Extra supplementary budget for 2026 - Support for Ukraine as well as support for households and other measures due to the war in the Middle East

Edward Riedl (M)

Madam Speaker! Let me first express my approval of the committee's proposal in this extensive report concerning both measures due to the war in the Middle East and support for Ukraine. I will return to the details.

The government has presented an extra supplementary budget primarily to protect Swedish households from the effects of what is now happening in the Middle East. Sweden has enormous strength in its public finances. The Swedish national debt was low when this government took over, but it is now even lower. It is lower than when the Social Democrats passed their last state budget. This is good for Sweden. It gives us opportunities to protect the wallets of Swedish households.

The four large parts of the extra supplementary budget are, firstly, about lowering the diesel and petrol price by an additional 3 kronor per liter. This will make a big difference for everyone who is dependent on the car.

Secondly, we are making a targeted investment in Swedish public transport across the entire country. We are halving the monthly pass cost for everyone who commutes to and from work or otherwise is in need of a monthly pass. This is an important measure that covers the whole country.

Thirdly, we have targeted support for Swedish domestic aviation. With what is now happening in the Middle East, it is even more important that we have functioning domestic flights throughout our country.

For the fourth, we also have targeted support for Swedish agriculture so that we can guarantee Swedish food on the plate even when the input goods have become significantly more expensive for Swedish agriculture.

Madam Speaker! There are now fewer than 90 days left until the election. Then you, the Swedish people, will decide which path we shall continue on. We Moderates and our coalition parties have lowered the tax on wages, pensions, and savings. We have lowered the tax on electricity. We have lowered the tax on almost everything that has affected the costs for Swedish households.

The high inflation that the previous government handed over to this government and its coalition partners to resolve has eroded the wallets of Swedish households. Therefore, these tax cuts have been incredibly important for Swedish households.

I am concerned, Madam Speaker, about what would happen if Sweden were to change direction in the autumn election. If the left-wing parties, the red-green parties, win the election, it means that there will be Left Party members and Green Party members in that government. One can, of course, think that is good if one belongs to the left side, but it also means an extreme leftward turn in Swedish politics with significantly increased taxes.

I do not believe, Madam Speaker, that the Swedish people long for higher taxes and less money in their wallets. On the contrary, I believe that people think it has been good that they have received these reliefs, which we are now also ensuring in the extra amendment budget. I do not believe that the voters long for gasoline and diesel that is 10 kronor per liter more expensive. I do not believe that the voters long for a mortgage tax or a property tax. I do not believe that the voters long for an increased tax on wages and pensions, Madam Speaker.

This election is important.

We also have in the extra amendment budget a support for Ukraine. Today, we give the government the opportunity to donate up to 16 Jas 39 Gripen of the older model, so that one can quickly begin to build up the Ukrainian air defense with the Jas 39 Gripen as the backbone. The decision also means that Ukraine will purchase planes. For the EU funds that have been made available for Ukraine to purchase its own defense materiel, we will now also procure Jas 39 Gripen of the latest model, 39 Gripen E.

This means that Ukraine gets much better air defense capabilities. It also means that many jobs are created even in Sweden. From our will to help Ukraine, it also becomes good in Sweden.

Madam Speaker! Let us pause for a moment. This is the final debate for the Committee on Finance for this parliamentary term. I would like to extend a big thank you to all colleagues in the Committee on Finance; to all eight parties that make up the Committee on Finance. We have entered into many broad agreements where we have united on an economic framework and support for Ukraine, which the entire Chamber stands behind. We have also entered into a defense agreement that all parties stand behind.

We have also, Madam Speaker, disagreed on a multitude of different issues. The very core of democracy is that you, the voters, get to decide which direction you want Sweden to continue to take. We have done all that with good spirits and with good cooperation where it has been needed. We have separated the issue from the person, and I think we have done that in a good way.

I would like to wish everyone a very nice Midsummer. Just as a speaker said in the previous debate, we will see each other in Almedalen and then perhaps have a little more holiday before it is time to meet in the election campaign. Then the voters will decide how they want Sweden to continue to be governed.

Just enough luck in the election campaign, everyone! It has been fun to work together in the Finance Committee. A big thank you to our secretariat, which has assisted us in everything we have needed to do. The Finance Committee's secretariat has always delivered to all parties in the Finance Committee, and we are very pleased with that. A big thank you to you!

Many thanks to the speakers and the Chamber Office for ensuring that the debates take place in as orderly and good a manner as possible. Many thanks!

Happy summer!

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Ilona Szatmári Waldau (V)

Madam Speaker! I will not enter into a tax debate with the previous speaker. We will take that during the election campaign.

It has now been a little more than two years since the Defense Committee was in Ukraine. The horrors of the war were visible and obvious, but it was still quite calm in Kyiv. Now the attacks against Kyiv have intensified, and even cultural heritage important to Russia is burning. Putin is becoming increasingly desperate.

