Question Time

TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions today will be answered by Minister for Finance Elisabeth Svantesson, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson, Minister for Migration Johan Forssell, and Minister for Employment Johan Britz.

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 concerns his performance of duties. The question shall therefore not concern, for example, conditions within political parties. The Minister for Finance answers both general political questions and questions within his own area of responsibility.

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

Mikael Damberg (S)

Mr. Speaker! We Social Democrats want to remove the unfair care deduction. It is a deduction that hits economically hard all those people in our country who need to do the work at the workplace, for example, nurses, police officers, childcare workers, carpenters, doctors and bus drivers. They can lose thousands of kronor when they are sick, while many others on the labor market can work from home via the computer.

When I listen to the government, I understand that the government does not want to change today's system. The Finance Minister does not seem to understand how the labor market has changed in Sweden and how deeply unjust and immoral today's system is.

Elisabeth Svantesson is happy to talk about work ethic. But why then does one want to maintain a system that means that police officers, healthcare staff, teachers and childcare workers – hardworking people – are punished extra harshly when they are ill?

Elisabeth Svantesson! Where is the morality in that?

(Applause)

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for an important question, Mikael Damberg!

I note first that the Social Democrats are now, on the one hand, talking about growth and that the Swedish economy should grow, and on the other hand, would like to raise taxes for everyone who works and place taxes and heavy burdens on mortgage borrowers. They do not want, as we others do, a low reduction obligation and so on. All of that affects households, but it also affects the Swedish economy. I think that is unfortunate.

When it comes to this specific question, one can absolutely discuss fairness. I truly understand Mikael Damberg's arguments. But the labor market has changed after the pandemic. That was when it became clear. But it is actually not about the sickness benefit, but about that some can work from home one or two days a week, while others cannot. It can be perceived as an injustice.

When it comes to the sickness insurance system itself and the clearance, it is simply a fact that if you are sick you should be at home and if you are healthy you should work, regardless of where you are. To safeguard that system is also to safeguard justice and long-term growth.

(Applause)

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Mikael Damberg (S)

Mr. Speaker! We Social Democrats have wanted to lower taxes for ordinary people. The government is proceeding with lowering taxes for those with the highest incomes. We also want to increase child allowances and press competition in the banking market. But my question was not about that. My question was about the parental leave deduction.

There is a cost for the quarantine deduction today. It is borne by hard-working people who have to go to work to do the job. They are police officers, they are teachers, they are doctors and they are bus drivers. In fact, many of those people are forced to make a very difficult choice: Can I afford to stay home if I am to be able to pay the bills?

Does the Minister for Finance not agree that it is an unfair system that needs to be abolished?

(Applause)

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I share Mikael Damberg's insight that this comes with a cost. The question is who is to pay. When we have not had any quarantine deductions at all and one has received 100 percent or 80 percent all the way, we know that more have exploited the system.

Most people work hard and use it in the right way. But when a nursing assistant, a police officer, or a technician who does not have the same work ethic stays home, it is the others, the hard-working people, who have to do the job. I think that is unfair. And the cost, Mr. Speaker, falls on the employers, on the state, and on those who have to go to work even though they are the most honest and always stay home when they are sick.

(Applause)

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Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Once again, a foreigner has been convicted of rape without the foreigner being deported. This time, it is because the foreigner has refugee status. It shows a serious system failure that certain foreigners have protection against deportation when they have committed serious crimes.

It is unreasonable that rapists who target minors should be able to hide behind a refugee status. Foreign rapists shall be deported. Everything else is unacceptable.

The Minister for Migration has signaled that he wants to review the European Convention to ensure that more such foreigners can be deported, which is welcome. But there are things we can do here and now. It is possible to tighten these rules in the Swedish Aliens Act.

Is the Minister for Migration prepared to propose such a change in the Swedish Aliens Act?

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Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the question, Nima Gholam Ali Pour!

This case has touched me deeply, as a minister but also as a parent and as a fellow human being. For me and the entire government, it is clear that the safety of crime victims must always weigh more heavily than the perpetrator's potential right to remain in Sweden. No rape victim should ever have to be afraid of encountering their perpetrator out on the street. It must work that way in Sweden.

I promise that I intend to do everything in my power as Minister for Migration to also fulfill it. But for that, the legislation needs to be changed. That is exactly what we are doing right now.

We are making the biggest change to deportation and the rules surrounding it that has ever occurred. The investigator assesses that the number of deportations will be sextupled. We lower the threshold, and we clean up among the many different and strange exceptions that have existed. And we make it mandatory to demand deportation when the conditions are met.

It is a long list of things that are important for the migration policy to be fair and for the crime victims to receive the redress they have waited for for far too long, but which they will now receive.

(Applause)

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Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I want to remind the Minister for Migration that the investigation report that the Minister for Migration refers to does not concern the deportation of those who have refugee status. It is important that the deportation of those who have refugee status is facilitated.

I ask once again: Is the Minister for Migration prepared to look at the Aliens Act to ensure that it will be easier in the future to deport refugees who commit rape?

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Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! We are reviewing the Aliens Act. That is exactly what we are doing right now. We are making the largest changes to the framework for deportation that have ever occurred.

