There are no legal frameworks or key policy programmes, projects or initiatives enabling or encouraging young people to participate in political processes electronically in Sweden.

The youth-targeted campaigning aiming for increasing the use of popular initiative, presented here, is an exception to the above.

Popular initiative

An enhanced popular initiative (medborgarförslag) was introduced in early 2011. An advisory local government referendum should be held if requested by 10% of eligible voters. Any person, regardless of age, may submit a popular initiative. A qualified majority of the assembly members may reject a popular initiative. It is the assembly that decides on the design of ballot papers, and the referendum is always advisory.

The Government has initiated campaigning to introduce a popular initiative to young people. The main campaign tool is the website medborgarforslag.nu, developed by the Swedish Association of Youth Councils (Sveriges ungdomsråd) and launched in December 2015. The website contains information on:

• the popular initiative – how does it work and why it is an important tool for influence
• in which municipalities the popular initiative is introduced
• inspiring examples of how municipalities can work with popular initiatives submitted by young people
• alternative ways to influence – what other ways are there for young people to influence their community? 
• an overview of young people's democratic rights.