Protecting the 2026 elections

The Swedish Election Authority organises a permanent national elections network together with the competent Swedish authorities.

Identifying risks and threats

• Several government agencies are working with threat and risk assessments ahead of the 2026 general elections. To ensure that the election campaign is conducted securely without foreign malign information influence, the Swedish Security Service is constantly working to gather and analyse intelligence and avert threats. This is being done in collaboration with Swedish government agencies and international partners. 
• In Sweden, the Swedish Security Service works closely with the Swedish Police Authority, foreign intelligence agencies, the Psychological Defence Agency, the Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency and the Election Authority. 
• The Psychological Defence Agency is actively involved with analysing the lessons that can be learned from other elections in Europe to improve the chances of detecting any attempts at influencing the Swedish elections at an early stage.

Inter-agency collaboration in a national elections network 

• In the Government Bill Election Security and Accessibility (Govt Bill 2024/25:181) suggestions have been proposed to introduce amendments to the Swedish Elections Act (2005:837) aimed at further strengthening election security and accessibility. The Riksdag adopted these proposals and the new legislation came into force on 1 December 2025. This means that the Election Authority has been given an explicit responsibility to support and coordinate activities aimed at protecting elections. This also means that the county administrative boards, municipalities and foreign missions that have set up voting places must promptly report incidents that could influence how elections are conducted to the Election Authority.
• The Election Authority organises a permanent national elections network together with the competent authorities to protect the elections. The elections network includes the Swedish Security Service, the Swedish Police Authority, the Psychological Defence Agency, the Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency and the National Cybersecurity Centre, as well as the county administrative boards, the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority and the Swedish Tax Agency. The elections network allows for an exchange of knowledge and experience, as well as collaboration and operational coordination prior to, during and after the election process.   

Initiatives to increase society’s resilience to foreign malign information influence

• The Psychological Defence Agency conducts communications initiatives to raise public awareness of the risks of foreign malign information influence prior to the elections, and to increase citizens’ resilience.
• Together with the Election Authority, the Psychological Defence Agency organises training for municipalities and county administrative boards in order to improve their resilience to foreign malign information influence in connection with the elections.
• Through awareness-raising initiatives, the Swedish Security Service, the Psychological Defence Agency and the National Cybersecurity Centre will offer all parties represented in the Riksdag support on how to identify and deal with foreign malign information influence in connection with elections.
• The Psychological Defence Agency is engaged in international collaborations, both bilaterally and through organisations such as the EU and NATO, where they regularly share information, analyses and lessons learned regarding countermeasures against foreign malign information influence with other countries.

Information initiatives to raise awareness of Sweden’s electoral system 

• The Election Authority regularly provides information to the public about the electoral system, and on where, when and how to vote, in order to prevent the dissemination of misconceptions regarding the election process and to counter misleading and false information. 

Increased security and safety in connection with the elections

• The Swedish Police Authority has created a nationwide special event mechanism in preparation for election year. The work of the Swedish Police covers areas such as managing public disturbances, public gatherings and threats targeting elected representatives. They work continually with intelligence gathering and monitoring the digital landscape. 
• The Swedish Police Authority will set up a special hotline that elected representatives can call to report a crime or discuss issues related to safety and security. 
• The Government is engaging in a dialogue with all parties represented in the Riksdag on the topics of safety and security and the risks of foreign malign information influence ahead of the 2026 elections. In the coming months, there will also be a meeting of party leaders at which the Swedish Security Service, the Psychological Defence Agency and the Election Authority will present their respective situation reports. 

Stronger cybersecurity

• The Government has tasked the National Cybersecurity Centre with supporting relevant actors in matters relating to cybersecurity prior to, during and after the elections. The National Cybersecurity Centre will produce a situation report and threat assessment, identify and share relevant measures aimed at reducing risk and, together with other government agencies, offer operational support. The Government’s remit will clarify and strengthen the National Cybersecurity Centre’s support of cybersecurity initiatives ahead of the 2026 elections.
• The Government will invite all parties represented in the Riksdag to a review led by the National Cybersecurity Centre to present an overall picture of cyber threats and to propose a series of measures aimed at helping the parties strengthen their cybersecurity. 

Improved media and information literacy and AI literacy

• The Government has tasked the Swedish Agency for the Media with conducting a nationwide drive to improve media and information literacy. In 2025, this remit was broadened to also incorporate greater AI literacy. These initiatives will help improve society’s preparedness and its resilience to disinformation. Last year, the Swedish Agency for the Media launched an introductory course in media and information literacy. The course is open to everyone. In the coming months, there will also be a module on the topic of AI. The course will also be available in English and Arabic.

Countering the dissemination of false and misleading information on social media platforms 

• The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority and the Psychological Defence Agency are engaged in a constant dialogue with the major platforms to discuss how they can work together to ensure accurate information about the elections and help reduce the dissemination of false and misleading content on the major platforms.
• The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority and the Swedish Agency for the Media provide information on the EU’s Digital Services Act, which is designed to create a safer online environment by imposing stricter obligations on service providers and their handling of illegal content and harmful activities. It covers areas such as transparency, reporting content, and limiting the dissemination of disinformation. For example, the website of the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority includes information on the courses of action available to users who wish to report illegal content. The website of the Swedish Agency for the Media provides more information on the Act.  
• The Swedish Agency for the Media also provides information on the EU Regulation concerning political advertising, which aims to promote free and fair elections and counter disinformation. The Regulation includes the requirement that political advertising is clearly labelled as such and includes information on the sponsor behind it. This greater transparency is designed to ensure that voters receive more information and are better equipped to make informed choices.