We also work within certain international conventions. Work is currently underway to review those as well. It is not just about the Refugee Convention, which was mentioned here, but also the European Convention. Such work is ongoing in the EU. We are following that work very closely and are also participating in it.

For me, this is quite obvious. If one commits serious crimes in Sweden, crimes of violence or sexual crimes, and is not a Swedish citizen, one shall be deported.

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Samuel Gonzalez Westling (V)

Mr. Speaker! In recent weeks, the government has proudly increased the return grant quite significantly. The government's own investigator has stated that it is an increase that is both expensive and ineffective.

The special coordinator appointed by the government has invited the municipalities to a meeting regarding the implementation of this. A number of municipalities have declined, as they wish to retain their residents.

At the same time, the government's coalition partner Sverigedemokraterna has threatened to withdraw state subsidies to the municipalities. The municipalities are supposed to be able to provide societal services and are already incredibly pressured.

Since the municipalities do not want the return migration grant, could the Minister for Finance not say that it is reasonable to redistribute the money and give it to the municipalities, so that they can spend it on welfare activities instead?

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Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Samuel Gonzalez Westling for the question.

This form of return grant is not new in Sweden. The grant has existed since 1984. It was actually the Palme government that introduced it.

It is not, as the questioner says, about targeting people who work and behave correctly, have learned the Swedish language and have integrated into Swedish society. The obvious target group is quite different, namely people who have not integrated into society. They may be in long-term exclusion, long for home, or for that matter do not want to be integrated. There are people who do not respect important Swedish values such as equality, or who perhaps maintain a loathsome honor culture at home. Then, of course, one should not be in Sweden.

This is a voluntary contribution. It is also voluntary to participate in the discussions about it. I may find it a bit strange that municipal politicians act as gatekeepers for what information their municipal residents should receive. But it is voluntary, and this will not have any consequences regarding state grants, as the member mentioned.

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Samuel Gonzalez Westling (V)

Mr. Speaker! No one is saying that the return migration grant should be removed entirely. As it stands in its current form, it is fine. It is perfectly reasonable that it remains. But should one spend so much money trying to get people to leave Sweden? We have municipalities that are in a financial crisis and that cannot afford to provide necessary welfare activities. Is it really reasonable that, in that situation, state money is spent on things that the municipalities do not even want? They want to keep their residents in the municipalities instead.

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Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Just as I said, the purpose of this support is not to reach people who work and have entered Swedish society. It is rather about people who do not do so and who are in a state of exclusion, the costs of which are often borne by the municipalities.

I note that the rhetoric used in this discussion is strikingly often exactly the same as the rhetoric that the previous Social Democratic government had during the refugee crisis. Obviously, the support for the unconditional migration policy is still very strong in many parties on the left.

(Applause)

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Anna Lasses (C)

Mr. Speaker! Several receiving countries are in the queue in the government's work to increase repatriation. According to information, among these countries is Afghanistan, which, like Somalia, is a country marked by conflicts and corruption and a country where girls and women are particularly vulnerable. Sweden has now chosen to phase out and terminate aid that, among other things, goes to the education of girls and women.

My question to Migration Minister Johan Forssell is therefore: Has the minister learned anything from the example of Somalia, where tax funds were used in a directly questionable way to get the country to accept its citizens? What can we expect for agreements with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan?

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Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Anna Lasses for the question.

It is a very clear priority for this government to increase the return of persons who either do not have the right to be in Sweden or have committed serious crimes in Sweden and therefore should be deported. It is naturally a very big difference from how it functioned previously with the requirement-free migration policy, which caused very many of these persons to stay and could commit new crimes and create new crime victims.

An important change is that we set clearer requirements on the individual to cooperate. But we also set clearer requirements on the receiving countries to cooperate, and we want to cooperate with them. Somalia is a country that has been mentioned here. We work together with a very respected UN organization. It is not the only country, but that type of cooperation occurs with many countries. I would gladly sign agreements for more such cooperations if it can enable us to deport persons who have committed serious crimes in Sweden, so that they do not stay here, commit new crimes and continue to create a hell for their crime victims.

When it comes to Afghanistan specifically, the situation is of course very complicated. I have said that I think the European Commission should take the lead in that work, so that we can ensure that, for example, the 175 people from Afghanistan who are convicted of serious crimes and who should be deported are actually also deported to that country.

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Anna Lasses (C)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the answer.

Libya is also on the list of countries where the government has intended to use tax funds to stimulate return migration. It is also a country characterized by corruption and conflict. Libya is ruled by two rival regimes. Does the minister intend to create agreements with one or with both? Should it perhaps happen through the EU? How does the government here intend to proceed?

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Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Now things are being mixed up. Repatriation is one thing, return is something completely different. Repatriation is entirely voluntary. Return is based on the fact that one does not have a legal right to be in the country. As I say, it can be people who have been denied their asylum applications and should go home, so that we can maintain respect for regulated immigration. But here there are also actually people who have committed serious crimes. I want to emphasize that again. There is a big difference compared to before. Previously, these people could remain in Sweden and commit new crimes. With this government, they are instead deported.

(Applause)

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Ulf Holm (MP)

Mr. Speaker! We are now living in a very serious security policy situation that also prevails in our immediate vicinity. It is simply a very uncertain time. In such a time, a well-functioning intelligence activity is needed. It needs resources, support, and a constantly raised level of ambition.