In that situation, it is completely right to invest in support for Ukraine – and several of the issues that were raised during our visit, Sweden has now acted on. Our support is important, and it is pleasing that the Swedish Riksdag is united in this. I and Vänsterpartiet have no other opinions than the committee's in this part of the extra supplementary budget.

I agree with the picture that households are under pressure as a result of the war in the Middle East, which has driven up the price of, among other things, gasoline and diesel. But at the same time as households have had to bear the burden during the inflation crisis, companies' profit margins have essentially remained unchanged. It can be stated that during this parliamentary term, it has not been a priority for the government to strengthen the economy for people with small economic margins. Instead, significantly more has been invested in the part of the population that has the highest incomes. This also applies to the reduced tax on fuels.

Many referral bodies emphasize that a further reduction in tax on gasoline and diesel counteracts the phasing out of fossil fuels in the transport sector and makes it more difficult for Sweden to reach the climate goals. I agree with that.

The proposal also means that the competitiveness of road traffic is strengthened in relation to public transport, with increased climate emissions as a consequence. Therefore, it is still positive that the government has come forward with reduced fees in public transport to counteract this. The prices in public transport need to be lowered permanently and should also include the special transport service (färdtjänst). The special transport service is not included in the majority's proposal, meaning those who are dependent on the special transport service must continue to pay high fees for their public transport.

Vänsterpartiet wants to see a permanent reduction in public transport prices instead, and we also want to introduce a common national monthly ticket. It should cost 450 kronor for adults and 225 kronor for children, young people, and retirees. If the Sverigebiljetten is introduced from 2027, Sweden has the conditions to reduce the emissions gap by approx. 4 million tonnes by 2030. Parallel to the introduction of a Sverigebiljett, Vänsterpartiet wants to see large investments in expanding public transport, with a special focus on transport in sparse and rural areas.

Instead of lower prices on petrol and diesel, Vänsterpartiet wants to provide support to households that hits broader and gives more compensation to those households in rural areas that must have a car. In total, households with lower incomes receive more compensation with Vänsterpartiets proposal than they do with lowered taxes.

The government's own investigation shows that it is those with the highest incomes who benefit most from reduced taxes, partly because they own cars to a greater extent than those with low incomes, and partly because they also drive more and thus refuel more. Vänsterpartiet wants to provide fuel support to households in rural areas, and the government wants to provide support to high-income earners in large cities.

The advantage of the Left Party's proposal is that one does not have to refuel to take part in it. If one has the possibility to let the car stand, the money can be spent on something else. The Left Party's proposal does not increase emissions.

We also want to introduce a broad electric car premium that reaches all households with an income that does not exceed 120 percent of the average income. With the premium, it should be possible to buy or lease an electric car. To households outside the large urban municipalities, we want to give an extra premium. Vänsterpartiet's proposal reaches over 3 million households compared to the government's limited premium which targets only 800,000 households. Based on the basis for the government's electric car premium, we conservatively estimate that our proposal reduces the emissions gap by at least 1 million tons by 2030.

Madam Speaker! It is not justifiable to promote the commercial operation of airports and airlines with tax money in a time when climate goals require clear political priorities. The funds would be better utilized through investments that accelerate the transition and increase the pace of electrification. In that way, it will become both cheaper and easier to choose sustainable transport solutions.

The report contains several different points of support, some of which I support and others I reject.

In the Left Party's joint reservation with the Green Party, we propose that the proposal for a further temporary tax reduction on petrol and diesel be rejected. We also say no to the committee initiative on reduced tax on jet fuel. We do say yes to support for professional fishing and aquaculture, but we believe that it should favor small-scale and coastal fishing for human consumption, not large-scale feed fishing.

Therefore, Madam Speaker, I move for approval of reservation 1.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank the committee members for good cooperation and also thank the office and wish you all a good summer.

If no extra matters arise, this is my very last debate in the Riksdag, apart from the Prime Minister's report next week, because I am not running for an elective seat. So I want to thank everyone, including the voters, for my time in the Riksdag with a special thanks to the Speaker's Presidency and the Chamber Office. I wish you all a good summer.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Jim Svensk Larm (S)

Madam Speaker! This is my first debate in the Committee on Finance during the short month I am here. It is nice to be here.

We live in a restless and uncertain time. Russia's war against Ukraine threatens the security and safety of all of Europe. But we do not leave Ukraine alone. We have provided support on numerous occasions because we know that Ukraine's security is also our security, and we will continue to be there for Ukraine.

The world and our security have been greatly affected since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. It has now been more than four years, but the people of Ukraine continue to fight for their democracy, freedom, and independence. But it is not only Ukraine's struggle, but it affects, as said, the security and safety of all of Europe.

