Equivalence is regarded as a central concept in contemporary Swedish education policy. One important aspect in the education policy is to describe and determine the Swedish schools' assignment to bring up democratic citizens. The concept of equivalence, hence, plays an important role in this policy-making practice. In the 1990s equivalence is challenged by another concept: 'freedom of choice'. Here some possible outcomes of a changed conceptual framework in the education policy are tried out, regarding the political understanding of a democratic citizenship. Three questions are pulled forth in order to carry out this aim. The challenge of 'freedom of choice' on equivalence contributes to a change in the political understanding of a democratic citizenship in Swedish education policy. A phenomenon that occurs in at least three aspects: the political participation (from co-acting to re-acting), the political activity (from directing to voting) and the political role of the citizen in society (from being a designer to a consumer).