The government has appointed an inquiry into this issue, and it was completed this summer. There has been quite a lot of criticism from the referral bodies, not least from the Armed Forces themselves. Nevertheless, the government has now decided to proceed with the proposal to introduce a new intelligence activity, which means that the current one will be split and that the activity will be moved to a civil agency.

My questions to the Minister of Defence are: Why is there such a hurry? Why has one not listened to the important referral bodies, not least the Supreme Commander?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Ulf Holm for the questions. I shall try to clarify this.

When it comes to the form and the speed of the reform itself, I can say that there is danger in delay. If one is to carry out a reorganization, it is probably wise to do it relatively quickly and, above all, in such a way that one does not experience a loss of production.

I want to be clear that the Armed Forces have not rejected the idea of a civil intelligence service, but it is how it should be implemented that has been the central issue. We are listening carefully to the Armed Forces. I can add that the Armed Forces have received a mandate concerning how they can work to strengthen the military intelligence service and what increased resources are needed there.

If we are to carry out reorganizations, we should probably try to do them relatively quickly. We now have the conditions to both strengthen the military intelligence service and establish a purely civil intelligence service.

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Ulf Holm (MP)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister of Defence for the answer. However, I am not quite satisfied. Of course, quick reorganizations can be made sometimes. But it can also have the effect that personnel seek to leave or do not know which situation applies. Is what the Armed Forces say being listened to? In what way is this incorporated in that case?

I have another question. Why has a dialogue not been held with the Swedish Riksdag and the parties in the Riksdag regarding this? Intelligence activities is a very important issue, and there the government should seek support from the opposition.

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! We have held talks with the party leaders on this on two occasions, when Carl Bildt informed them in connection with this reform. The Government is also always available should a committee wish to have information in connection with this.

The civil intelligence service will be under the responsibility of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who will be the Minister for Foreign Affairs. We have given the Armed Forces a mandate so that they can specify which military resources they need to have in order to be able to strengthen the military intelligence service.

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Caroline Högström (M)

Mr. Speaker! We have all heard and been moved by Meya's brave story of when she was subjected to an assault rape. I do not believe I am alone in here in having walked home late one evening with the keys in my hand, chosen particularly well-lit paths, and had checkpoints with my girlfriends because we had not been safe in our own city.

From the Moderates' side, we want to work, among other things, to review the conventions that today hinder certain deportations. The Minister for Migration has previously commented in the media on how the government intends to change the legislation to ensure that society responds and stands on the side of the crime victim.

Can the Minister tell us more about the tightenings of the regulations for deportations that are now being developed?

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Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Caroline Högström, for the important question!

For me and for the entire government, it is clear that the crime victim's right to safety must always weigh heavier than the perpetrator's right to stay in Sweden. No rape victim should ever have to feel afraid to go out on streets and squares. We are working intensively to ensure that is the case.

We do this, among other things, by tightening the legislation on deportations. This means that we significantly lower the threshold and thoroughly clear up all the strange exceptions that have existed. It means that we make it obligatory to demand deportation when the conditions are met. When they are, one is not just allowed to demand deportation, one must demand deportation.

It is incredibly important for the migration policy to be fair and for there to be support for the crime victims. Crime victims – and not least many women, as in the example that was mentioned – should always feel that the legislation stands on their side. If they were to become crime victims, they should receive the redress they deserve.

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Caroline Högström (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks to the Minister for the answer and to the Government for the work it does for a safer Sweden.

It means that dangerous men are locked up and, when required, deported so that ordinary girls dare to be out in the evenings and can go home safely. They should not have to read about or experience the horrific things that we have unfortunately seen time and again.

I look forward to being able to press green at the vote here in the Riksdag for that type of legislation.

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Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! I have recently received an investigation on this. We are working on it right now. We will soon go to the Riksdag with a bill. It will enter into force next year.

According to the investigator, it is judged to lead to a sixfold increase in the number of deportations. We are also working intensively to ensure that those persons are received in their home countries. It is truly a chain of different reforms.

The principle is crystal clear. The perpetrators' right to remain in Sweden is significantly less important than all crime victims' right to redress.

(Applause)

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Larry Söder (KD)

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

Housing First is an evidence-based model to help people with long-term homelessness where permanent housing is offered without requirements for prior changes in lifestyle combined with supportive interventions. According to the latest available statistics from Socialstyrelsen and Boverket's reports, approximately 80–90 municipalities work with Housing First.

The Christian Democrats have long been keen on having Bostad först as a model across the entire country. It is included in the government's homelessness strategy. Now, the government has also allocated funds to work with this.

My question to the Minister for Finance is: How does the government view the fact that not all municipalities have implemented Bostad först, and how does the government intend to work further with Bostad först going forward?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Larry Söder, for a very important question!

A country is never stronger than how it succeeds in helping, protecting, and taking responsibility for those who are most vulnerable. Sweden is a wealthy country with prosperity. We have fine and good social security systems. Despite that, people end up in the wrong situation for various reasons. It can be about mental illness or drugs.

There are many reasons why many people today are homeless. I have met many elderly homeless people here in Stockholm. I know that especially the women have it terribly tough in so many ways and forms. We must do something about it.