Today we continue to provide support to Ukraine by transferring Jas Gripen as part of the continued support for the country's defense. For us, it is clear. Ukraine has a self-evident right under international law to defend its freedom and sovereignty. Moving national borders as Russia does in its illegal war of aggression violates international law. By contributing to strengthening Ukraine's defense capability, Sweden takes responsibility for security and stability in all of Europe.

Madam Speaker! It is not only the war in Ukraine that affects us, but it is all the anxiety that exists around the world. We notice it through the fact that the economic situation has quickly deteriorated due to the war in the Middle East and the closed Strait of Hormuz. The government has until now underestimated the development. They have on repeated occasions had to revise downwards the growth forecasts, and we have a continued very high unemployment.

The war has had an impact on ordinary people at the same time as years of cost crises have already made everyday life tough for many households. In this cost crisis, we must ensure that ordinary people are not hit by further cost shocks and protect the Swedish economy from inflation.

Madam Speaker! This weekend I was in Söderhamn and met several families who told me how they have fared over the last few years. Costs have skyrocketed, and now they were worried that the summer holidays had just begun. A summer holiday is something many children and families should actually look forward to. But they were worried. Because with the summer holidays, it is not just more time with the family. There are also increased costs. There will be more meals to be eaten at home and summer activities that cost a little extra. And at the same time, shoes and clothes that have worn out must be replaced.

In the same sentence as they shared the joy that the children had been invited to parties at classmates' homes, the parents also raised concerns about whether the children would be able to bring presents to the parties. That concern exists in several places. And I have encountered it earlier during the parliamentary term.

An increased child allowance would have truly made a difference for these families with children. It would have been much needed, and then they might not have had to choose between a gift for the child's birthday, food on the table, and new clothes for the children. We can, however, state that Sweden will be alone in the Nordic countries in not raising the child allowance during this mandate period. It is regrettable.

Madam Speaker! We welcome that the government is now making public transport travel cheaper. But it becomes a rather obvious hypocrisy. The government began the mandate period by removing the targeted support for public transport that the Social Democratic government had introduced. They have also actively voted no to all proposals we have submitted to make public transport cheaper and better.

During this parliamentary term, the price for monthly passes in public transport has increased by an average of almost 200 kronor across the country. But now the government is taking temporary measures, and by chance, they begin to take effect a few months before the election and extend until shortly after the election. Bringing down costs and making it cheaper for ordinary people to use public transport is good. But it is very clear that this is about election pork when the opinion polls have started to decline.

Madam Speaker! In many places in Sweden, public transport is not accessible in such a way that it can replace the car. This applies particularly in rural areas and for work in the early mornings, late evenings, or on weekends.

I usually work at a paper mill and have such working hours. For me, public transport is not an option. I cannot take it to and from work. I remember a conversation with our local public transport authority many years ago, when I started being active in the union, in Pappers. They contacted us and wanted to expand the public transport so that it would run to and from the mill and be adapted to us who work there. When I had read out a few different shift schedules and shift change times, I was interrupted. It was said that it probably would not work. So that is how it looks with different shift change times and different conditions in the countryside.

Public transport is primarily adapted for those who live in larger towns and who work during the day. But that is not how everyday life looks for many of us around Sweden. For the nursing assistant working in home care in Nordanstig, the industrial worker in Hofors, or the forklift driver in Ljusdal, public transport does not work for commuting to work. Therefore, the car is a must for many.

Madam Speaker! We need to act here and now to make everyday life easier for ordinary people. But this crisis also shows our vulnerability. When oil prices rise and conflicts break out, it affects Swedish households directly. Therefore, it is important that we break the dependence on fossil fuels. But with this government, we unfortunately seem to have become more dependent on fossil fuels.

As long as that dependency remains, we will also be vulnerable to war, conflicts, and sharp fluctuations on the world market. It is a vulnerability we must take seriously. We need to do more to electrify and support ordinary people in the transition. Swedish families need to become less dependent on oil from rogue states, and it must become easier to buy an electric car.

With that, I would like to wish the Speaker's Presidium, the Chancellery staff and all staff here in the Riksdag, as well as the members of the committee, a pleasant summer. This was my first and last debate in the Committee on Finance. I return to my regular job next week. I thank you for this month, which I have been allowed to be here.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Janine Alm Ericson (MP)

Madam Speaker! I also want to thank my colleagues in the committee, our fantastic committee secretariat, but also the Speaker's Bureau and everyone who works in this fantastic house. Without you, nothing at all would have functioned. Many thanks!

Madam Speaker! I will begin with that which unites us in this chamber: the support for Ukraine. Miljöpartiet stands, like the rest of Sweden's Riksdag, behind a strong, long-term and sustained support for Ukraine.

