Question Time

TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions today will be answered by Minister Erik Slottner, Minister for Finance Elisabeth Svantesson, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard.

A question must be of an overarching and general political nature or concern a subject that falls within the Minister's area of responsibility and relates to his performance of duties. The question shall therefore not concern, for example, conditions within political parties. Minister Erik Slottner answers both general political questions and questions within his own area of responsibility.

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Olle Thorell (S)

Mr. Speaker! In this Riksdag, we stand united in support of Ukraine. Their fight for democracy and freedom is also our struggle.

Question Time

We also completely agree that the transatlantic link is crucial for Europe's security, but now the situation is shaky, to say the least. Firm Trump, Vance & Musk come out daily with new horrible statements and announcements.

The German election on Sunday is crucial for Europe's stability, and in this current global situation, we are now seeing attempts from actors outside of Germany to influence German politics. Elon Musk openly supports the far-right AFD and writes that only AFD can save Germany. US Vice President JD Vance did not only give a speech in Munich but also met with the AFD's party leaders – but not Federal Chancellor Scholz.

The firewall against the far-right forces is being questioned, which is an extremely worrying development. What does the Foreign Minister think about this? What is the government doing to protect our democracy against such attempts at influence?

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! There were, so to speak, quite a few ingredients in that question.

To begin with, I want to be very clear that we are in a very serious situation. It is important that Europe continues to stand united in the way we have since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and it is important that we also have a plan forward together now that we see things moving faster and faster.

When I was at the security conference in Munich, I spoke with, among others, Annalena Baerbock about the fact that Vance had met with the leaders of AfD. She stated then that he had met representatives from all parties. So that is how I perceived it from her.

Generally, I can say that as a person in power, whether one is a political leader or a leader within, for example, the business sector, one should probably be quite cautious about commenting on the domestic policy of other countries. I have also said this in several contexts.

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Olle Thorell (S)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the answer.

When it comes to Ukraine, it now looks as if the USA is about to leave the country high and dry. When the American president himself spreads Russian narratives and when the great powers seem to want to settle scores over the heads of small countries – when freedom and democracy in Europe are truly at stake – it is most important that Sweden and like-minded countries unite and stand strong against this. I want to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs what the government intends to do to mobilize and strengthen support for Ukraine within Europe.

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! I am in complete agreement with Olle Thorell. I am incredibly proud and happy about the total mobilization behind Ukraine that exists in this chamber and which was also demonstrated by the fact that the largest military support package ever was adopted in total unity. It is a massive show of strength, and it was needed in these times.

We now see as our primary task to try to persuade more countries to deliver support. It is needed here and now. It is also about realizing the frozen assets that have been seized in order to be able to support here and now.

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Rasmus Giertz (SD)

Mr. Speaker! At the security conference in Munich, the Vice President of the USA delivered a speech in which neither Ukraine nor Russia were mentioned. In the speech, instead, the lack of democracy in Europe was pointed out as a greater threat than foreign powers. This was a clear breach of the previous consensus that has existed between the USA and Europe regarding fundamental security principles.

This has also been manifested in action as the USA has had and still has extensive amounts of military forces in Europe. The change we see now may have very extensive consequences in the future, especially as we see Russian aggression escalate. This is not happening only in Ukraine, but also in our immediate vicinity, a Russian aggression that has been ongoing for a number of years and is being stepped up. The development is serious and clearly heading in the wrong direction.

Under these circumstances, it is becoming increasingly important that we in Sweden strive to re-establish the unity between the democracies with whom we share basic values. How does the Minister for Foreign Affairs view the criticism from the USA, and what is the government doing within the framework of the international forums to ensure the cohesion between Europe and the USA?

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! There was a lot to answer in just one minute, but I will try.

I agree that cohesion is incredibly important, and as I said in a previous post, it is here and now that we need to increase the support for Ukraine.

One can comment on JD Vance's speech in Munich, but actually, I just want to state that it had a completely different focus than what the gathered audience expected. We wanted an announcement on the United States' collective position on how they want to move the talks between Ukraine and Russia forward, which it has been claimed that they want to do, but instead received a completely different speech.

The speech was therefore received with great surprise – and some shock, one might say – but we are now uniting Europe. We have had a great unity since the full-scale invasion. Now we must ensure that we put even greater pressure on Russia but also increase the support for Ukraine. We must also do what the USA says we must do, that is to say, invest more in our own military capability. It is high time, and we in Sweden are doing our homework.

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Rasmus Giertz (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the answer, Minister for Foreign Affairs!

The Sweden Democrats' self-evident starting point is that Russia is the aggressive party in the war in Ukraine. They have started an illegal and unprovoked war of aggression which has now been ongoing for a total of almost three years. This underscores the importance of the rest of the world standing strong and united against Russia in all areas, not least the areas that affect Russia's rearmament. A possible future peace settlement must not mean that Russia is given the opportunity to rearm to prepare for wars of aggression in the future.

What measures is the Minister for Foreign Affairs taking to secure as much international support as possible for Ukraine ahead of a future peace settlement?

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! It is absolutely correct – Ukraine must be in a position where it is so strong in the negotiations that it can say no to bad proposals. That is why we have presented the largest military support package ever, and just as I said, it is a strength that there is a unity behind it in Sweden's Riksdag. But it is also why I see it as one of my and the government's most important tasks to reach out to partners all over the world to stress the seriousness and show that it is now the moment the battle stands for the future of Europe and Ukraine.

(Applause)

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Håkan Svenneling (V)

Mr. Speaker! Last week we heard the Foreign Minister's foreign policy declaration in this Riksdag. Not even once did she mention Donald Trump in her declaration.

Yesterday we heard the Prime Minister at his press conference. Not a single time did he point out Donald Trump as responsible. Not a single time did he also manage to utter Trump's name.

Mr. Speaker! We find ourselves in the most serious security policy situation in a very long time. The US President lies daily, especially about Ukraine. At the same time, he is obviously doing Putin's bidding. They are two authoritarian leaders who obviously like each other in some slightly strange way.

I wonder why this government does not speak out against Donald Trump and clearly mark its position against him when he lies and when he talks shit about Sweden. We must have a clarity against him in a completely different way than what can be seen from this government.

