STOCKHOLM — Sweden’s parliament on Thursday approved legislation lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 14 from 15 for serious offences, the Riksdag said, in a move aimed at tightening the response to violent crime involving young people.
The measure was part of a broader package of tougher rules for young offenders approved by lawmakers. The new lower age limit will apply for five years, according to the Riksdag.
The legislation also reduces sentence discounts for offenders under 18 and abolishes the discount entirely for young adults. The maximum prison sentence for offences committed before the age of 18 will rise from 14 years to 18 years.
The government has said the measures are intended to address an increase in serious crime among young people and maintain confidence in the criminal justice system, according to parliament's summary of the legislation.
Sweden's previous criminal responsibility age was 15. The government had initially sought to lower it to 13 for serious offences but withdrew that proposal in June after failing to secure sufficient parliamentary support. It subsequently proposed the 14-year threshold.
The legislation is due to take effect, for the most part, on Sept. 10, 2026, the Riksdag said.