As we have noted many times, Russia's full-scale invasion is not only an attack on a free and democratic country. It is also an attack on Europe's security, on international law, and on the international order that Sweden also depends on.

That is why we support the government's continued military support to Ukraine. That is why we stand behind Sweden contributing materiel, including Jas planes. And that is why we support the authorizations that strengthen Ukraine's capabilities to defend itself. The Chamber's unity is a strength for us as a country and something that I hope will remain as long as it is needed.

We also share the view that the state must act when war and unrest in the world drive up costs for households and companies. Therefore, we support the reinforcement of the electricity and gas support. Therefore, we also support the support for agriculture, which is hit hard by rising costs, and for Swedish small-scale fishing.

Madam Speaker! That people need support through the crisis does not mean that every form of support is wise. The decisive question is not whether the state should help people, but how. Shall we use the crisis to make Sweden stronger, more resilient, and less dependent on imported fossil energy? Or shall we use several billion tax crowns to make ourselves even more dependent on exactly that type of energy that made us vulnerable from the beginning?

The government chooses the latter – again. In this extra supplementary budget, a further reduction of the carbon tax on gasoline and diesel is proposed. It is an enormous fossil subsidy. For what? Well, so that the average motorist will have a few hundred kronor less in cost every month, so that those who live in the city and have large cars will receive the largest part of the support, and so that Sweden's dependence on imported oil shall persist.

It is not effective crisis policy. It is gas-populism, put forward on irrelevant grounds.

Madam Speaker! We in Miljöpartiet are not alone in this criticism. The referral bodies are crystal clear. Energimyndigheten, Naturvårdsverket, Konjunkturinstitutet, Trafikanalys, Statskontoret, Svensk Kollektivtrafik, Energiföretagen and many more warn of the consequences of this policy. They warn of increased emissions. They warn of weakened electrification. They warn of increased fossil dependency. They warn of impaired preparedness. And they warn that Sweden is sending the wrong signals to the rest of Europe.

When so many expert agencies point in the same direction, a government should at least stop and reflect. But the Tidö government keeps driving on.

There are better alternatives. We in Miljöpartiet do not say no to support. We say no to bad support. If the goal is to help people affected by high fuel prices, there are significantly more accurate solutions. One example is a targeted transport support for households with low incomes in rural areas and in sparsely populated areas, that is, to precisely those who really need the car and are really affected, and whom the right always highlights but actually do not help very much. We do not want to see these subsidies also going to high-income earners with large cars and high fuel costs who live in the city, where there are alternatives. But that is what this government does.

If the goal is to reduce people's travel expenses, the government should also have acted much earlier regarding public transport. After four years, during which this government has hardly mentioned public transport, they suddenly propose lowered ticket prices – a few months before the election.

Miljöpartiet welcomes that the government has finally listened. But we want to go further. We want to eventually introduce a Sweden card, which makes it easy and cheap to travel by public transport throughout the country at a low and reasonable price.

The government's priorities also become clear when one looks at transport policy as a whole. When train and bus lines all over the country are struggling for survival, money is lacking. When Trafikverket requests resources to maintain the transport agreements, money is lacking. But when aviation wants support, there is always money.

Now the government also wants taxpayers to take over costs that the aviation industry itself should bear. It is a wrong prioritization. The 100 million kronor that the government wants to give to aviation should instead be used for all modes of transport within the transport agreements. This would have done significantly more good in the transport sector. It would also have meant greater fairness and better accessibility throughout the country.

There is a common thread throughout this government's economic policy. Besides lowering taxes mostly for those who already have the best, it always meets the crisis with short-term measures that alleviate the symptoms but exacerbate the underlying problems. When fuel prices rise, fossil dependency increases. When the climate transition needs to accelerate, emissions increase. When preparedness needs to be strengthened, Sweden is made more dependent on imported oil. This is neither long-term nor responsible, and it is not an economic policy that prepares Sweden for the future.

We in Miljöpartiet want something else. We want to support companies and households through the crisis. We want to strengthen Sweden's resilience. We want to reduce our dependence on fossil energy. And we want to use every tax krona in a way that makes Sweden safer, freer, and stronger.

On September 13, Sweden goes to the election. Then we can replace gas populism with real crisis support and faith in the future – because Sweden deserves better.

With this, I move for the approval of reservation number 2 and wish you all a happy Midsummer and a happy summer!

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Oscar Sjöstedt (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I am extremely pleased that we from the Tidö parties have been able to reach an agreement and place this extra supplementary budget before the Riksdag to make a decision on it a little later today.

In exactly two weeks, on July 1, diesel and gasoline will become 3 kronor cheaper per liter at the pump. This makes a difference for people and for households. It is about taking responsibility when war and general unrest in the world drive up the world market price of oil, among other things.