(TALMANNEN: I remind you of the importance of using a respectful language in the chamber.)

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! I honestly do not quite know what Håkan Svenneling means. The Prime Minister was crystal clear at the press conference yesterday that Trump's statement that Zelenskyy would be a dictator was incorrect.

This government is very clear. We focus on getting things done. We also focus on what the USA actually does. So far, I am very pleased that the USA continues to put a lot of hard pressure on Russia with tough sanctions. The USA is also the single largest provider of support to Ukraine, and we want them to continue to be that. Therefore, it is important that we step forward and show that we are prepared to defend Ukraine's and Europe's future.

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Håkan Svenneling (V)

Mr. Speaker! We are now seeing in real time how the transatlantic link is collapsing. It has gone from being just a link to instead becoming a leash that Donald Trump can pull to steer Europe. We cannot allow that.

Europe must now have its own strategy and support Ukraine against the Russian regime, distance itself from Trump's lies, and create security together with like-minded democracies in the surrounding area. So we must stand up when the American president becomes increasingly authoritarian.

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! I did not perceive any question. I do, however, want to say that the transatlantic link continues to be extremely important. It is also important to do what the USA has criticized us for not having done, that is to say, to invest more in our own security in Europe. We must show that Europe's future is important and that we are prepared to invest in its defense.

At the same time, we must continue to nurture the relationship with the USA, which is valuable to us for very many different reasons. This is not least about building economic prosperity, which in turn is a prerequisite for us to be able to have a strong defense.

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Daniel Bäckström (C)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to ask a question to Sweden's Minister for Defence.

Donald Trump has now been president for a month. We have taken note of many different events and statements. Together with his staff, he has conveyed very clearly that a completely new world order prevails. The conditions for our joint work ahead are very uncertain. We find ourselves, together with the rest of Europe, in a particularly serious security situation.

The other day we took part in Swedish intelligence reports from 2024. We have also taken part in Danish reports. It is noted that more countries could be subjected to an armed attack if support is withheld, and that a large-scale war could break out in Europe within five years. This means that the defense decision needs to be updated.

How does the Minister for Defence and the government intend to handle this extremely serious security situation?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Daniel Bäckström for the question.

Sweden is now focusing extra much on two things. One is to provide maximum support to Ukraine, so that Ukraine can negotiate from a position of strength. The other is that we must prepare ourselves for a time when Europe takes greater responsibility for its own security. It will mean increased rearmament.

With the defense decision we have adopted, we have doubled the defense budget over four years. Sweden belongs to those allies who have increased the most. Ever since the government presented the bill, however, I have said that the defense decision may need to be adjusted because there is war in Europe. We also know that there will be military capability targets within Nato that we will need to live up to.

Just like the other allies from Europe, we need to take greater responsibility for our own security, so that we have the capacity for strong deterrence and defense against a Russia that has repeatedly shown itself to take great political and military risks.

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Daniel Bäckström (C)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for Defence for the answer.

One scenario is that the USA does not support Ukraine and that resources are taken away from Europe, and that developments point towards war within a couple of years. In that case, time is very short, so to speak, as is the opportunity to achieve concrete results in relation to our defense planning. It is extremely urgent to know how the government intends to handle the near term and when we will reach sufficient defense capability to be able to stand up in an armed conflict.

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! We are adding a lot of money in a short time in an international comparison – actually more per capita than all other countries except Estonia and Poland. It is also a matter of ensuring that we get a return on these funds. We have a project concerning barriers to growth. It may be necessary to review the permit process for training activities. It could also be about faster procurement and about measures that increase the efficiency in the growth of defense expenditures.

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Jan Riise (MP)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Slottner.

It has now been nearly three months since the AI Commission presented its report Roadmap for Sweden with great enthusiasm and optimism and a large number of proposals. Since then, developments in the USA, in the EU, and apparently also in China have moved forward – and partly backward – in great strides in many different areas. We have, among other things, received the first parts of the EU's AI Act to implement, as well as guidelines for the use of AI in the public sector.

Last week, French President Macron hosted an AI summit with heads of state, researchers, opinion leaders, and others. Sweden's Prime Minister participated and spoke, among other things, about Swedish innovative power. He also signed, together with about sixty other countries, a statement on AI that is inclusive and sustainable for people and the planet.

Overall, it looks very good, but the question remains: What is the government actually doing? What investments and initiatives can we see in the near term, and how will the AI commission's proposals be taken forward?

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Statsrådet Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the member for the question about what the government is actually doing regarding AI.

The government is doing a great deal. I want to say that I believe it is dangerous to see AI as an isolated satellite that is independent from other digitalization. For AI to be able to be implemented, we need competence in society. People need to be able to use these products both in private life and in working life. We need to have a 5G expansion and 5G coverage that supports product development. We also need to make the public sector ready for AI use – hence the guidelines from the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection and the Agency for Digital Government – so that one can create ethical and legal security in the public sector for developing AI.

The AI Act shall be implemented, and for this, we now have an ongoing investigation. A number of the AI Commission's proposals have already been implemented, not least by reason of the research and innovation bill. More will also come in the future.

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Jan Riise (MP)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for the answers. He mentioned some of what I intended to bring up here.

The AI Commission submitted very many proposals. Others point to risks that need to be discussed, for example those concerning privacy and issues regarding GDPR. These are issues that are close to my party. Miljöpartiet welcomes technological development but would like to see a focus also on risks and things that we need to take care of.

My question can be summarized as follows: What is it that will be able to be presented next from the government's side?

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Statsrådet Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I have to be a bit tedious and say: We shall see. I also have the Minister for Finance next to me, so I do not dare to promise too much on my own.

Among these 75 proposals, there are things that cost money. These must be processed in budget preparations. Some proposals require further investigation, and investigations therefore need to be commissioned.

We can give assignments to authorities on the basis of certain proposals. We have already given some assignments, and some are addressed in the research and innovation bill.

It would surprise me if no more initiatives come. Rather, more initiatives will come, and they are presented when they are presented.

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Margareta Cederfelt (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard.

We know that these are restless times. We know that Ukraine is vulnerable. We also know that Sweden stands united behind Ukraine. Many rumors are circulating now, but it is important that more countries stand united behind Ukraine.

