The Swedish government’s equality agency has said that increasing hatred, threats and harassment against female politicians is driving women away from public life and forcing them to censor themselves, and warned that it is a “major threat to democracy”.
The safety of women in politics has come under intense scrutiny in the Scandinavian country since October, when Anna-Karin Hatt resigned as leader of the Center Party after only five months in office, citing hatred and threats.
She said at the time, “Constantly feeling like you need to be looking over your shoulder and not feeling completely safe, even at home…I was more deeply affected by it than I thought I would be.”
market departure Three years later a man was found guilty of the murder of Inge-Marie Visselgren, the psychiatric coordinator of Sweden’s municipalities and regions, and of plotting to kill then-Centre Party leader Anne Löff at a democracy festival on the island of Gotland.
Lough said she respected Hutt’s decision to resign, adding: “I also understand the reality that she describes… I know what it feels like.”
Public figures and researchers in Sweden say that the political climate in the country – as elsewhere – has become more hostile and polarized in recent years. He says that this is increasing censorship in public debate and affecting the law.
Line Sall, unit head of the analysis and follow-up department at the Swedish Gender Equality Agency, a government agency, said the atmosphere was “intimidating a lot of groups” and causing many women to “think twice” about political participation.
She said: “For us who work with the politics of gender equality, this is also going in the wrong direction when it comes to government and parliament’s goals for gender equality – that women should have the same power and influence as men over society and their own lives.”
Sall claimed that many women, especially young women, feel “huge vulnerability” in public office, affecting their ability to hold a job and live a normal life. “This is a huge threat against democracy,” he said.
Some people find the pressure unsettling. “We have a very high proportion of young women in local politics resigning from political office, so there are consequences when it comes to censoring themselves, removing themselves from public life.”
Sweden has long been seen as a global leader on gender equality and prides itself on freedom of expression and demonstration laws protected by the constitution. But when it comes to politicians, the figures show a different story.
A 2025 security survey of politicians conducted by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention found that 26.3% of female elected representatives reported facing threats and harassment because of their position in the past year. The equivalent figure for men was 23.6%.
When it comes to feeling unsafe, the gender gap was clearly larger, with 32.7% of women reporting such feelings compared to 24% of men.
The overall percentage of people from a foreign background who felt unsafe, regardless of gender, was higher at 31.5% compared to 24.1% for those from a Swedish background.
The most common outcome cited by respondents in the survey was limiting social media activity, followed by not engaging in or speaking out on particular issues.
Sale said the issue of women being silenced and not included requires “clear political focus by anyone who wants to live in a democracy”.
Sandra Håkansson, a researcher at Uppsala University who specializes in gender and politics and political violence, said many politicians, especially women, avoid making statements on high-risk issues, which is having a negative impact on public debate and ultimately legislation. He specifically cited immigration policy, where once far-right policies have now become mainstream.
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“This is a policy area that many Swedes consider very important,” he said. “Women and men have slightly different views. Women are more positive about receiving refugees and men are more critical. But women are more silent in this debate. It’s possible that this is one reason why we don’t have more differing views.”
Håkansson said the debate was an important part of shaping policy, which was narrowed by women being afraid to speak out. “Violence is setting the limits of public debate,” he said.
Describing hatred and threats as an “occupational hazard” for female politicians, she said Hatt’s resignation “raises a lot of concerns”.
Swedish freedom of information laws mean that most citizens’ addresses and personal details are openly listed online. Gangs have used this data to carry out deadly bombings at homes across the country, which Håkansson said has also increased politicians’ sense of insecurity.
Amineh Kakabaweh is a former Swedish Member of Parliament of Iranian Kurdish descent, who previously had police protection due to threats on her life. He said the growing influence of social media and the “harsh and more hostile” political climate in Sweden are at the heart of the problem.
He said, “Within the power structures, for example, there are parties like the (far-right) Sweden Democrats, which to some extent promote traditional values rooted in parts of the historically male-dominated culture. They are also largely represented by men.”
She said that although not all female politicians were targeted, “every single woman who has been threatened represents a democratic deficit and hinders the gender equality that Sweden has been fighting for for many years”.
Kakabawe said that as a woman with a foreign background, she faced attacks on many levels, including racist attacks, threats from Islamists, and threats from foreign state actors. “I live with this reality today,” she said. “But the most important thing is that we do not allow ourselves to be silenced.”
Nina Larsson, Sweden’s gender equality minister, said: “When women are intimidated or silenced from politics, both democracy and free debate suffer.”
Calling for a “clear culture change” around online behavioral norms, he said: “A big part of the problem is that we have accepted violations in the digital environment for too long.” He also called on social media companies to take “more responsibility for stopping hate and threats”.
“The government has taken action, including strengthening the security of elected officials,” he said. “But more must be done. Especially to protect women who are more vulnerable than men.”
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