När uran blir säkerhet : En WPR analys av den svenska lagstiftningen om uranbrytning

Sammanfattning

This study examines the legislative shift allowing uranium mining in Sweden and the subsequent limitation of the municipal veto. Using Carol Bacchis WPR-approach, alongside poststructuralism theory and securitization theory the study aims to analyze how the problem that provides the rational for the legislation is represented, how uranium mining is framed as a matter of security, and what implications the problem representation have for principles within the Swedish model of government administration. The results reveal that the legislation is grounded in a problem representation of critical vulnerability in resource supply, hurdles for the green transition, and geopolitical instability. By framing uranium as a strategic security asset, the state is subjectified as a savior acting in national interest, while municipalities are subjectified as obstacles to essential national and societal goals. This securitization process justifies extraordinary measures, such as restricting the municipal veto, by prioritizing national security and industrial survival over local autonomy. Consequently, the legislation facilitates a significant power shift from the local level to the central government, challenging fundamental principles of municipal self-governance within the Swedish model of government administration.