In view of this, I would like to receive more information regarding which contacts and in what way the Minister for Foreign Affairs is working to ensure that Ukraine receives the support it needs to not be left out of the negotiations that are ongoing and to be able to emerge victorious from the war.

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Margareta Cederfelt for the question.

Alongside ensuring that we mobilize as much support as we possibly can for Ukraine, one of the government's most important tasks in this difficult situation is also to reach out to partners in Europe and the rest of the world to make them understand how important it is to support here and now.

We are conducting an intensive dialogue in Europe. When I was at the security conference in Munich, I had several bilateral talks with representatives from both Ukraine and the USA. In all talks with the USA, and also in the talk I had with Foreign Minister Rubio last week, I have, of course, emphasized the importance of nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine and the importance of Europe also being part of the process.

Margareta Cederfelt can therefore be sure that we in the government are doing everything we can in this area.

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Margareta Cederfelt (M)

Mr. Speaker! How is the Minister for Foreign Affairs working to continue on this line and truly ensure that nothing happens without Ukraine, that Ukraine and the rest of Europe are on board, and that we achieve a lasting peace where Ukraine is involved?

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! In addition to what I mentioned in my previous answer, it is important to ensure that Ukraine is in such a position that one can say no in a potential negotiation. It is absolutely crucial for both Ukraine and the rest of Europe that Russia cannot walk away from the negotiating table with what is perceived as a victory, to then sell it to its own population, gather new strength and attack Ukraine again or another country.

We have a huge task in persuading everyone involved in this, not least the USA, how important it is for all of us that the peace becomes just and long-term.

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Magnus Jacobsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I have had the privilege of driving ambulances, fire trucks, and trucks to cities such as Kharkiv, Kramatorsk, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia. During these journeys, I have seen on the spot what the Russians are doing and the devastation that the Russian army is inflicting, above all on the civilian population. For example, one can first attack a residence and then attack the rescue service when it arrives. These are horrific events unfolding.

Based on my commitment, I have listened to President Donald Trump's statements, and I must admit that I am deeply concerned about what he says. I condemn in the strongest terms that he accuses a democratically elected president of being a dictator.

How does the Minister for Defence view the security policy situation that has arisen now when the USA unfortunately seems to be withdrawing?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Magnus Jacobsson, for your personal efforts to strengthen Ukraine! I know that such a strong commitment also means a lot to the Ukrainian people.

It is obvious that we will need to prepare for a time when Europe takes greater responsibility for its own security. This is partly also due to the fact that the USA will look even further east, likely linked to the Indo-Pacific region and to China.

Just as with the support for Ukraine, it looks very different in Europe how much one invests. Those who invest the most are Poland and the Baltic states and then the Nordics. But there is more to be done in the southern flank when it comes to increasing defense investments, and that is what we point out.

It is exactly as has been said regarding the support for Ukraine. It is the northern flank in Europe that supports Ukraine the most. But now it is a matter of other countries in Europe also contributing to Ukraine based on their respective economies and defense forces so that we get a massive support for Ukraine.

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Magnus Jacobsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! During my travels, I have also spoken with Ukrainian soldiers and also with Swedes who serve under the Ukrainian flag. As I have perceived it, there is a difference in the handling of those who fought under the Finnish flag and those who fight under the Ukrainian flag. Some do not come home because they have fallen, others are injured, and some come home with PTSD.

How do we intend to work so that those who come home are counted as veterans and thus can receive the support they need?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! There are a number of parts to this. Among other things, we support the rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers. Sweden is among the countries in Europe that have rehabilitated the most Ukrainian soldiers, and I have personally met several of them. In December, a veteran strategy was also adopted so that those who have been out can receive good support. It is possible that we can also look at these issues linked to Swedes who have been abroad, because the basic principle is that all veterans should receive good treatment when they return to Sweden.

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Eva Lindh (S)

Mr. Speaker! Many feel great concern about what is happening in the world. At the same time, many feel great concern about their everyday lives here and now. It is important that we take this concern seriously if we want a society that holds together. Unemployment continues to increase and is now the highest in ten years. Food prices have increased 25 percent in three years, and they surged in January with the largest increase in two years. The rents for those of us who live in rented apartments continue to go up, and almost every third family with children needed to borrow money to get through Christmas and New Year.

The SD-led government has prioritized those who already have, and it has not made the efforts needed for the households that are having it particularly tough. Therefore, I wonder if the Minister for Finance has anything new to offer for all those who struggle at work but cannot make their finances balance.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Eva Lindh for a very important question.

Sweden is being pressured in various ways. Many Swedish households are also being pressured because inflation has been high and prices are still high and, to some extent, continue to rise.

One must however know that in these times of great concern, Sweden stands on an enormously stable foundation both economically, with strong public finances, and politically. In politics, we agree on many things, and Sweden has a government that passes budgets with a majority.

In the recent budgets, the government has focused on helping households. It is about lower taxes on work, fuel, and savings, and about electricity support. We have done a lot to support exactly the households. Lowering the tax, which we have now done for several years in a row, is important so that people can keep more.

Eva Lindh can feel secure that we will continue to strengthen households.

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Jessica Stegrud (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson.

We Sweden Democrats are convinced that new nuclear power is a prerequisite for getting the electricity market in order again. Here we agree with the sitting government, and in the cooperation, the legal hurdles that have existed have also been cleared away. A potential financing model has also been developed. The goal is that two new, large-scale reactors shall be ready by 2035, and the Prime Minister has expressed that a first step can gladly be taken already during this mandate period.

This week, Vattenfall has communicated that decisions on investments may be delayed until 2030. We Sverigedemokrater have already previously harbored certain doubts regarding Vattenfall's management regarding competence and focus in the matter. Does the Minister for Finance have confidence in the management's competence and focus in this matter? If not, what measures does the Minister for Finance intend to take in the matter?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Just as Jessica Stegrud says, we agree that Sweden needs more nuclear power. Sweden is a nuclear power country and shall continue to be one.

