The demand for a dancing permit will be scrapped. This decision was made by the Committee on Justice – just days after Lund’s Student Nations submitted their mandatory application.
Many of Lund’s Student Nations managed to submit their application for a dancing permit before the deadline last Thursday, though it was a close call. But the bustle might have been in vain. Sweden’s Committee on Justice namely adopted a motion this Tuesday to abolish the requirement for a dancing permit.
Permission to dance: “Completely absurd”
Responsible for the motion are six members of the left-wing party who think the permission is an “unnecessary detail steering of a people’s lives”. The motion passed with broad political support, both from the right and the left. One of the people behind this is the Member of Parliament Rossana Dinamarca.
“I brought this demand to light a few years ago when I myself was performing at a club. Before the gig, I was told not to play music that was danceable, since the venue didn’t have a permit”, she says. Rosanna Dinamarca first thought they were joking, but when they said that there could be severe consequences, she became outraged.
“At that time, I really felt this was completely absurd and had to be changed”, she says.
When they formulated the motion, they painstakingly sought to follow the formalities. Previously, submitted motions regarding a dismantlement of the dancing permit has been rejected due to small errors in wording.
“Most members were positive when we suggested this change, even if some thought the issue was of lesser importance. But I think this is an important issue, and that it is scary that we have a law like this which governs how people are allowed to move. It makes me think of authoritarian states”, says Rossana Dinamarca.
Grotte: “Pretty weird”
Fredrik Grotte, chairperson of Kuratorskollegiet, also thinks this motion sounds reasonable.
“Personally, I think the need to apply for a dancing permit is pretty weird”, says Fredrik Grotte.
But despite the fact that various establishments no longer have to apply for a permit allowing their guests to dance, it is – according to him – too soon to say how the abolishment will impact the Nations.
“First, the proposal has to be approved by the government, then they have to appoint a commission. What this will lead to is hard to know at present”, says Fredrik Grotte.
Other rules could replace old ones
However, he suspects that other rules governing night clubs can come to replace the need for a dance permit.
“I find it hard to believe that they will let go of the need for order entirely”, says Fredrik Grotte.
Rossana Dinamarca is of another opinion.
“I don’t think the demand for a permit need to be replaced by something else because there is already plenty of provisions when it comes to security concerning these types of establishments”, says Rossana Dinamarca.
Even so, the Nations have not applied for a permit in vain. The dance permit will be needed regardless until the new rule comes into effect, which will not be until the end of the year.
“It is easy to think that it is typical that the Nations had to apply for a permit when it is now close to being abolished. But at the same time it is understandable that the actions of the police is based upon current laws and rules”, says Fredrik Grotte.
Translation: Viktor Jönsson
