Swedish government withdraws plan to lower criminal responsibility age to 13

Sweden’s Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer announced that the government will pull back its proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 years. The retreat follows the collapse of the parliamentary “pairing” system, which left the coalition without a reliable majority to pass the measure. The government now intends to draft a revised bill that would set the age at 14 for the most serious offences.

The original reform was a key pillar of the Tidö Agreement, aiming to curb gang recruitment of minors. Critics argued that prosecuting 13‑year‑olds could stigmatise vulnerable children and raise ethical concerns. In response, the cabinet says it will focus on strengthening social services and police presence while a new legislative proposal is prepared.