Swedish political proposal to reassess reindeer herding status sparks fierce backlash

A proposal by Sweden’s Christian Democrats (KD) to remove reindeer herding as a national interest and reduce state support has triggered strong reactions, with Indigenous Sámi groups accusing the party of electioneering, Swedish public broadcaster SVT reports.

Party leader Ebba Busch suggested reindeer stocks should be cut and subsidies reviewed to ease tensions between competing land-use interests in northern Sweden. The proposal also calls for reindeer herding to no longer be classified as a riksintresse (national interest), a status that grants it legal protection in land-use planning.

The Swedish Sámi Association (SSR) dismissed the plan as “election propaganda,” while SVT’s reporter Johan Zachrisson Winberg described the debate as “a hornet’s nest.” He noted that Sámi herders already feel sidelined in decisions affecting their livelihoods.

Zachrisson Winberg added that the proposal appears to target hunting and fishing groups, which have previously clashed with reindeer herding over land access. “Very strong interests are pitted against each other,” he said.