Political Clash Over Lowering Sweden's Age of Criminal Responsibility to 13

A heated debate unfolded between Ulf Kristersson, leader of the Moderate Party, and Nooshi Dadgostar, leader of the Left Party, over the government's proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility in Sweden to 13 years. Kristersson supports the change, emphasizing the need for earlier police intervention amid rising youth gang recruitment. He cited a recent shooting in Gävle involving a suspect linked to youth gangs, which injured six people, as a key justification for the policy shift. Kristersson insists that lowering the age would help combat increasing gang influence over younger individuals.

In stark contrast, Dadgostar strongly opposes the proposal, arguing that imprisoning children under 15 is not the answer to youth crime. She criticized the government for failing to address underlying social issues, stating that youth crime, including murders involving minors, has surged during Kristersson's tenure. Dadgostar accused the government’s policies of making society "poorer and more dangerous," and questioned the effectiveness of punitive measures for vulnerable youth. Additionally, she highlighted a disconnect between Kristersson and social workers, claiming, "I have not met a single social worker who likes you, Ulf," indicating a lack of support from frontline social services for his approach.

This debate highlights broad political divisions on how best to address youth crime in Sweden, with one camp focusing on criminal justice interventions and the other advocating for social support and prevention. The controversy underscores the challenges policymakers face balancing law enforcement with social welfare in tackling gang-related crime among young people.

As of now, the government’s final decision on whether to adopt the proposed lower age of criminal responsibility remains pending, with ongoing political contention and public interest anticipated.