Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

The Swedish government has decided to abandon its previous proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 years, citing insufficient support in Parliament, AzerNEWS reports.

This was announced by Sweden’s Minister of Justice, Gunnar Strömmer, as reported by Reuters.

According to the minister, the government now plans to prepare a revised bill that would lower the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years instead. He noted that this figure is closer to the average standard seen across many European countries.

The original initiative, proposed by the center-right coalition, was part of a broader strategy to address rising concerns over youth crime. However, the idea of reducing the threshold to 13 years failed to gain enough backing among lawmakers.

The updated proposal is expected to be submitted to Parliament in the near future and will likely include additional safeguards aimed at balancing punishment with rehabilitation for young offenders.

Lawmakers argue that the current system, which exempts children under 15 from criminal liability, has created loopholes that criminal networks can exploit. Reports suggest that some gangs have increasingly recruited minors to carry out serious offenses, taking advantage of their legal protection.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has previously stated that the government is preparing tougher measures against juvenile crime, emphasizing that the goal is not only to strengthen law enforcement but also to protect vulnerable children from being drawn into criminal activity.

In addition, Swedish officials are reportedly considering expanding preventive programs in schools and social services, aiming to intervene earlier in at-risk youth environments. Experts note that long-term solutions may depend not only on stricter laws, but also on improved education, family support, and community engagement to reduce the root causes of youth involvement in crime.