Liberalerna (L – Liberals)
EU RANK: 70 (Tier 2: High Performance)
Liberalerna frames itself as a liberal party defending individual freedom and liberal principles as its core political identity. Simona Mohamsson was elected party leader in June 2025, succeeding Johan Pehrson. The party won 4.61% (16 seats) in the 2022 Riksdag election, narrowly clearing the 4% threshold, and 4.38% (1 seat) in the 2024 European Parliament elections. As the smallest coalition partner in the Tidö Agreement government alongside Moderaterna and Kristdemokraterna, Liberalerna has been central to the parliamentary arithmetic sustaining the Kristersson government, despite ongoing internal tensions over cooperation with Sverigedemokraterna.
Disinformation and alternative media
Liberalerna has no party-owned media outlet and is not associated with a conspiratorial or partisan media ecosystem. The party has been an active voice in the 2025 public debate about media subsidy eligibility for party-linked entities, explicitly calling for reassessment of support for AiP Media (the Social Democrats’ party-affiliated outlet) on grounds of transparency and free opinion formation. This positions the party as a reform advocate in media governance rather than a risk actor. Disinformation and alternative-media DMI risk is low.
Foreign influence and external alignments
Liberalerna is firmly pro-EU and pro-NATO, with no documented ties to hostile foreign states or financing channels. Its funding derives primarily from public subsidies — approximately SEK 7.4 million in state party subsidies for 2024/25, supplemented by membership dues and donations totalling approximately SEK 34.9 million in total income for 2023. Foreign-influence DMI risk is low.
Media capture, advertising and public service media
As a coalition governing party, Liberalerna is structurally positioned to participate in public service mandate-setting (including the 2024–2025 legislative process for the 2026–2033 Public Service Act and guidelines). The party’s declared position has been to reinforce transparency, free opinion formation, and subsidy accountability — a direction that reduces rather than increases media-capture risk from its governance involvement. Media-capture, advertising and PSB-control DMI risk is low to medium, reflecting its coalition role in shaping the public service framework, offset by the transparency-oriented positions it has publicly advocated.
Corruption, litigation and institutional integrity
No major corruption or fraud cases centred on Liberalerna leadership, elected officials, or its organizational structures have been identified for the period 2015–2025. The party’s coalition governance role has drawn scrutiny over policy trade-offs under the Tidö framework, but these are political controversies rather than legal integrity concerns. Corruption and institutional-integrity DMI risk is low.
Press freedom, harassment and treatment of media
Liberalerna has not been associated with harassment of journalists, SLAPP-style litigation, or economic pressure on media outlets. The party’s active advocacy for media subsidy transparency and against hidden party campaigning through media structures is broadly aligned with press freedom values. Press-freedom and harassment DMI risk is low.
| Dimension | Risk level | Short justification |
|---|---|---|
| Disinformation & alternative media | Low | No party-owned media; advocates media subsidy transparency; no documented disinformation operations. |
| Foreign influence & external alignments | Low | Firmly pro-EU/NATO; public-subsidy dominated funding; no foreign-state financing identified. |
| Media capture & advertising / PSB control | Low–Medium | Coalition role in 2025 Public Service Act framework; advocates transparency-oriented positions reducing capture risk. |
| Corruption & institutional integrity risk | Low | No major party-level corruption cases in 2015–2025. |
| Press freedom & harassment of media | Low | No documented harassment or SLAPPs; actively advocates for media transparency. |