The Open Society: Sweden's Blueprint for Democratic Transparency

We explore how Sweden's principle of public access to information, dating back to 1766, has created one of the world's most transparent and least corrupt democracies. Archivists Ewa and Eva from the Department of Digitization Kungsbacka explain how transparency builds mutual trust between citizens and government, with everything from public servant salaries to government invoices accessible to anyone. Unlike business models that exploit personal data, Sweden's approach strictly protects personal information while making government data open by default.

Why it matters

Transparency creates accountability that prevents corruption and nepotism, positioning Sweden consistently among the world's top five least corrupt nations. The conversation highlights how digital open data isn't just a convenience but a fundamental democratic principle that European countries are increasingly collaborating on, despite resistance from countries and companies that profit from secrecy.

Our Guests: Ewa Ahlberg, Department of Digitization Kungsbacka & Eva Holmberg, Archivist

The Podcast

The "Data for All: A Quest for Digital Autonomy” podcast will bring you closer to the topic of municipal data sovereignty. This podcast season revolves around sustainable data solutions for citizens and companies. Across European borders, we present facts, approaches and reflections showing how to understand data for the public good better.

Our Host: Max Nettlau, Heinrich-Böll-Foundation Schleswig-Holstein and host Ocean Five Podcast.

Related Links:

Dataportalen Sweden

Visit our Project - Homepage

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https://www.interregnorthsea.eu/data-for-all/podcast-data-for-all-a-quest-for-digital-autonomy