Bostad först is a very good model to work with that I hope more municipalities will follow. It makes a real difference. Furthermore, one receives money from the budget that the Riksdag will hopefully soon decide on for next year. I hope that more will work with it and that we will also spread information on how it works.

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Larry Söder (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much for the answer!

As a former chairman of the social welfare committee, I have seen how it actually can go. People who have several different problems are given a housing. Then they are supposed to try to manage the other problems. If they do not quite succeed with that, they are evicted from their housing, and then it starts all over again.

What is good about Housing First is that one gets a secure place to be. Regardless of what happens with one's other problems, one has their housing. It is evidence-based that it actually works.

Is the Minister for Finance worried that more municipalities are not adopting this reform?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, member, for the question!

I am concerned, and it makes me a little sad when we know that there are evidence-based ways to work. I personally feel that it is quite old-fashioned to work as one did 10, 20 or 30 years ago. People could not get housing if they were not completely sober or if they had drugs in their bodies. Then you do not know what addiction problems are.

If people are truly to come to terms with what may be tough in their lives, they must first have a safe place and not the other way around. I hope that more will continue to work with just Housing First or in other ways to help those who do not have a home.

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Helene Odenjung (L)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question concerning menopause. It is a life phase that affects millions of women in Sweden, often with significant consequences for health, work capacity, and quality of life.

The National Board of Health and Welfare has recently published the first national guidelines for care for menopausal symptoms with a focus on knowledge-based conversations, person-centered treatment, and competence development within healthcare.

Menopause is not just a healthcare issue. It is also a workplace environment and equality issue. It concerns women aged 40–60 who are overrepresented in the sick leave statistics. It often concerns symptoms linked to menopause but that are mixed up with exhaustion syndrome, dementia, or even an undiagnosed ADHD diagnosis.

Knowledge is low and support is insufficient in many workplaces. Partille municipality has, as the first municipality, introduced training for managers and employees.

My question is: Does the government intend to improve the living conditions for women in menopause in light of the new guidelines in the Socialstyrelsen report?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Helene Odenjung, for the question!

Menopause is not something to play with. Approximately 1.2 million women are in the age where one undergoes menopause. Still, we so rarely talk about all the challenges and problems that many women have.

Just as the member said, many are aware of what kind of challenges one has. Others may feel depressed or have pain in their bodies. There are many symptoms that one cannot link to menopause, and neither does the healthcare system. It affects private life and work life.

I think it is time to do something about it. That is why, in the budget for next year, when we make the investment in women's health, we also direct it towards menopause care. Information is needed here.

I will not perform any gender analysis now. I can only state that when so many women are affected so severely, more women should be standing on the barricades as Helene Odenjung does today. I thank you for the question.

(Applause)

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Helene Odenjung (L)

Mr. Speaker! I am happy to stand on the barricades together with you, Elisabeth Svantesson, and all others who have experience of this both as personal experience and perhaps as a relative.

We had a seminar where the Liberals and Liberal Women invited experts, including Partille municipality, which I mentioned earlier. They have worked and reduced the sickness absence rates by 2.2 percent. One could also argue that it is a major economic issue.

The request from the midwifery side and also from the municipality was, for example, that midwives should be granted prescription rights. It is a question that I would be interested in getting an answer to. Is it something that could also be included in the new guidelines?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I am not an expert on exactly how the guidelines for healthcare and the municipalities should look. But that being said, what has been done, primarily in Partille and in a few other places, has really made an impact. It helps women, and it results in a better working environment. One has lower sickness absence, and life becomes a bit simpler.

That is why I mean that it is a question that must permeate what one does. I cannot understand that in the year 2025, one does not do that more. With what the municipalities do, what we do in the budget, and what is done together in different ways, we should raise the issue – and not only raise the issue, but also ensure that one receives help and support. Right now, 1.2 million women are in menopause, Mr. Speaker.

(Applause)

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Eva Lindh (S)

Mr. Speaker! I also wish to pose my questions to the Minister for Finance.

Yesterday, the SD government issued the announcement that small municipalities that are not located in rural areas will be disadvantaged so that more will want to be merged. The government pointed out that especially in Västra Götaland and Skåne, there are very many municipalities that would be suitable to merge.

I wonder: Is there a secret list of which municipalities are to be merged?

My second question concerns the same announcement. The government's proposal implies a sharp boundary at a population of 10,000 inhabitants. Once it is exceeded, it is no longer considered a small municipality. It could mean that a municipality with 9,999 inhabitants that increases by a small family will lose.

Can the Minister for Finance tell us about the background to this decision?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Eva Lindh, for the questions!

I believe in saying it as it is. It might be a very secret list, because I absolutely have no idea about what Eva Lindh is now mentioning. It is not the case that the government has sat and worked out any proposal based on what Eva Lindh is now telling and describing. There might be an investigation; I do not know. But it is probably no investigation in my area in that case, because then I would probably have known about it. Otherwise, it will obviously become even more embarrassing in hindsight.

It is quite obvious that if there are questions of this character – whatever it is that has been produced and written – they will be referred and discussed. Both Eva Lindh and I know that such questions, where one tries to change Kommunsverige, are not something that one pushes through in a club blow, but on the contrary. I believe there would be very little support for it both in the Riksdag and the government and out in the country. We will have to return to it if there is any other type of proposal.