This also makes a difference for the trucking companies. It is an industry that is normally characterized by fairly tight margins. Now they get some breathing room, perhaps even the opportunity to expand. The absolute majority of the trucking companies consist of either sole proprietorships or small companies with as few as up to four employees.

Regarding households, we can also observe that the income group that benefits the most from this reform is income decile 1, that is, the tenth of the population that has the lowest incomes. The opposite also applies: The income group that benefits the least from this reform is income decile 10, that is, inverted, the tenth of the population that has the highest incomes.

Others who benefit the most are residents in remote rural regions, while residents in Stockholm benefit relatively the least.

This is, therefore, sensible distribution policy, sensible rural policy and sensible small business policy. But it is also sensible inflation-fighting policy. If we can keep the prices of inputs, for example fuels, down, it dampens inflation, both directly and indirectly. One explanation for why inflation shot up as much as it did during the previous term was precisely that at that time we had the world's highest diesel price, as a result of the previous government's policy. I do not think anyone wants to return to that period of high inflation. Today, we instead have the lowest inflation in the entire EU. That is a quite significant difference.

Against this, 3 kronor lower price per liter at the pump, shall be set the opposition's proposal to instead raise fuel prices by as much as up to 10 kronor per liter. That would be the opposite of wise distribution policy, rural policy, small business policy, and inflation policy.

Furthermore, we are introducing extensive support for agriculture. We do this to counter the high prices of artificial fertilizer, among other things, which have largely arisen as a result of the Iran crisis. When Swedish farmers are having a tough time, we do not intend to leave them in the lurch. This support amounts to 1.6 billion kronor and will cover as many as 50,000 entrepreneurs within Swedish agriculture. The absolute majority of these are also self-employed.

If we facilitate things for the farmers, that is to say the food producers, it will naturally in the next step also benefit the food consumers, which, Mr. Speaker, is of course quite exactly 100 percent of the population. Together with the halved food VAT, which has fully had an impact on food prices, this will alleviate the situation quite significantly for households, not least for families with children.

In this bill, it is also proposed that we donate a number of older Gripen aircraft, Gripen Cesar, to Ukraine, on the condition that Ukraine also signs contracts for and purchases a corresponding number of the new Gripen aircraft, Gripen Erik. This is in our interest and could, in the long run, become a quite potent deal for the Swedish defense industry.

Sweden is a rather odd bird, one could say, in the family of countries that develop their own fighter jets. USA, France, Russia and China have at least in common that they are quite a bit larger countries, both in terms of population and GDP, than Sweden. Still, it is we who have developed what, at least arguably, is the world's most potent fighter jet – at least seen in relation to the task they are intended to solve.

If we are to keep our own combat aircraft capability in the future, it is probably not a completely stupid idea that more countries are involved – more countries that buy Gripen planes and more countries that are involved in developing Gripen planes. Ukraine probably has Europe's most modern military power at the current stage. Welcoming them into the Gripen family would be an enormous addition – economically, absolutely, but not least in terms of security.

Mr. Speaker! As I have said, I am extremely pleased that we can place this matter on the Riksdag's table. I move for approval of the committee's proposal.

I would also like to take the opportunity to wish the Speaker's Presidium, the committee members, the committee's secretariat and also everyone else, in that regard, a very happy Midsummer soon.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Martin Ådahl (C)

Mr. Speaker! This is an extra supplementary budget that contains many very important things. But let me start with what is nevertheless most important: our support for Ukraine in their fight to defend all of our freedom. It is absolutely excellent that we can finally, after so many years of pleading from Ukraine and so many hopes from us in the opposition, deliver Jas 39 Gripen to Ukraine. It is a plane that they need and that the Russians fear, and a plane that is actually made for their conflict and that we are proud to be able to produce for them.

We still believe from the Center Party's side that the support for Ukraine must increase even more. It is fantastic that it is increasing as much as it is now, but it should increase even more. It is because it is now that much is decided for us and our future and security, but also when it comes to the freedom for so many people in Ukraine, who defend us every day.

Since then, there is a great deal of seriousness associated with such an extra supplementary budget, which comes after the Finance Minister said that the money was exhausted. That seriousness is rooted in the difficult economic situation we find ourselves in. It is an economically very tough situation for our Swedish households and families, after so many years of what is called a recession but which is also a kind of "Tidötillstånd" in the Swedish economy, where the recovery never comes and we have no real measures to get entrepreneurship and job creation started. Instead, it is to be one temporary measure after another all the time. Not least, unemployment is rising, despite what the government says, and lies at levels just under 10 percent, even if the so-called calendar-corrected levels are lower.

At the same time as we say yes to this extra supplementary budget, we are well aware that this is the economy's equivalent of a plaster and aspirin for a broken leg. It is temporary – only temporary, as almost everything in this government's policy has been. It expires in November or December during an election year. At best, it runs until the spring budget, some way into next year. At the same time, we have deep and long-term problems that are not being addressed, such as unemployment, the weak economy, and the great fossil fuel dependency.

