On January 19, 2024, the Swedish government activated mandatory civilian service duty (civilplikt) in accordance with a government decision of December 21, 2023, which cited a worsened security situation in Sweden and the surrounding geographical area.
The Act on Mandatory Total Defense Service (Lag om totalförsvarsplikt (SFS 1994:1809)) provides that Swedes must complete their “total defense service duty” (totalförsvarsplikt) either through mandatory military service (värnplikt), mandatory civilian service (civilplikt), or mandatory public service (allmän tjänsteplikt). The duty applies to Swedish citizens and noncitizens residing in Sweden who are 16 to 70 years old. (1 ch. 1–3 §§ Lag om totalförsvarsplikt (SFS 1994:1809).) The government is responsible for determining when mandatory civilian service duty needs to be activated to meet the demands of Sweden’s defense preparedness. (1 ch. 3–4 §§.)
For a limited period from January 19, 2024, when the civilian service duty is activated, until December 2028, mandatory civilian service is to be performed only in the rescue service for which the municipalities are responsible and in operations and maintenance for electricity production and networking. (2 ch. 1 § Förordning (1995:238) om totalförsvarsplikt (Regulation on Mandatory Total Defense Service).)
Outside this limited period, mandatory civilian service may be completed by engaging in the following activities, as specified in the addendum to the Regulation on Mandatory Total Defense Service (Förordning (1995:238) om totalförsvarsplikt):
2. Population protection
3. Emergency services including emergency services at airports
4. Health care
5. Dental care
6. Municipal supervision in the environment management and health areas
7. Maintenance and repairs of railways and roads
8. Veterinary activities
9. Refugee reception
10. Operations and maintenance for electricity production and networking
11. Municipal technical activities
12. Municipal information activities
13. Child and family care
14. Disability and elderly care
15. Spiritual and religious care and support and social interventions
16. Funeral services
B. Operations in the Armed Forces
1. Health care
2. Dental care
3. Veterinary activities
4. Postal operations
5. Border surveillance
6. Building and operations of roads. (Addendum to the Regulation on Mandatory Total Defense Service (Förordning (1995:238) om totalförsvarsplikt).)
MSB, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, has specified that the first people to be covered by the mandatory civilian service duty are persons who have completed training in rescue service jobs but who are not currently working within the municipal rescue services. These persons may be called to work as rescue personnel either part-time or full-time, following refresher training and a health assessment.
Svenska kraftnät, which is responsible for the electricity network, has been tasked by the Swedish government with reviewing by March 29, 2024, the need for civilian service in its operations.
The activation of the mandatory civilian service comes on the heels of increased worry in the Swedish government over Sweden’s security. On January 8, 2024, the Swedish minister for defense, Pål Jonson, in a speech on the current situation in Sweden’s immediate geographical area and the war in Ukraine, stated: “A military attack against Sweden cannot be ruled out. War may come – also to [Sweden].”
Elin Hofverberg, Law Library of Congress
February 28, 2024