the Riksdag for a new law, it is not certain that it will be possible to get it through as long as Sweden has a transitional government.

- We need to resolve the government issue so that we can investigate and change this legislation as quickly as possible, says Ida Karkiainen.

From V, C and MP, they would like to see the previous valve that was in the law - that people with particularly painful circumstances can stay in Sweden - be reintroduced.

- Since that legislation already existed, we believe that it would be the fastest to get it through the Riksdag. Then the same extensive work as is needed for a new law is not needed, says Annika Hirvonen.

Unlike the other three parties, S does not believe in reintroducing the provision for particularly painful circumstances. Ida Karkiainen's assessment is that it would not help the affected groups with sufficient precision.