I think the member is overinterpreting what Vattenfall says. Building new nuclear power is an extensive process, which Jessica Stegrud knows. It involves a number of important decisions, and several of these have already been taken, such as canceling nature reserves around Ringhals and purchasing more land. Vattenfall is also evaluating different suppliers. But there are also decisions that lie ahead of us. This involves, for example, choosing a supplier, something the company is working on. When our risk-sharing model is ready, an application will be submitted. There are, therefore, several steps that need to be taken.

Both our ambition and our goal are crystal clear. What we have said and agreed upon, we shall carry out. That is what we all want, and I mean that it will also be so.

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Ilona Szatmári Waldau (V)

Mr. Speaker! Currently, an investigation is being conducted into an increase of the high-cost protection for medicines because costs have increased. The increase involves both a higher ceiling and an increased cost up to the ceiling.

Already today, many do not collect their medicine because they cannot afford it. People are forced to choose between food, rent, and medicine. If the government's proposal goes through, more will be forced to forgo their medical treatment.

The government is pursuing a policy that favors high-income earners and drives up costs for low-income earners, who are also those who are hit hardest by, for example, rising food prices.

At the turn of the year, the Finance Minister and other high-income earners received a substantial tax cut. Why does this government, the Finance Minister, prioritize tax cuts for themselves over, for example, increasing the subsidy in the high-cost protection? Does the government believe that sick and poor pensioners should be able to afford medicine?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! The short answer is yes. It is absolutely self-evident that in our country, with both high welfare ambitions and a good welfare system, one should naturally be able to collect one's medicines.

We see a rising price increase regarding the costs for the development of various medicines. It is fantastic! We can live longer because new medicines are coming.

We think there is a point to a somewhat larger portion being taken from the patient. This is not finished yet, but it will of course be the case that those who have it toughest or have chronic diseases will not be affected in the same way. There will be some increase per month, which means that one has to bear a somewhat larger responsibility for the enormously large cost that medicines entail, in times when one needs to prioritize.

Why are we lowering the tax for all wage earners for two years in a row? It is so that people get increased purchasing power, and in the long run, the economy must grow. It does so with Moderate-led policy, but perhaps not with the Left's policy.

(Applause)

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Anne-Li Sjölund (C)

Mr. Speaker! The Government speaks of the importance of state presence throughout the country. But right now, we see the opposite. State jobs are being centralized. Every fourth service office is planned to be closed. The Folke Bernadotte Academy and Sida's training center are being moved from Västernorrland to Stockholm.

When state workplaces disappear, the entire society is affected. Families may be forced to move, and companies and schools lose their basis. It becomes harder to attract new competence. At the same time, we know that decentralization strengthens the whole of Sweden. When state jobs are placed throughout the country, opportunities are created, and more localities get to grow.

My questions are directed to Minister Erik Slottner. How does the government justify these decisions on centralization? What measures is the government taking to decentralize so that more state jobs end up in the Swedish countryside?

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Statsrådet Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question.

There is no overall plan from the government's side to centralize state jobs or to move state jobs to Stockholm. Then, from time to time, there may be arguments that individual agencies or workplaces need to change locations, but in that case, one must ask the responsible minister. I assume it is part of Sida's activities that is referred to here – about thirty jobs. The question must be asked to that specific minister as to why it has been necessary.

State presence is very important. Right now, the state is expanding in the form of increased resources to both the judiciary and the military, which will have a very large effect all around Sweden with an increased state presence in many places. This is important for all of Sweden to live. If one is to be able to live and operate in all of Sweden, the state must be present in all of Sweden, and it does so all the time.

(Applause)

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Rebecka Le Moine (MP)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and it concerns the global ocean agreement. It is about a global ocean agreement that would mean a great gain for both the climate and marine biodiversity. Here, Sweden's governments, including the current government, have previously pushed for the agreement and promised that Sweden, together with the EU and its member states, will work to quickly ratify the agreement so that it can enter into force as soon as possible.

So far, 17 countries have ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and more countries are in the process before the next meeting takes place in June – including all Nordic neighboring countries, but for some reason not yet Sweden. Will Sweden be the only Nordic country that has not ratified the convention on the law of the sea by the UN meeting in June?

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Rebecka Le Moine for an important question.

This is, just as before, still a very high priority for the government. I can assure Rebecka Le Moine that we are working very intensively on the agreement and will take our responsibility. We look forward very much to the important discussions that will be held at the meeting in Nice.

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Oliver Rosengren (M)

Mr. Speaker! The work line can be the campfire that holds Sweden together and ensures that all people get to contribute to Sweden. Therefore, the government has lowered the tax on work for everyone who works, ensured that vocational training is strengthened with more resources, reformed the unemployment insurance, and so on.

Another important part to ensure that it always pays more to work, that all people feel in demand in society and in the economy, is that the benefit systems are strict and that clear requirements are placed on those who are without work.

What is the plan for a continued subsidy reform, and how are we to strengthen the incentives for work through the subsidy changes?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Oliver Rosengren for the question.

This is a completely central issue that has been important in Sweden for a long time. When Sweden went from being one of the world's poorest countries to being one of the world's richest countries, a part of this was that many people did their duty – what they could do to participate and contribute. That is also how we build Sweden strong and richer moving forward.

In this, there are far too many people who, for various reasons, have ended up on the outside and have been there for far too long. There is a moral question for me in this regarding not forgetting people, that they should not end up on the outside. They become something in the statistics, but not much more. And they do not get the support they need. I mean that one should have the support one needs to move forward.

The second part concerns economic incentives. For example, the government is working on a subsidy reform in three parts. It is about activity. One of the most important parts is to be active and not be passivized. Another part is a qualification, that is to say a subsidy ceiling. Together, all of this shall ensure that more people enter the labor market. That is, support, but also requirements.

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Cecilia Engström (KD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Civil Affairs Erik Slottner.

This government has emphasized the importance of streamlining our agencies and managing our common resources responsibly. Agencies should focus on their core missions rather than expanding the bureaucracy.

The Minister is driving work to increase efficiency within the state administration, but there is also a need for streamlining within welfare in municipalities and regions. There, digitalization can be an important tool to achieve better results and better resource utilization.

Some of the efficiency work involves merging agencies. But what happens to the operations of those agencies that have received decisions on mergers first in 2026?