Sweden, which produces the world's best environmental cars, sells the lowest share of environmental cars in all of the Nordics. It is only half as much as in Denmark. How can that be?

Of course we support this temporary rescue action. People must, as it is now, come to work, by public transport or by car, in the large parts of the country that do not have public transport. Our Swedish farmers, who are affected by this terrible cost crisis, must get help here and now, even though they actually prefer to have long-term profitability.

From the Center Party's side, we think it is genuinely strange, when you have half a million unemployed and Europe's third highest unemployment – it is 100,000 more during this period, and it is very many young and new groups such as academics who are affected – that to this day since the crisis began you have only spent 65 kronor on job creation and opportunities for companies to hire more. We think that something completely fundamental is missing here.

A job boost is needed, especially for Swedish small businesses, where it should be easier and cheaper for them to hire, so that they can break down the very high unemployment we have in the country. They should be given the chance to do their jobs and hire more.

We will stick to this. We will not turn a blind eye to unemployment. We will stand for it, as we always have. We have always lowered unemployment when we have been in charge.

I also want to say something in this situation regarding the situation concerning breaking the fossil dependency. The small bonus that has been given today to approximately 5,000 people in Sweden is not enough. For example, our neighboring country Denmark has a system that reaches 126,000 people.

We must have a way so that ordinary Swedish households get the chance to break the fossil dependency, as in our neighboring countries. They tell us politicians that they cannot afford to switch right now. It should be so cheap that one might perhaps even be able to get a used hybrid car for 50,000 kronor or that one can lease for 1,500 kronor a month. That type of bonus for newer used environmentally friendly cars that others have succeeded in introducing must also reach Sweden, also to save our fine car producers.

In the same way, we must have bonuses for our truck companies, so that they can do their job and have a strong Swedish domestic market, which they do not have today. They are extremely worried. This applies to both those who manufacture the cars and the households that today are so extremely dependent on the Strait of Hormuz, Trump and the war in the Middle East.

In the same way, it is for Sweden's farmers. Listen to them! They say thank you to the government. They have demanded to receive this crisis support. But they say: Listen to us. In order for us to be able to have good Swedish food prices and a high Swedish self-sufficiency rate when it comes to food – it is far too low today – we must have real conditions. Lighten our burden! Make the proposal on agricultural deductions, which has lain on the government's desk for a long time, a reality, so that one can be profitable in Swedish agriculture!

Finally, I would like to say – in addition to this with the jobs, the great fossil dependency and everything that is missing in the temporary emergency solution that the extra amendment budget is – that we must start taking responsibility for Sweden's economy. The public finances now show a deficit of 373 billion, rolling over twelve months. The curve in the state finances points straight downwards.

This is what this government is leaving behind. It ended up being as bad as one could have expected. Yes, we have very strong public finances, but it is previous generations of governments and politicians who have achieved that. Now, all of this is being thrown away on short-term election pork and temporary solutions.

In order for us to be truly strong, we need to be genuinely strong in our support for Ukraine. But we must also have a strong economy – not a government that just solves everything temporarily for households and says: Forget about it now! It will work itself out! Just give us a new mandate, and it will be fine! The government is spending hundreds of billions to make everyone happy without solving the underlying problems.

We need a long-term policy for jobs, for the climate, for welfare across the whole country and for Swedish food security. We need long-termism. We need a real economic policy!

I would like to thank the Speaker, the Speaker's Presidium, our fantastic secretariat and all colleagues in the Committee on Finance.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Hans Eklind (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Having world-class public finances undeniably has its advantages. Sweden can act and is acting as we now go through the biggest energy crisis in history, to quote Fatih Birol, who leads the International Energy Agency IEA.

The war in Iran in combination with Russia's war in Ukraine means, according to the IEA, that the crisis we are now going through is worse than anything the world has previously experienced. To meet the energy crisis and protect citizens and companies, the government has therefore presented a proposal for measures that we are now debating and will make decisions on shortly. It is an extra supplementary budget of 17.3 billion kronor.

It is about us making a further temporary reduction of the tax on fuels, we halve the cost for commuters and we provide support to agriculture, fishing and aviation.

Mr. Speaker! We all know that higher energy and fuel prices inevitably hit household wallets and reduce household purchasing power while simultaneously increasing companies' costs. It is anything but a successful combination if one, like us, wants the Swedish economy to maintain its pace and increase it.

For Sweden, the lack of fuel is not the great risk, but rather it is higher prices. This is because we have our own refining capacity. The oil we use is preferably from the North Sea.