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Clara Aranda (SD)

Mr. Speaker! In his presentation of the latest budget, the Minister for Finance highlighted a very important initiative that clearly deserves more attention. It is women's health.

There is a recurring unfortunate pattern that shows that women with medical issues are not taken seriously when they seek care. We can see examples of women seeking care for endometriosis-related issues and on average wait for seven years for a diagnosis. That says quite a lot about the actual situation.

Thanks to the Sweden Democrats' and the government's initiatives on research and targeted measures to increase knowledge and develop care for women, we have begun a work of change that must continue to be prioritized.

I therefore want to ask the Minister for Finance whether it is the government's ambition to work long-term to improve women's conditions and with the right to need-based care.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Clara Aranda, for the question!

The answer is yes. I mean that we definitely must continue to do exactly this. If we go back 10, 20, and 30 years, we see that it was even the case that almost all research on different diseases was conducted on men. It was not possible to draw the same conclusions because women and men are usually not exactly the same.

A lot has happened, but there is still much to do in healthcare and at the furthest reaches of all its parts. Knowledge must be disseminated, and one must be made aware that there is different research and that different people and individuals must be treated in different ways.

So yes, there are many different silent diseases that are now beginning to be raised. I also think that we, from the political side, at the regional level and at the national level, should adapt the operations and the care according to the individual's needs.

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Ciczie Weidby (V)

Mr. Speaker! 28-year-old Josephine Lönnqvist was promised practical work experience through Steg till arbete. It was a well-designed program with employment consultants and occupational therapists, who were not only supposed to teach the participants how to find a job but also map out their opportunities.

In the actual work, she ended up at the consulting and staffing company Arcus Utbildning & Jobbförmedling AB, where she unfortunately mostly sat and had coffee and watched YouTube clips during the day.

My questions to the Minister for Employment are therefore: How can the government defend that the state program Steg till arbete is allowed to fund activities at private companies such as Arcus, where the participants receive no real internship or help? And what does Johan Britz want to say to Josephine and others in the same situation so that they feel hope instead of hopelessness?

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TALMANNEN

I want to point out that in the chamber, one should use the names of individual companies with caution if they are not very large and national.

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Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Ciczie Weidby, for the question!

The case that the member describes has been highlighted in the media. We have been clear from the government's side that we do not think it should happen in Sweden in the way described in the media. Persons who are vulnerable and unemployed and, as in this case, have some type of problem when it comes to entering the labor market should receive better support than what it appears to have been the question of in this case. It simply should not happen in the way described here.

This is partly connected to the privatization zeal with which the Social Democrats and the Center Party implemented changes to parts of the Public Employment Service. It is something that we in this government are now progressively rolling back.

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Martin Ådahl (C)

Mr. Speaker! The Sweden Democrats' spokesperson on migration issues has threatened to cut off support to municipalities that do not themselves push for the return grant that the government has presented.

The return migration grant is, according to the government's own investigator, ineffective. It is billions that could instead have been used to create jobs. But SD wants to force municipalities – often it concerns rural municipalities – that need more inhabitants and that ask for people they can put to work, to instead work to send families abroad. They want to force the municipalities by threatening to withdraw state grants if they do not adopt SD's perverse view of humanity.

Elisabeth Svantesson! What do you, as Finance Minister, have to say to the municipalities that are worried they will lose the state grants if they do not do as SD wants regarding the return migration grant? Is this an empty threat or is it serious?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Martin Ådahl, for the question!

As Martin Ådahl has surely already heard, there are no proposals from the government's side that this should affect the municipal grant. There are no such proposals at all. That is the answer to the question.

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Magnus Resare (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Migration Minister Johan Forssell.

The government's repatriation coordinator has been highlighted in the media over the last few days. My view is that it is positive that the country's municipalities receive information about how we are reforming laws in this country. This applies in particular now, when we are updating an old law that Palme introduced in the 80s. It is that one which is now being updated after more than 40 years, and in that regard, it is in my opinion good that information is spread about what is happening.

Many municipal representatives across the country, however, seem to want to dress national politics in a municipal suit.

My question to the Minister is therefore: Can you elaborate a little on what is the purpose of the visits and why it will be positive for the country's municipalities to learn more about the return migration grant?

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Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Magnus Resare, for the question!

Just as was mentioned here, the return migration grant has existed in Sweden for a long time, since 1984. I want to mention that it is a voluntary support. No one is forced into anything. The target group is not, as it is somewhat perfunctorily described, people who work and have entered Swedish society. The target group is the exact opposite. It is people who have not entered the integration work, who are a part of the exclusion, who perhaps long for home, who perhaps listened to unscrupulous human smugglers who promised a lot of things or who, for that matter, do not want to be integrated into our country. We know that there are also such people.

This is voluntary. It is voluntary to use the support, and it is voluntary to have these meetings. I can think it is a bit strange that municipal representatives, especially on the left, act as gatekeepers when it comes to what information their citizens should receive. I think it would be more natural if people received the information and then themselves decided whether they want to use the support or not.

I also note that there are very many who want to return to the requirement-free migration policy, but I believe in the name of honesty that the discussion that has been held rather increases the interest for this support.

(Applause)

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Lili André (KD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Employment Johan Britz.