I would therefore like to ask Minister for Civil Affairs Erik Slottner: How does the government ensure that these agencies work effectively and purposefully during the transition period? What more can we do to ensure that the agencies are made more efficient?

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Statsrådet Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the member for the question.

Through good governance, we ensure that the authorities, including those that are to be merged with other authorities, work on it and that it is business as usual through good mandates.

I naturally expect that the two agencies which are to become one from January 1, 2026, work according to the assignments they receive from the government during 2025, and then that the merger of six agencies into three in a first stage in 2026 takes place as smoothly and seamlessly as possible. That work is currently ongoing.

We will probably see further agency mergers ahead. We now have two investigations that we are looking at and continuing to work on where there are proposals for various agency mergers. It is part of the review project that the government has.

We are also reviewing the local costs, and we are reviewing the communication costs of the agencies that I am responsible for. Last year, we imposed a one percent efficiency requirement so that the agencies would become more focused on the core mission and less fragmented.

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Leif Nysmed (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Civil Affairs.

Social dumping means that municipalities ensure that municipal residents in need of municipal support measures move to another municipality. Most often, it involves well-off municipalities getting rid of residents to less well-off municipalities, which have to take over the responsibility. It is bad for society and bad for integration.

We Social Democrats, while in government, appointed an inquiry that was to propose measures to put an end to this misery. But that inquiry was shut down by the government and SD.

When we have asked questions about this during the parliamentary term, the Minister for Civil Affairs has finally admitted that social dumping is occurring and that it is a problem. Good! But now there are again empty rental apartments all over the country, and the risk of social dumping is increasing.

My question is: What is the government and the Minister for Civil Affairs doing, concretely, to stop social dumping here and now?

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Statsrådet Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question.

It is entirely correct that that specific investigation was discontinued. However, the investigator had made good progress, and I met with the investigator and took note of the proposals that have been submitted so far. All proposals actually fell outside my ministerial area – there were several proposals that fell within the area of social services.

We have taken this issue further, among other things by tasking the county administrative boards to map the occurrence of so-called social dumping.

We can also see that the reduced migration and asylum immigration to Sweden will, of course, reduce the occurrence of so-called social dumping. The legislative changes we make, for example of the EBO legislation, will also have consequences.

The municipalities must also maintain a dialogue with one another to avoid this. If one notices that people with very large social needs are suddenly arriving at one's municipality, directly placed by another municipality, a dialogue must be held about this. We know that we have achieved a good effect.

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Markus Wiechel (SD)

Mr. Speaker! In the USA, an extensive audit of government agencies has revealed how billions have been wasted on inefficient payments, faulty bureaucracy, and outright fraud.

Similar audits in other countries have also shown how taxpayers' money has been wasted. Sometimes it has been used in a way that is neither transparent nor efficient.

Nor Sweden is not exempt from waste or corruption either. There are extensive examples.

Not least after all the years with the Social Democrats in power, I wonder how the Finance Minister ensures that Swedish tax revenues are not wasted on inefficient or incorrect payments. Has the government identified any areas where the state can streamline its economy by reducing waste or bureaucratic inefficiency?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Markus Wiechel, for a very relevant question!

We have high taxes in our country, and therefore it is important to use every krona in the best way. From the very first moment, this government assigned an efficiency mandate to all agencies and departments to keep costs down. We made a saving; that was the first thing we did.

As Erik Slottner said earlier, we are now working on identifying which authorities we can merge. Furthermore, it is the case that in every budget negotiation we go through different budget items and think: Do we have to do this now?

We have shown that we can together make savings in different ways that finance other parts, and I believe it is incredibly important to continue with that. To have an efficient management that uses money in the best way is truly an important part for us.

Finally: The Disbursement Authority is a very important new agency that will co-operate and ensure that all other agencies' money is used in the right way so that no one can cheat the system. The trust-based system has unfortunately not worked, and we are now doing something about this.

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Samuel Gonzalez Westling (V)

Mr. Speaker! It has been two weeks since the brutal massacre in Örebro, where ten people were brutally murdered – parents, siblings, and children.

This is happening in the wake of an incredibly frightening climate of conversation that we are experiencing in our society. People are incredibly afraid – people who have a foreign background and belong to minorities. It is also something that the Prime Minister has expressed.

At the same time, a week ago, the government chose to appoint a new county governor in my home county of Gävleborg who has expressed racist stereotypes against people with a foreign background but also against national minorities, for example Roma and Jews.

A governor shall be a unifying force for all. My question to Erik Slottner is: How does the Minister intend for such a person to be able to carry out their mandate correctly?

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Statsrådet Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I am actually surprised by the connection being made; I must say it. To score political points by linking the most horrific mass shooting we have seen in Sweden, at least in a very long time, with a governor's appointment in Gävleborg, I think is tasteless.

I think it is a low watermark to almost in the same breath smear the newly appointed county governor in Gävleborg with opinions that could have fueled the mass shooting at a school in Örebro.

The appointment of the County Governor in Gävleborg has, naturally, proceeded as in many other cases. The appointment of County Governors looks different than for other directors-general. Political experience is often a positive quality as one is to represent and cooperate between municipality, state and region.

The Sweden Democrats have nominated the person in question. The Sweden Democrats have hitherto been without governors, and we have accepted the nomination. The experience that the governor in question has is very similar to that which very many other governors have.

(Applause)

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Martin Ådahl (C)

Mr. Speaker! My question is to the Minister for Finance.

Many here in the chamber today have expressed horror over how the US President handles Russian propaganda lies and threatens to conclude a so-called peace in Ukraine on the aggressor Putin's terms.

Therefore, there is now an immediate need to maximally strengthen Ukraine's hand so that peace does not occur on Putin's terms, but on Ukraine's terms.

My question to the Minister for Finance is whether she, as the Center Party has proposed, can consider tripling the support to Ukraine in 2025 to 75 billion kronor per year, which is 1 percent of our GDP, so that Sweden can take the lead and urge other EU countries to do the same.

Can the Minister for Finance also imagine that the EU and EU countries, in this acute situation, borrow jointly for Ukraine and for the EU's defense?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Martin Ådahl, for a very important question!

I believe that we all feel the gravity of the moment right now. It is a fateful time, when we in Sweden will need to do significantly more to support Ukraine but also to build our own defense.