That we are now temporarily lowering the cost of a liter of gasoline and a liter of diesel by 3 kronor has significant importance for all those Swedes who are dependent on the car to manage their everyday lives. Sometimes it seems as if we cannot take this into account – that the car is absolutely crucial in order to be able to live and operate around the country. Parallel to lowering the fuel costs for those who use the car, we ensure that with the extra amendment budget, we support those households who can and want to travel by public transport.

Mr. Speaker! Swedish farmers are also affected by the war in the Middle East. It is driving up the costs for energy and other inputs needed in Swedish primary production. We see how the prices for natural gas, fuels, and fertilizer have risen. Therefore, the government is now presenting a support package for Swedish agriculture – not 500 million but 1.6 billion kronor, and it is done to reduce the consequences for Swedish food production and to limit the risk of increased food prices.

A support package such as this reduces cost pressure, maintains production, and strengthens the food supply in a strained situation.

Mr. Speaker! In the extra supplementary budget, there are also many important decisions regarding authorizing the government to donate up to 16 Jas 39 Gripen, with advanced ammunition, to Ukraine, but also regarding entering into agreements to sell new Gripen aircraft.

Mr. Speaker! In conclusion: I must state that there are those within the opposition who do not shy away from calling the extra supplementary budget "election pork." That does not say much about the extra supplementary budget itself. It says even more about the bitterness and the reluctance that exists when it comes to it going well for Sweden and that the citizens should be doing well financially in our country.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I do not believe there is a single country that is not trying to take measures based on the situation we have across the world. One wants to protect one's citizens and one's companies – it is completely logical – when one goes through the worst energy crisis ever. If one calls this pork barrel, it perhaps testifies to a lack of understanding of the turbulent times we live in, or that one actually does not know how ordinary people are affected when energy prices are not countered.

I vote in favor of the committee's proposal for a decision.

I also naturally want to use my last opportunity in the speaker's chair to wish everyone a happy Midsummer. I want to wish the Deputy Speaker and the Speaker's Presidium and everyone who works to ensure we have a good chamber. We are also ahead of schedule now. Furthermore, we have fantastic staff in the Finance Committee. And I actually think we have been very skilled and pleasant towards each other in the Finance Committee, even though we have had different opinions. I wish you all a happy Midsummer. I believe many of us are going to Örnsköldsvik next week. We will see each other there. Then I, just like Edward Riedl, wish you all a moderate amount of good luck during the election campaign.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Anders Ekegren (L)

Mr. Speaker! Today we have an unusual matter to take a stand on – an extra supplementary budget. The reason for this is the external events – the war in Ukraine and the war in the Middle East – which are changing the conditions for private individuals and companies in Sweden, especially within the agricultural sector.

Two weeks ago, I participated in the Defense Committee's debate on Ukraine. The debate in the chamber showed that support for Ukraine is massive in Sweden's Riksdag. It is important. Sweden and the other Nordic countries and the Baltic countries are large per capita contributors to Ukraine and reliable allies. It is therefore pleasing that Sweden's government makes the assessment that Sweden can now forgo 16 Jas 39 Gripen to Ukraine. They are in great need of strengthening their air defense, and the planes will make a big difference.

Supporting Ukraine is one of Sweden's most important international commitments. Ukraine is fighting not only for its own country but also for Sweden's and Europe's freedom.

Mr. Speaker! Trump's war in the Middle East seems to end in a fiasco for the USA, where Iran emerges as the winner and not the USA. This shows how difficult it is to win a war that one starts. And for the Iranian people, it has not become any better. The regime change, which was promised, has not been carried out.

The war has, however, had negative consequences for the rest of the world through reduced trade, higher oil prices, higher transport prices and, not least, a psychological anxiety which means that companies and private individuals are hesitant to invest.

The latter leads to the fact that the economy does not really pick up.

Those who have been affected, among others, are agriculture and commercial fishing, which have incurred increased costs due to the war in the Middle East. The price of natural gas, fertilizer, and fuel has risen sharply, and it hits these industries hard. Households are also affected by the rising prices, even though interest rates have gone down and inflation is being kept in check.

That is why the government proposes several measures. This means that the government allocates funds to the main bodies of public transport to halve the costs for those who travel by public transport – to strengthen consumers but also to increase travel within public transport. It is a measure that the Liberals have had pushed through in the negotiations with the other Tidö parties.

For five months, the government will further lower the tax on gasoline and diesel by 3 kronor.

Furthermore, the government will cover the airports' costs for security checks and secure the regions' airborne medical transports. Sometimes, when one hears the debates here, one thinks that all members of Parliament live in Söder. But Sweden is an elongated country that also needs aviation.

Overall, it is a range of measures that the government is taking to combat Russia's aggression against Ukraine and mitigate the effects of the war in the Middle East. They are measures that are timely.