The labor market shows signs of recovery, but at the same time, structural unemployment remains at a high level. The government has exemplary invested in education and transition support, but Arbetsförmedlingen has shortcomings in how these investments are implemented in practice. Matching and coaching occur, but for too many job seekers, it takes far too long before they receive the support and help they need to find the right path to a job or education.

At the same time, we know that newly unemployed people often have a shorter path back to work if they receive the right support in a timely manner. Therefore, it is crucial that measures are implemented early, before people get stuck in long-term unemployment, precisely in order to preserve people's motivation, self-esteem, and faith in the future.

My question is therefore: What specific measures does the Minister for Employment take so that the unemployed can quickly return to work or move on to education at an early stage, and thereby prevent them from becoming stuck in long-term unemployment?

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Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Lili André, for an important question on a very important issue!

Swedish unemployment is too high. Just as the member points out, this has primarily structural causes. We find ourselves today in a situation where half of the unemployed are foreign-born. Of those who are long-term unemployed, almost two-thirds are foreign-born – people who do not have the skills, the formal education or the language skills required to fit into the Swedish labor market.

We also have upcoming problems – Putin, Trump, inflation and other things – which have caused us to be in a prolonged recession.

The most important thing in the short term to get those people into work who have been unemployed for a short period is the very powerful and expansive budget we are now presenting to break the recession and thereby also reduce unemployment.

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Peter Hultqvist (S)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question for Defense Minister Pål Jonson.

We have been able to observe that Russia has systematically infiltrated Swedish society, among other things by utilizing various company formations, property ownership, and land ownership. It is not just about ownership in the vicinity of sensitive companies and authorities, but also about other ownership that can constitute a platform to act against Swedish interests.

Säpo has pointed out that company formations and ownership can be used as a facade for intelligence activities. The Financial Police have also pointed out that Russian networks in Sweden engage in extensive economic crime and are assessed to have links to the Russian security service. Current legislation is obviously not sufficient to stop this undermining activity.

My question is: What measures does one intend to take to prevent, deter, and end this type of activity from the Russian side in Sweden?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Peter Hultqvist, for an important question!

Both the previous government and the current one have taken a number of measures. One of the most important measures is, of course, the relatively new security protection act, but also the new security protection ordinance.

Alongside this, the legislation on foreign direct investment in critical infrastructure entered into force in December 2023. There, ISB has a mandate to highlight and analyze the threats, risks, and vulnerabilities associated with the activities that Peter Hultqvist mentions.

The third is that the government has now received an investigation concerning properties in defense-related facilities and on creating better conditions for using, for example, the expropriation work.

Alongside this, very large investments are also being made in the intelligence and security service to strengthen our ability to resist different types of hybrid threats.

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Magnus Persson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Some time ago, we saw in the media that the Labour Court flagged that it would not be able to fulfill its mandate due to a too low budget framework.

The criticism from above all the Social Democrats was not long in coming, despite the minister being clear that he would handle the issue promptly. The truth, however, is that neither the Social Democrats nor any other party had raised the appropriations to the Labour Court in their respective budget motions.

It is clear, Mr. Speaker, that in labor market policy we often see moves, especially from the Social Democrats, that are completely unfunded and are solely about election treats ahead of upcoming elections. The unemployment insurance fund and the care deduction are two other such issues.

Now back to my question, which is addressed to Minister for Employment Britz: Will the Minister work to ensure that the Labour Court receives increased resources to be able to fulfill its mandate?

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Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for this important question. I can completely agree with the reasoning put forward by the member in many ways.

The Labour Court is a very important institution in Sweden. It should not have to postpone cases. The government has therefore allocated funds to the authority this year for the purchase of a new IT system, which has been a problem at the court. We also have an ongoing dialogue regarding measures moving forward.

In the current situation, it concerns an estimated deficit of 350,000 kronor for this year. In total, there is a budget of 40 million. I foresee that we will quickly be able to find a solution to the situation that has arisen for this year, and then we can return to the next year. The Labour Court must function and be able to conduct cases.

Thank you very much for the question!

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Isabell Mixter (V)

Mr. Speaker! Preschool should be a place where children can play and develop, where the puddles are fun to jump in and where the staff have time to see and take care of all the children.

TV4 has conducted an investigation showing increasing violence between children, resource shortages, and preschool teachers who suffer anxiety attacks due to the unsustainable working situation. Simona Mohamsson has commented on this, and her answer is that smaller child groups are needed.

It would be very good to regulate the size of the children's groups. Vänsterpartiet has long thought that we should introduce a cap on how many children there can be per children's group. The result after three years with this government is, however, constant cuts in welfare. The government has prioritized tax cuts for the millionaires over chairs and hands for the children to hold onto at the preschool. 25 percent of the country's municipalities expect to run a deficit this year, according to SKR.

My question to the Minister for Finance is: Does the government intend to inject money into the municipalities to ensure that safety at the preschool increases and the children's groups decrease?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Isabell Mixter for the question.

It is truly the case that many regions and municipalities have had tough years due to the high inflation, where costs simply spiraled in very many ways. That was also why the government was very careful about fighting inflation – the one we inherited was high. The major prioritization during the first years was also precisely our municipalities and regions and all activities in our welfare. The first and largest budget item in a state budget is general funds to municipalities and regions.