It will cost money both to support Ukraine and to build defense capability. We have already had joint borrowing for support to Ukraine. That is what we have agreed upon in EU circles. Then very many, including Sweden, make large bilateral contributions.

I will not promise here and now what resources will go to defense or to Ukraine in the near future or in the years ahead. But it is completely obvious that we will need to take a greater responsibility. How it shall be done, which method one shall use, that can be returned to. But regardless of what other countries do, Sweden will stand there, strong and stable, and support Ukraine. I agree that it is urgent.

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Malte Tängmark Roos (MP)

Mr. Speaker! In an interview with Sveriges Radio Ekot on Saturday, the Minister for Foreign Affairs announced that an investigation shall be appointed which shall, among other things, investigate whether Swedes with dual citizenship shall be denied the right to assistance from Sweden, so-called consular support.

This would mean that, unlike other Swedish citizens, they would not have the right to receive help in emergency situations or to receive help with contacting relatives and authorities, and so on.

In addition to deviating from the important principle that all citizens shall be treated equally, there is an obvious risk that a withdrawn right to support for Swedes with dual citizenship would exacerbate the sense of exclusion that many Swedes with a foreign background unfortunately feel today. It would also undermine the value of dual citizenship.

My question to the Minister for Foreign Affairs is therefore why Swedes with dual citizenship should be treated differently by the Swedish state than other Swedish citizens. Does the Minister for Foreign Affairs see any risks in denying Swedes with dual citizenship the right to consular support from Sweden?

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Malte Tängmark Roos, for the question!

We are now at a stage where we will appoint an inquiry to review the entire consular regulatory framework. I mean that it is not sufficiently predictable today. Swedish citizens do not always know what applies because the legislation is not sufficiently clear.

To this, we have the fact that a disaster legislation was created after the tsunami. It has never been applied. In this context, we also want to review this, to see if the requirements are set too strictly for it to be able to be applied.

It is also about getting a reasonableness assessment into this. Is it reasonable, if there has been the strongest possible travel advice from UD for several years, that one travels to the location and can still receive full consular support? Perhaps it is not. Is it reasonable, if one has dual citizenship and travels to the other country in which one also has citizenship, that one should have the same consular support? I do not know, but I think it is reasonable that an investigator looks into this.

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Lars Beckman (M)

Mr. Speaker! I have a relevant question for Minister Slottner regarding something happening in my constituency in Gävleborg.

The police have stated that several crimes against the elderly have been reported this week. The newspaper Ljusnan writes that on Monday evening, the police were alerted that a man in Ljusdal was called by a person pretending to be from a bank. The man lost money. On Tuesday, a woman in Bollnäs was reportedly subjected to the same thing, and after that, a crime victim in Gävle.

The fraudsters seem to have targeted elderly people. Those who were victimized are 65 years and older. It is therefore not only the Social Democrats who have tried to deceive the elderly, but other fraudsters continue.

I wonder what the government is doing to stop these criminals?

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Statsrådet Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! This is a type of crime that precisely targets the most vulnerable groups and which deeply upsets, and has upset, the Swedish people. We have received accounts of how, above all, the elderly have been drained of their entire life savings by fraudsters who have deceived them via, for example, telephone calls.

The government is now implementing several measures to address this. One example is that my ministerial colleague, Minister for Financial Markets Niklas Wykman, has summoned the banking sector. They have now implemented several measures to make it more difficult for this type of crime.

I, who am responsible for digitalization issues, have tasked the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority with providing more measures regarding how we can address the occurrence of manipulated numbers, where one poses as someone other than who they are.

Already today, we are blocking 40,000 calls per day from such phone numbers. Now we want to proceed with the occurrence of fake SMS messages. We have also presented harsher penalties for crimes directed against the elderly.

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Hans Eklind (KD)

Mr. Speaker! We have probably all heard of the Draghi Report, where the former ECB chief Mario Draghi argues that Europe faces an existential challenge. He wants to see a new Marshall Plan. A brief and pointed summary is that he is correct in the analysis but partially planned-economy in the conclusion.

Even though this report contains a number of gems, the question remains: Who will foot the bill? Draghi wants to see a plan for European investments of nearly 10,000 billion kronor per year.

Sweden is already one of the EU's largest net contributors per capita. Draghi also wants to see an industrial policy that micro-manages how investments should be allocated. This is a planned economy stance that runs counter to making the EU "just right" again – that requires less greed, not more.

I would like to know a bit more. What are the Finance Minister's thoughts regarding this report?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Hans Eklind, for a very good question!

This is truly a matter of destiny for Europe. We are a wealthy continent, but we are falling behind. Now, productivity must be improved.

I am glad that many seem to be able to stand behind the problem picture, but just as the member says, some of the solutions are not where we see that the solutions should be. Now the commission, in turn, has presented a competitiveness compass. It will be discussed during the spring.

Let me say two things. Often it is the case that the best thing one can do does not cost that much money, such as regulatory simplifications. In that regard, the new commission has really gained momentum. We must make it simpler and perhaps remove some regulations that have complicated and hindered productivity.

The second part, which Draghi also writes about, is that more countries should have a capital market like Sweden's. Here, eight out of ten save in funds and stocks. This provides a return to the individual, but it also brings an enormous amount of capital to innovation and entrepreneurship. So more need to do it, and we are pushing that question hard.

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Johan Andersson (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister of Defence Pål Jonson.

Two weeks ago, the Committee on Defence was on a study trip to the USA. We visited Norfolk, among other places, and many other facilities. We met some Swedish military personnel who were stationed there, and now that we are in Nato, there will certainly be a great need for more.

A question that came up was the conditions, primarily for those accompanying. Comparisons are also made very much with how it looks in other countries and elsewhere.

The question to the Minister for Defence is whether he has an ambition to change the possibilities in order to facilitate the recruitment of qualified personnel to the positions that are needed in and with Sweden's National Defence.

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Johan Andersson, for the question!

There are approximately 240–250 positions that Sweden will be able to fill in NATO's various command structures within six years after the country became a member of NATO. Norfolk, which Johan Andersson visited, is one of the places where we will have the most officers.

