Statsrådsberedningen

Sweden has gone from being an international cautionary example to an international role model when it comes to serious gang crime. Sometimes, we Swedes understand what is happening in our own country best when it is described from the outside. Now that established media outlets in other countries, such as the Financial Times, are highlighting Sweden’s successes in tackling the gangs, it is time to pause and take stock. None of this would have been possible if we had backed down every time we were criticized for “going too far” or “moving too fast.” Achieving new results requires entirely new approaches. That is what we have done, and now we are seeing the results. Since we entered government in 2022, deadly gang violence has fallen by 75 percent. Shootings are down by 80 percent. At the same time, twice as many gang criminals are being arrested abroad. This progress is the result of determined action: stronger policing, better tools for law enforcement, tougher measures against organised crime, and — critically — close cooperation with international partners. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the countries that have worked with us to bring dangerous criminals to justice. Our cooperation is built on a shared interest. Organised criminal networks that operate across borders do not only threaten Sweden. They pose a serious risk of violence and other serious crime wherever they are based. Now that almost four years have passed, much of the clean-up work has been done. But we are not finished until we have finally defeated the gangs and restored a sense of security to everyone in Sweden. On Sunday, it will be decided whether we get the chance to finish the job. We must hand over a safe and secure country to our children and grandchildren.