In Sweden, marrying your first cousin has long been legal, though as in the UK it is widely frowned upon. Yet in response to the growing number of cousin marriages in Sweden after a rise in migration, the government has announced plans to ban the practice next year. A Bill is currently being drafted. In Norway, a ban on cousin marriage was adopted this summer. Denmark may soon follow in the footsteps of its Nordic neighbours.
Despite cousin marriage being a well-known issue, for too long any debate on this subject has been shamefully sidelined
The reason for the move is the same in all the Nordic countries; within certain large immigrant communities, the practice of cousin marriage remains common. In parts of the Middle East and North Africa, up to half of all marriages are between relatives. Pakistan, which has a significant immigrant population in the UK, has one of the highest prevalence of cousin marriages in the world.
The Swedish minister of justice, Gunnar Strömmer, correctly argues that a ban could help combat marriages entered into under pressure or coercion. Cousin marriages are frequently arranged or forced. In some cases, refusing to go through with the marriage can result in violence or even so-called honour killings. By banning cousin marriages, the Swedish government aims to break the cycle of coercion and control rooted in these practices.
On top of the social issues tied to cousin marriages, the associated health risks are well documented. Studies have shown that children from cousin marriages have a significantly higher rate of congenital conditions, such as heart defects and developmental disabilities.
Despite cousin marriage being a well-known issue, for too long any debate on this subject has been shamefully sidelined. Addressing cousin marriage and its implications has been a sensitive subject here, and avoided in mainstream political discourse. Notably, the people to first and most clearly raise concerns about it come from immigrant backgrounds themselves. Former Swedish MP Hanif Bali, who was born in Iran, was one of the earliest voices to speak out against cousin marriage, and he has advocated for legislative change.
Still, not everyone supports such a ban. The Social Democrats, Sweden’s largest opposition party, been negative about the idea. This may partly reflect its own voting demographics, with the party increasingly reliant on the support of communities where cousin marriage is still widely practiced. Ironically, one of the ban’s most vocal critics is Annika Strandhäll, the chairwoman of the Social Democrats’ women’s organisation.
A ban will pave the way for both a healthier and more free society – one where individuals are freed from oppressive family structures. But there may well be another major benefit, one that is less obvious: banning cousin marriage could, in the long run, weaken organised crime.
Sweden is currently grappling with the problem of extremely violent gangs, who have terrorised the country with bombs and grenades. Since the election of a liberal-conservative government in 2022, the Swedish state has stepped up its war on the gangs. But in this battle, criminal networks have an advantage: insiders within government agencies.
These insiders are often family members or relatives, whose loyalty to their family, or clan, outweighs their allegiance to Swedish law, democracy, and societal order. Just the other week, a municipal manager in Uppsala, Sweden’s fourth-largest city, was suspended from duty after being linked to a criminal clan.
Martin Valfridsson, head of the special investigations department within the Swedish police, has warned that infiltration attempts are becoming increasingly common, with individuals seeking to penetrate the justice system with malicious intent. Such moles can be incredibly valuable for criminals. They can, for example, be used by gangs to search police surveillance records.
To tackle this, background checks and tighter controls can only go so far. Banning cousin marriage could be a partial solution.
Joseph Henrich, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, has found that cousin marriage doesn’t just affect family dynamics – it reshapes societies. His research shows that as cousin marriages declined in Europe, individualism grew. The western church’s crackdown on such unions laid the groundwork for liberal democracy by weakening tight family networks that thrived on loyalty. Instead, societies in the West nurtured values like cooperation with outsiders, trust in institutions, and civic responsibility.
In Sweden this is particularly relevant. Many criminal networks in Sweden are based on or benefit from tight-knit, clan-based loyalties. These families, bonded through marriage and blood, can undermine the state from within. By banning cousin marriage, the Swedish government can strike at the heart of this system, loosening the grip of clans and reducing their ability to operate above the law.
In the fight against organised crime this cultural shift could prove decisive. Not only could a ban on cousin marriage weaken organised crime, but it will also help preserve our open, fair, and law-abiding society.
In the end, this isn’t just about marriage; it’s about the foundations of democracy and the rule of law as we know it.
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