When it comes to whether I will take measures for this, I refer to the fact that this is primarily a matter for the parties in the labor market. We therefore do not interfere in contractual matters. We do, however, take quite large measures to produce more officers. It is important.

We are expanding the number of places at the Defence University, we are raising the compensation level for officer candidates, and more specialist officers will be produced. When we expand the conscription, there are naturally also better conditions for more people to seek a career in the military. However, contractual issues are a matter for the parties in the labor market.

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Martin Westmont (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Civil Affairs Erik Slottner.

The investigation into a more efficient organization of smaller agencies is interesting. It is partly about not spending the Swedish people's tax money on unnecessary administration and bureaucracy. I know that the Minister for Civil Affairs himself is fully aware of the problem and wants to do something about the extensive and costly agency apparatus we have in Sweden.

My question to the Minister concerns what happens now. What is the next step to streamline Myndighetssverige?

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Statsrådet Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Martin Westmont for this question.

Just this specific investigation is about to be sent out for consultation, and after that, it will be processed. I really hope that we will be able to move forward with some or perhaps even all of the proposals that the investigator has suggested. We shall see. The Government will reach an agreement on it after it has been processed.

We also have a number of proposals for mergers of the so-called board authorities. The National Government Offices (Statskontoret) submitted a report on that, and it is also being prepared. We hope to come up with proposals on that shortly. I do not rule out that in the future more proposals may come regarding larger authorities that can merge.

Parallel to this, Ekonomistyrningsverket is now working on a report to produce key figures regarding local utilization. We see great potential in being able to reduce the number of square meters and thereby save money regarding rent.

I have previously mentioned the increasingly expanding communication costs, which we are also reviewing right now.

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Stefan Olsson (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Finance.

Yesterday, I was at a conference in Brussels together with representatives from other national parliaments. I got the impression that more and more countries now understand what the situation looks like and that a forthcoming general overhaul will be needed.

At the same time, the public finances in many countries in the EU are not the best. There is therefore a discussion about whether the EU should be able to take out large common loans. Many of us in Sweden think that this issue of common EU loans is problematic. But we also understand that an upgrade was needed.

Can the Minister for Finance say anything about the talks she has had with her colleagues in the EU regarding this problem?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Stefan Olsson, for the question!

This is truly an ongoing issue. I met with my colleagues on Tuesday.

We can begin by stating that every country has a responsibility to build its own defense capability and prioritize, as we have done, in order to be able to free up resources.

Then we may need to do more together. How is that to be financed then? Number one, I mean, is to take the Russian frozen assets and use them now.

Number two is to ensure that priorities are set both in national budgets and in the EU budget. A portion of the cohesion funds has hardly been used at all. Somewhere between 5 and 10 percent is used. Use them now!

A third thing concerns the budget framework we have in the EU. There is an opening there to be able to make more investments and take larger loans. Taking joint loans lies far down on my list. But one should not rule anything out. But fundamentally, it will mean that Swedish taxpayers will have to pay a larger share than many others need to do.

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Lili André (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Sweden has long-standing and good relations with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Over the last month, the conflict in eastern Congo has escalated further. In recent weeks, the Rwanda-backed M23 have seized the two provincial capitals, Goma and Bukavu. Territorial borders have not been respected by Congo's neighboring countries. We also receive reports of increased refugee flows where children are separated from their families in the flight, of systematic sexual violence being used as a weapon, and of the fear spreading in the larger cities.

Next week, the Council of Ministers will meet with Europe's foreign ministers. Among other things, Congo is on the agenda. It is a crucial opportunity to mobilize all diplomatic tools to push for an immediate stop to the hostilities, where military solutions do not solve the problem.

What is required now are sanctions. My question to the Minister for Foreign Affairs is whether Sweden is prepared to take further steps and to push for sanctions against Rwanda.

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Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Lili André, for the question!

The development in Congo is, to say the least, worrying. At the beginning of 2025, the armed rebel group M23 launched a new offensive against Goma, just as the member said. The humanitarian consequences of the escalation are deeply worrying, with hundreds of thousands of new internally displaced persons since the beginning of the year.

The EU, including Sweden, has repeatedly condemned M23's and Rwanda's actions in eastern Congo. The EU has urged Rwanda to cease hostilities and to withdraw troops. The EU has also called for a return to the negotiating table.

We welcome the regional and international initiatives that are currently underway to reach a peaceful solution to the conflicts through dialogue. Sweden contributes to these initiatives through the EU. The EU's Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, the Swedish diplomat Johan Borgstam, is also actively working with the countries in the region to reach a peaceful solution.

We will, in every case, evaluate how we best proceed.

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Patrik Lundqvist (S)

Mr. Speaker! Sweden is not only facing the crises we see in the world around us, but we also have a domestic crisis in the form of the sky-high unemployment that has been reported on in recent days. This does not only hinder our ability to actually invest the money we would like to on defense and on other things. It also harms the individuals and people who see their incomes significantly reduced when they go from work to unemployment.

Thank goodness – or what one should say – we do not see increases in the group of youth and immigrant women to the same extent as in other groups. Otherwise, they are those who are normally hit hardest. Now, it is primarily older people and men who are becoming unemployed to a higher degree.

I want to hear a bit about what the Minister for Finance intends to do to ensure that they get a faster entry into the labor market in the future and avoid being hit by the enormous consequences it entails to become unemployed when one is older.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Patrik Lundqvist, for the question!

When the government took office, we inherited very high inflation, high unemployment, and low growth. Now we have finally dealt with inflation, and we have a budget that has just begun to take effect and which will both set the economic wheels in motion here and now and make the Swedish economy grow in the long term.

We see the light at the end of the tunnel. During the year, an economic upturn will occur, and it will make it easier for very many of those who today stand outside the labor market or who have just lost their jobs to return.

Something that is incredibly important to me is that those who are unemployed should receive the support they need, so that they do not fall into passivity and long-term unemployment. It is already very high. We shall both work with those who today stand far away from the labor market, who have been unemployed for a long time, and at the same time ensure that those who have become unemployed receive help here and now. It is a priority.

But the most important thing of all is to get the wheels turning. That is why we presented an expansive budget that can turn this economy around – I was about to say the ship.

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Göran Hargestam (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister of Defence Pål Jonson.

