Sweden has banned marriages between cousins and certain other close relatives under a new law that came into force on July 1, with authorities also refusing to recognise such marriages conducted abroad after that date.
The legislation, approved by the Swedish parliament, is aimed at tackling forced marriages, family pressure and so-called honour-based violence, while preventing couples from bypassing the ban by marrying in another country.
The reform followed a government-commissioned review of consanguineous marriages and received backing from the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.
In addition to cousin marriages, the law prohibits certain other marriages between close relatives, including some involving relatives by marriage and adoption, closing loopholes in existing legislation.
The Swedish government said that the measure was designed to strengthen individual freedom and protect people, particularly young women, from coercion within tightly controlled family environments. Although concerns over inherited genetic disorders linked to cousin marriages featured in public debate, the government based the legislation primarily on social and legal grounds.
The issue has gained increasing political attention in Sweden amid wider debates over immigration, integration and honour-based violence.
Sweden joins Norway in banning cousin marriage, while the issue remains under discussion in the United Kingdom. The practice remains legal in several European countries, including France, Spain and Belgium.
Existing cousin marriages will remain legally recognised, but any marriage covered by the new restrictions and entered into after July 1 will no longer be recognised under Swedish law.