I normally serve in the Committee on Taxation and jump into the Committee on Finance from time to time. I have attended only a few meetings, but I would still like to thank you for very good cooperation and pleasant meetings. I want to extend a big thank you to Edward, who I think leads the meetings very pleasantly. Just like the Committee on Taxation, the Committee on Finance has very competent and skilled staff. It is staff who must have broad knowledge in economic subjects. I also, of course, thank the speakers and the Chamber Office. I must say that there are few places where one feels that they are treated so incredibly well as one does within the different parts of the Riksdag. I also want to take the opportunity to give a small accolade to the helpdesk, where we all run from time to time.

With this, I move for approval of the committee's proposal in the report.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Jan Ericson (M)

Mr. Speaker! First, I would like to express my approval of the committee's proposal in the report. Just as previous speakers have done, I want to remind of this: When a crisis occurs during an election year, decisions to counter the crisis are not electioneering. It is actually a way to take responsibility for the Swedish people and for Sweden. New crises may arise closer to the election, and in that case, we will take new initiatives then.

Mr. Speaker! The brutal and unworthy war that Russia started against Ukraine has hung like a dark shadow over everything else during this parliamentary term. The Swedish people and the Swedish Riksdag have been clear. We support Ukraine, and we strongly distance ourselves from the behavior of the Russian terror regime.

Many parliamentary committees have been involved in the various forms of support to Ukraine, not least the Finance Committee, where I have had the honor of being involved in deciding on all proposals from 2022 onwards.

That the Swedish Riksdag is united in its support for Ukraine is a great strength, and that we can be that during an election year is an even greater strength. I am pleased with today's upcoming unanimous parliamentary decision on further support for Ukraine, this time in the form of the world's best fighter jets, the Gripen, which will save many Ukrainian lives.

In my role as vice-chairman of the Riksdag's Ukraine Network, I have been involved in a large number of different activities and demonstrations during this parliamentary term. I have also made new friends among Ukrainians in Sweden and learned a great deal about Ukraine. I believe that the bonds we are currently building between Sweden and Ukraine will be valuable for both countries, not least on the day when the war is over. All well-educated and pleasant Ukrainians in Sweden are a great asset for Sweden that we must not let slip away.

Mr. Speaker! I also intend, here in my probably final speech as a Member of Parliament in this chamber, to make some completely different reflections. After 20 years as a Member of Parliament, I have chosen not to run for candidacy once again. It is therefore time to summarize the experiences in the Swedish Parliament – but I do not intend to do that today but in another way, because otherwise you won't make it home for Midsummer. I do, however, want to make a few brief remarks.

Firstly: It is a great honor to be one of 349 elected members of the Riksdag. It is actually the finest assignment one can have, I think. It is something that we all members should stop and think about sometimes. With the honor of being elected comes also a responsibility to represent the voters, safeguard the taxpayers' money, and prioritize what is most important in politics.

Secondly: the friendship and respect between the members. I am immensely impressed by the good tone that normally prevails and the respect and kindness that the members often show one another. It heats up now as we approach an election, but seen over an entire parliamentary term, it is still the positive that outweighs. I have myself made many good friends in all parties, and a number of these I will want to continue to have personal contact with.

For the third point: professionalism. I am impressed by the members' skill in the debate and their ability to advance their political views. I am equally impressed by the civil servants in the Riksdag, both my own at the Moderate parliamentary office and the committee offices' fantastic staff – all chamber officials and the Speaker's staff not to be forgotten. I have personally had the honor of serving a number of times as age president, and without the officials in the chamber, it would have been completely impossible.

In other respects, the Riksdag would never function without all the other staff who manage the buildings, communication, service, and security, and ensure that we have it tidy in our cultural buildings. The entire Riksdag breathes competence and professionalism at all levels, and that is something I will take with me when I leave my mandate in the Riksdag.

For the fourth: the well-oiled machinery. The Riksdag is truly a political workshop with routines and delivery of policy in a steady stream – always deliberate, efficient and transparent. When there is a hurry, we can act quickly, which we in the Committee on Finance have experienced a number of times, whether it concerned pandemic support during the previous parliamentary term or support for Ukraine this parliamentary term.

Mr. Speaker! With these words, I want to thank from the bottom of my heart my voters back home in Mark, Borås, and Sjuhärad, who five times in a row gave me the confidence to be a member of the Swedish Riksdag. I also want to thank all my colleagues in various committees and all the staff in the Riksdag for 20 fantastically interesting and educational years. Hopefully, I have made some marks in Swedish politics and contributed to making Sweden a little better, but now I am soon checking out and handing over the baton to others.

Members of Parliament come and go, but democracy and the Swedish Riksdag remain. Thank you!

(Applause)

In this speech, Gustaf Göthberg, Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström and Ulrik Nilsson (all M) as well as Dennis Dioukarev (SD) concurred.

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(Decisions were made under § 18.)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)