An important part of securing Swedish defense capability is to remove bureaucratic hurdles that delay and complicate the growth of the Armed Forces and the defense industry. The security situation requires large investments and purchases, partly given the statements we have heard in the last few days.

It is of great importance that the government takes a holistic approach to the strict environmental legislation that has a strongly restrictive impact on Sweden's defense capability. Legislative proposals that worsen the conditions for a needs-based production of, for example, ammunition would seriously limit our defense capability.

The Sweden Democrats stand by our previous position that it is extremely important to avoid new obstacles that hinder the growth of the total defense.

Can the Minister explain how the government views the issue given the serious security situation?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Göran Hargestam, for an important question!

Regarding environmental permits, we have changed from a permit requirement to a notification requirement. This means that a procedure to, for example, obtain a permit for a shooting range can take six to twelve weeks instead of a year. It is an important step forward to accelerate the conditions for the expansion of the total defense.

Alongside that, we have worked to decentralize a number of decisions. Previously, the Access Ordinance required a government decision when a foreign warship arrived in Sweden. Now we can delegate that to the authority.

The second point concerns procurement issues. There, we have also raised the level for when a government decision is required, for example for Fortifikationsverket from 60 million to 200 million. The Armed Forces may procure up to 700 million without a government decision, precisely to speed up processes and ensure that we get a stronger total defense much faster.

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Marcus Andersson (S)

Mr. Speaker! We have a housing shortage, and we have construction workers losing their jobs, the highest unemployment in ten years, a healthcare crisis and record-expensive food.

Instead of tackling these problems, the government with the Sweden Democrats chooses to lower taxes for those who already have it very good. The Finance Minister considers it more relevant to prioritize a specific tax cut for those who earn over 66,000 kronor. It is ineffective for creating jobs and is, in fact, a mockery of those citizens who struggle in their everyday lives.

Therefore, I want to ask the Minister of Finance: How does the Minister intend for the tax cuts for the wealthiest to solve problems such as the housing shortage, unemployment, and skyrocketing food prices?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the question!

One should perhaps read the budget a bit more intensively. This is a budget where we lower the tax for everyone. We lower the tax on savings, and we lower the tax on pension, work, and much more.

Furthermore, we believe that Sweden should be wealthier in 10, 15 years. We know that it requires better productivity and better drivers. We do both in this budget. It is very important.

Mr. Speaker! I must nevertheless say that I find it surprising that when people are having it the toughest, and we ensure to extend the increased housing allowance and lower the tax, the people of Stockholm do quite the opposite.

Here, they are raising the most important tax for ordinary wage earners for two years in a row. They take the opportunity to do it when it is at its toughest. I think that is bad politics.

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Lena Johansson (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister of Defence Pål Jonsson.

Given the current security situation and the USA's latest move during the Munich Conference, as well as the shifting dynamics between the USA, Nato and Europe, my question to the Minister for Defence is: Does the Minister for Defence see that the recent events affect Sweden's defense cooperation with the USA? If the answer is yes: What concrete measures does the government intend to take to strengthen Sweden's security and defense policy position?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Lena Johansson, for the question!

Above all, Sweden's security is affected by the outcome of the war in Ukraine. It is the central factor that affects us. A bad peace that would strengthen Russia and weaken Ukraine also constitutes a threat to our own security.

Connected to this is that the transatlantic relations remain important. We have underlined that. This includes the bilateral defense relations between Sweden and the USA.

We must once again prepare to take greater responsibility for our own security, given that the USA will also be looking at other regions to a greater extent. This concerns above all the Indo-Pacific region and in relation to China.

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Jörgen Berglund (M)

Mr. Speaker! We find ourselves in a very turbulent and uncertain time. I believe that most have understood that. It means that ever greater demands are placed on Sweden and Europe to ensure our security and to be able to meet the serious threats we face.

In this context, Sweden's innovation capacity and ability to quickly produce defense materiel becomes central for us, our allies, and not least Ukraine. For this reason, the government has taken the initiative for a defense industry strategy with the aim of promoting the defense industry and securing the need for defense materiel. The Minister for Defence has also highlighted this at the Folk och Försvar parliamentary conference in Sälen earlier this year.

In light of this, I would now like to ask the Minister of Defence: When will the strategy be presented, and can the Minister say anything about what it will contain?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Jörgen Berglund, for the question!

It is a lesson from the war in Ukraine that a strong defense industry constitutes a part of our collective defense capability. Had we not had such a strong defense industry, we would not have been able to provide such long-term, strong and appreciated, support to Ukraine, we know that.

I have said that the defense industry will stand on three legs. First and foremost, it will stand on increased innovation. In that regard, we have good conditions. We have a very strong civil technology.

We will build on increased production. We want to see increased production of defense materiel. This means that we want to see more companies and actors entering the defense market.

It will also be important to achieve increased cooperation between the defense companies, the authorities, and academia.

It is the three main parts of the upcoming defense industry strategy that will be presented and come to the Riksdag during the spring.

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Angelika Bengtsson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! The Minister for Foreign Affairs has expressed that Europe must be involved in the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. She emphasized the importance of having a European presence at the negotiating table to ensure that our interests and perspectives are heard and taken into account.

According to the minister, Europe's role is crucial to achieving a sustainable and just solution to the conflict. The American administration, however, seems to have a different standpoint and argues that Europe, and thus also Sweden, will not have any role at all in these talks.

We in Sweden have had a unique position as a neutral country through the years. I wonder: What role will Sweden have in the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine?

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

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Angelika Bengtsson, for the question!

To begin with, the EU has collectively become the largest provider of military support to Ukraine. How the peace ends is also a question of Europe's future security. Since it concerns Europe, Europe must also be involved in the negotiations in some way. The single most important thing, of course, is that the negotiations do not take place over the heads of Ukraine. That is therefore our most important message.

Question Time

Since then, there have been various statements from different parts of the American administration. I was myself at that lunch seminar when the negotiator Keith Kellogg stated that Europe would not have a place at the negotiating table. At the same time, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio has said several times that Europe should have it.

We will, of course, continue to highlight the importance of it. But our single most important foreign policy task is still to support Ukraine.

Question time was hereby concluded.

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