Swedish Armed Forces conduct exercise by the Riksdag on 15–17 February

On 15–17 February 2025, the Swedish Armed Forces will conduct an exercise around the Riksdag in cooperation with the Riksdag Administration. Soldiers and vehicles from the Kings Guards Battalion which is a unit under the Guards Regiment will be present around the Riksdag.

“The Riksdag Administration has a close and long-term collaboration with the Swedish Armed Forces. We look forward to supporting the Armed Forces during the exercise in order to strengthen our capacity to protect the Riksdag and Sweden's central leadership”, says Niklas Åström, Head of the Riksdag Administration’s Security Division.

The Swedish Armed Forces’ exercise will take place around the Parliament and Government Offices in Stockholm from Saturday afternoon, 15 February, until Monday afternoon, 17 February. Soldiers will conduct a foot patrol in the vicinity of the Riksdag and will set up sentries and roadblocks.

The Riksdag’s security officers will participate in the exercise to support the Swedish Armed Forces and train their ordinary task of protecting the Riksdag. Activities in the Riksdag will not be affected, and the controls conducted by the Armed Forces will only involve people participating in the exercise.

The exercise at the Riksdag is part of a larger exercise – Birger Jarl – which the Swedish Armed Forces will be conducting in several places in Stockholm. In total, some 2,000 people from the Home Guard, Kings Guard Battalion, other units from the Armed Forces and civilians will participate. The Swedish Armed Forces have previously conducted exercises around the Riksdag, most recently in the autumn of 2021.