Sweden will tighten its already strict gun laws, the government announced on Friday, following a mass shooting that resulted in the deaths of at least 10 individuals. The prime minister described the incident as the worst mass shooting in the country's history.
The legislation, which was in planning stages based on a 2022 inquiry, has been expedited in response to the recent attack at an adult education center in Orebro.
Although the proposal has not yet been formalized, it is expected to enhance the requirements for obtaining a gun license. This includes instructing police to consider factors such as age, weapons knowledge, skills, and the applicant's criminal history. Additionally, it will likely require broader medical history checks.
The new regulations would make it more difficult to access semiautomatic assault weapons, like AR-15-style rifles, which have been permitted as hunting rifles in Sweden since 2023. Under the proposed act, access to these firearms will be significantly restricted.
The government stated that the rules on gun possession aim to balance societal interests in preventing crime and accidents with the rights of individuals and organizations to possess firearms in justified situations.
"We want to ensure that only the right people have guns in Sweden," Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said during a working visit to Latvia.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer indicated at a news conference that the next step involves clearly outlining the considerations that will be included in the legislation.
The government intends to pass the bill through Parliament prior to the next general election in 2026, according to Caroline Opsahl, a spokeswoman for the justice ministry.
The shooting in Orebro has raised concerns about the rise in gun violence in Sweden, a country traditionally associated with high living standards and low crime rates. Statistics indicate that Sweden has developed one of the highest per capita rates of gun violence in the European Union.
The government acknowledged that the "horrific act of violence in Orebro raises several key questions about gun legislation."
While police have not confirmed the identity of the gunman, investigations revealed that four firearm licenses were traced to the suspect. At the scene, police found the gunman, who was among the deceased, with three weapons, including what appeared to be a rifle, and a substantial amount of ammunition.
The new laws will empower police and medical professionals to better assess applicants for gun licenses by granting them access to more information. This includes obtaining data from local government records and other sources, along with increased authority to revoke licenses.
Currently, gun licenses in Sweden are primarily issued to hunters or members of sports shooting clubs. However, criminologist Sven Granath noted that gangs and the drug trade have managed to accumulate firearms smuggled from the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and Turkey.
Gun violence has been escalating in Sweden, with recorded shooting incidents rising from 281 in 2017 to a peak of 391 in 2022, according to police data.