With that said, the work environment is a very important issue – for the children, naturally, but also for the preschool teachers and other staff. Here we need to work on many fronts. We need to work with leadership out in the municipalities. We need to work with boundary setting. We need to work with the parents. Parents need to take parental responsibility.

It is a large part that, I would still like to argue, is not about money. But there is money. One can always want more; that is obvious. But one must also work with issues of values and leadership. I believe that is the key in this case.

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Fredrik Lindstål (C)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the opportunity to ask a question! In my capacity as a newly elected Member of Parliament, I am now also asking my first question in this chamber, and I wish to direct it to Elisabeth Svantesson.

The government's initiative on repatriation divides Sweden and strengthens exclusion. It makes people in Sweden who were not born in Sweden, like myself, feel less Swedish and unwelcome. It makes people who have come to Sweden feel unwanted. It makes people who want to come to Sweden think twice.

The question has legal, social and political consequences but also economic ones. Therefore, I pose the question to the Minister for Finance.

It is not only people who are now choosing to opt out of Sweden, but also companies, both foreign and Swedish. Large investments that create jobs, welfare, and opportunities are disappearing because the image of Sweden is damaged.

How does the government view the negative economic consequence that the proposal on repatriation has when Sweden as a country is opted out?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to welcome Fredrik Lindstål to the Riksdag. This is a fantastic place to spend one's time, and it is a great trust.

I do not share the picture the member has. If there is anything Sweden is, it is a stable country to invest in. Sweden has a stable economy and a stable political majority here, for example. In France, I am now meeting my fourth finance minister, in Germany the third. There is political instability all around in all of Europe. Furthermore, we do not have economic instability.

Sweden is a country where the problem has been that an immigration that has been brutally large for many years has led to exclusion, crime, and other problems. The image of Sweden has thus been about Sweden being one of the countries with the most shootings and bombings per capita. It is that image we are now changing. It is that we are now doing something about.

I nevertheless share the member's view that it is important how we talk about this issue. The hard-working people I am talking about may have been born in Aleppo, Haparanda or Berlin.

(Applause)

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Ida Drougge (M)

Mr. Speaker! Sweden has built up a strong safety net. But sometimes it happens that the net which should catch people and help them move forward instead holds them back. It works particularly poorly for the person who has immigrated and come here without owning anything, without assets, and who has not had a job here before and therefore has not worked up any savings.

When families with maintenance support receive more in total benefits than a full-time job provides in wages, it becomes difficult to take the step towards self-sufficiency. I believe that few choose to live on benefits because it feels right. But today, the system can make it the rational economic choice. It is not dignified, and it is not good for Sweden or for the individual. More children need to see their parents go to work.

My question to the Minister for Finance is: How is the government progressing with the promised subsidy ceiling?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Ida Drougge, for the question! The short answer is: Good.

The somewhat longer answer is that we finally now have a subsidy reform in place with three important parts.

The first part is that an activity requirement will be introduced, meaning that when one receives social assistance for a long period despite having the ability to work, one shall provide a counter-performance. Why? Yes, because it is morally right, but also so that people do not get stuck in passivity.

The second part concerns a contribution ceiling, which Ida Drougge was touching upon. There is a moral perspective, a moral dimension, in this. Sweden has been built wealthy and has a high level of prosperity because many have contributed in different ways with the ability they have had. One has done one's duty and claimed one's right. So it must continue to be. But in recent decades, our contribution systems have unfortunately not functioned that way.

The third part is about qualifying for welfare through work.

All of this is important pieces of the puzzle to increase the drivers to work and enter society. It is morally right and fair for all those who go to work every day, whether they are born in Aleppo, Bjuv or Örebro.

(Applause)

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Heléne Björklund (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Defence in light of the information that has emerged regarding the air wing F 17 in Kallinge.

For a long period, firefighting foam containing PFAS was used there, and so-called test shots are said to have been carried out daily without this being classified as an exercise. In a recording, the then squadron commander says that he dodged a question about exercises and pretended not to understand in order not to reveal the extent. These statements have raised legitimate questions about responsibility, transparency, and trust in the Armed Forces.

My question is how the minister views the fact that the management at F 17 at that time, according to the recording, did not openly account for the extent of the use of PFAS foam. What does the minister say to those affected in Kallinge?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Heléne Björklund, for another important question!

Let me say that I have deep respect and understanding for those who have been affected by PFAS emissions. It is a large number of people, unfortunately. The Armed Forces share responsibility for this, but PFAS is a broader issue than just for the Armed Forces. It has also been said that those affected shall receive compensation, but it remains to be seen whether it is the Armed Forces or some other entity that will provide it to them. It is partly an ongoing legal process.

When it comes to the statement, I have also taken part in Kaliber's review. The person who was interviewed has personally apologized and considers it an unfortunate statement. The Armed Forces have also said this.

In one case, these are questions that go back to 2004. It has been a long time since the information emerged, but the Armed Forces have been clear that it was a poor statement. The person who made the statement has also apologized for it.

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Per Söderlund (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to direct my question to Minister of Defence Pål Jonson.

