Att konstruera behovet av en ny underrättelsemyndighet : En WPR-analys av problemrepresentationer i reformen om Myndigheten för utrikes underrättelser

Sammanfattning

This thesis analyzes how the need for a new Swedish civilian foreign intelligence agency is constructed in the Government Offices memorandum Myndigheten för utrikes underrättelser, and how this problem representation is reformulated in selected consultation responses. The study uses Carol Bacchi’s ‘’What's the problem represented to be?’’ approach as both theoretical framework and analytical tool. Through qualitative text analysis, the thesis examines the memorandum, the Swedish Government Official Report SOU 2025:78, and consultation responses from the Swedish Armed Forces, the National Defence Radio Establishment, the Swedish Security Service, the Foreign Intelligence Court, the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority, and the Swedish Foreign Intelligence Inspectorate (SIUN). The analysis shows that the memorandum represents the problem as a need for a more coordinated, legally enabled and strategically useful structure for foreign intelligence in response to a broader and more complex security environment. The proposed solution is a new civilian intelligence authority with legal conditions similar to those of existing intelligence actors. The consultation responses accept the need to strengthen Swedish intelligence capabilities, but reformulate the problem by highlighting risks concerning mandate overlaps, operational capacity, legal clarity, supervision, trust, resources and accountability. The thesis concludes that the reform is not only about strengthening intelligence capacity, but also about redistributing responsibility, knowledge, legal authority and control within the Swedish state.