Sweden sees lowest marriage rates in 20 years as cohabitation rises

In 2023, Sweden saw the lowest number of marriages in 20 years, excluding the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. In contrast, the number of cohabiting couples has steadily increased over the past decade. Many people believe that living together as partners provides the same legal protections as being married, but there are significant legal differences, according to family law attorney Lamija Cuprija from Verahill.

One major distinction is that cohabiting partners do not automatically inherit from each other. If one partner dies without an agreement in place, the surviving partner may be forced to buy out any underage children from their shared home or move to a less expensive residence. Cuprija notes that the best interest of the child may be to remain in the home, but current laws can make this challenging, calling the system “rigid and somewhat outdated.”

Cuprija advises anyone in a cohabiting relationship, with or without children, to consult a lawyer to review their situation, including asset ownership and plans for the event of a partner’s death. She often suggests marriage as a means to ensure legal protections, particularly when children are involved.

The regulations surrounding cohabitation have long been discussed, and Cuprija argues that they do not reflect modern family dynamics, which have evolved significantly compared to 40-50 years ago. In 2023, there were 44,190 marriages in Sweden, while over 1.6 million individuals lived as cohabiting partners, accounting for roughly one-third of all couples. Since 2013, the number of cohabiting couples has increased annually among both parents and non-parents.