The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR) is critical of the announcement that the government is ending support for the International Center for Local Democracy (ICLD).
The Government and Sida has decided to end special support to the International Center for Local Democracy (ICLD) at the end of 2026. Organisations was founded on the initiative of the Coalition Government with the goal of supporting democratic participation and change at the local level, including through collaborations between Swedish and foreign municipalities. Audio Today's Arena previously reported, the announcement came as early as June 2025, but was confirmed in a press release from the government on January 26, 2026. Swedish Municipalities and Regions (SKR), who co-own ICLD together with Lund University and Region Gotland, calls on the government to reconsider the decision with reference to the unique role of the organization.
- A removed aid would pose a major threat to one of the few Swedish institutions that supports democracy in developing countries where it matters most, at the local level. Such a loss would be unfortunate at a time when democracy and human rights are under severe pressure in many places, says Anders Henriksson, Chairman of the Swedish Council of Experts.
In his latest report The democracy institute V-dem writes that almost 40 percent of the world's population lives in countries where democracy is in decline. Even International IDEA's Democracy Index for 2025 showed a similar trend. In over half of the countries surveyed, at least one key aspect of democratic development had deteriorated over the past five years.
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