A stand-off is brewing over land access in Sweden’s Arctic. What’s at stake?
Last month the head of Sweden’s Christian Democrats, Ebba Busch, wrote an op-ed in the daily Svenska Dabladet titled “The reindeer industry is creating blockages in Norrland.” It demanded three things: that reindeer husbandry no longer be a national interest “in its current form;” that reindeer herds be reduced; and that the state reclaims state land in the mountains.
Ebba Busch’s recent statement must be seen in the context of the highly complex land-use situation in northern Sweden, where the tone of public debate has grown increasingly confrontational. The Sámi are Europe’s only Indigenous people, a status formally recognized in 1977. Reindeer and reindeer herding are central to Sámi culture, and reindeer husbandry is practiced by 51 Sámi communities (samebyar) across roughly half of Sweden’s land area. These regions also contain vast natural resources — such as forests and minerals — that have played a key role in building Sweden’s prosperity.
For decades, there has been an intense and often polarized debate over how Sámi reindeer herding should be protected within the Swedish legal system. In several rulings, the Swedish Supreme Court has established that the Sámi hold land-use rights that exist alongside private property rights, and that these rights are protected by the Constitution. At the political level and within the business community, however, these rulings have been contentious and frequently challenged. Many representatives from politics and industry have argued that Sámi land rights should not be strongly protected, largely because other land-use interests — such as forestry, mining, and infrastructure development — would be made more difficult, with perceived negative consequences for the national economy.
How capable are the Sami?
The debate over Sámi land rights has also centered on who should control hunting and fishing permits in the mountain regions: the state or the Sámi communities. Since 1886, the state has administered these permits, a system originally justified by claims that the Sámi were not capable of managing the task themselves. This arrangement was challenged in court by Sámi representatives in the landmark Girjas case, which concluded in 2020. In its ruling, the Supreme Court determined that the Girjas Sámi community has the right to determine hunting and fishing permits within its territory. However, the ruling has not been accepted by hunting organizations or parts of the political establishment, and lobbying efforts have continued to ensure that hunting and fishing remain broadly accessible to the public.
From the perspective of the Sámi communities, the goal is to balance hunting and fishing with the reindeer’s need for undisturbed grazing and the fragile alpine environment. In recent years, the tone of the debate has hardened significantly, and reports of harassment, hate speech, and threats against Sámi individuals have become more common.
Exploiting minerals vs climate targets
A Truth Commission has been appointed to examine, from a historical perspective, the state policies pursued toward the Sámi and their consequences for the Sámi people. The final report is due this autumn. An interim report containing articles by approximately 50 researchers has already been published. It shows how the Sámi have been negatively affected, particularly through land exploitation carried out without Sámi influence over the decision‑making processes.
Busch’s statement calling for the removal of reindeer husbandry’s status as a national interest and for a reduction in reindeer numbers should also be understood in light of the political context ahead of Sweden’s parliamentary election this September. In previous elections, political parties have sought votes in northern Sweden by making statements that position the Sámi as an obstacle or object of criticism. This latest intervention must also be viewed in connection with the so-called green transition and the EU Green Deal, where political leaders have been explicit that forests and mineral resources in northern Sweden will need to be exploited more intensively to meet climate targets.
These developments have direct consequences for Sámi reindeer husbandry, as grazing lands are lost, fragmented, or degraded. The ongoing industrial expansion is widely perceived among Sámi reindeer herders as a major threat to reindeer husbandry and Sámi culture more broadly — a view that is also supported by academic research. At the same time, many politicians argue that reindeer husbandry hinders societal development by complicating forestry operations and mining projects.
Sweden often criticized for Sami treatment
The statement raises broader questions about Sweden’s handling of Sámi issues and the country’s treatment of the Sámi as an Indigenous people. Internationally, Sweden enjoys a strong reputation for human rights. Nevertheless, the country is regularly criticized by international bodies for failing to adequately protect Sámi land rights. Recent statements suggest that the center-right parties currently in power are seeking to further weaken protections for Sámi reindeer husbandry.
Since Busch’s remarks in April, other politicians on the same side of the political spectrum have made similar statements.
This issue is therefore likely to become a focal point of debate ahead of the upcoming election. In the public discourse, many Sámi representatives have expressed deep concern about the direction this development is taking.
Protests against the statement have been widespread, both within Sámi society and beyond. Several local politicians have pointed out how inappropriate it is for ministers to make remarks that risk escalating conflicts in local communities. For example, all political parties in Jokkmokk municipality issued a joint written statement emphasizing that reindeer herding and Sámi culture are important to the municipality. Nevertheless, it is highly likely that the tone of the debate on these issues will remain heated all the way up to the election.
Malin Brännström is a legal scholar with expertise in the relationship between forestry and reindeer herding from a legal perspective. She is also the director of Silvermuseet and the research institute INSARC in Arjeplog, with expertise in Sámi cultural heritage and historical legal and political developments influencing today’s forestry.