Despite the war in Ukraine and the very serious global situation, municipalities, regions, and the business sector are in some cases taking measures that could negatively affect our security. I am, of course, referring to the critical infrastructure that is of great importance for our total defense and which is being phased out or sold for purely economic reasons. We have recent examples such as Säve Airport, the closure of Sollefteå Hospital, and Lantmännen's phasing out of strategically important grain silos. All of these are important for the total defense.

The authorities seem to have difficulty keeping up with all of this, and according to our assessment, the government therefore needs to step in and pull the emergency brake. A national inventory of critical infrastructure is needed, meaning that the state steps in and actively reviews what can be sold and what cannot.

I would like to ask the Minister for Defence whether the government has taken or plans to take measures to ensure that critical infrastructure is not lost unnecessarily.

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Per Söderlund, for the question! It touches upon Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin's area of responsibility, but I would still like to say that a rapid buildup of civil defence is now taking place. There will actually be a fivefold increase in the appropriations. We have also obtained an organizational skeleton and a charter in civil defence through the sector system. Not least, we have a minister for civil defence who works full-time with just that portfolio. I think that has ensured that we have achieved good momentum in it.

It is, just as Per Söderlund says, that critical infrastructure can sometimes be affected by municipal self-government. But the Armed Forces and MSB have a very close cooperation regarding identifying infrastructure areas in society that are important for civil defense and military defense. This also occurs in very close cooperation with, for example, Trafikverket to coordinate planning regarding society-critical corridors. It is an intensive work that is now taking place in connection with the buildup of the total defense.

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Gustaf Göthberg (M)

Mr. Speaker! Nothing is more important than Ukraine winning the war. Few things are more important for Swedish security than seeing Ukrainian military successes on the battlefield. The support for this in the chamber is broad and great. Sweden is one of the largest contributors to Ukraine – politically, militarily and economically. We shall continue to be that, even in the future.

We have been able to see in recent media coverage that Volodymyr Zelenskyy was received by the Minister for Defence and the Prime Minister in Linköping two or three weeks ago. At that time, Sweden and Ukraine entered into a letter of intent regarding air defence. Ukraine has been clear that they want to receive Jas Gripen, and Sweden has responded to that. There is talk of 100–150 Gripen aircraft that at some point could be on their way to Ukraine to help them in their warfare and in their defense of the country.

Could Defense Minister Pål Jonson tell us a bit more about how the government views this opportunity and how it might affect future Swedish support for Ukraine?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Gustaf Göthberg, for the question! It feels extra urgent considering that in an hour or so I will be receiving Ukraine's Minister of Defense, who has been in Linköping during the morning. He will be here in Stockholm during the afternoon and evening.

When we design the support for Ukraine, we do so based on the Ukrainian needs, including the military ones. We have very good conditions to provide a strong and long-term support for Ukraine, not least in light of the fact that we have allocated 40 billion kronor in support for next year and just as much the year after that. Sweden is one of the countries that has the strongest support for Ukraine in the world. There is reason to feel pride in that.

What was done in Linköping was to demonstrate a political will from both the Ukrainian and Swedish sides. We want to move forward and create the conditions so that the Gripen can form the backbone of the Ukrainian air defense. Now we will continue to work on testing feasibility, financing, and production capacity. But we are, of course, very honored that Ukraine identifies the Gripen as a potential backbone in its air defense.

(Applause)

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Adrian Magnusson (S)

Mr. Speaker! Regardless of what some right-wing politicians want to give the impression of here in the chamber and in other contexts, it is winter on the Swedish labor market. We have a high unemployment rate that is sticking and has been sticking for a very long time. No brightening is in sight. SCB's latest figures for the third quarter confirm this: We have a continued high unemployment in Sweden.

We also see how it is spreading to some new groups that historically perhaps have not been affected by high unemployment. We see, for example, that unemployment is becoming increasingly high among academics – young people who have attended university or college then go straight into unemployment. This is a partially new reality, and what it is due to, one can certainly have long discussions about.

I want to ask the third liberal labor market minister in three years what grade he gives to the Liberals' and the government's labor market policy.

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Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Adrian Magnusson, for the question!

Yes, the unemployment in Sweden is too high. I do not believe that anyone in this chamber is pretending otherwise – at least I have not heard it.

We are now doing three things to break the structural unemployment. We are investing in education that leads to jobs. We ensure that it always pays better to work than to receive benefits. And we conduct a strict policy regarding asylum immigration. As I mentioned earlier, half of the unemployed are foreign-born, have problems with the language, and often lack the formal competence and education required for employers to consider them sufficient.

Since then, we have had a prolonged recession. This also means that many are having a tough time on the labor market. Groups that previously have not experienced unemployment are experiencing it today, just as the member mentions. That is why we are presenting a budget to break the recession and thereby reduce Swedish unemployment. Thank you for the question!

(Applause)

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Martin Westmont (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Today, a foreigner staying illegally in Sweden can rent a residence. There is no legislation preventing this. Not even when a person does not have the legal right to stay in Sweden can the landlord evict the illegal migrant. This means that foreigners who, according to Swedish law, should leave the country, in practice have the conditions to remain here.

There is no reason for housing to be rented out to illegal migrants if the objective is that as many illegal migrants as possible should return to their home countries. We also know that illegal migrants are an integrated part of the illegal economy in Sweden. The more who go home, the safer Sweden becomes.

Is the Minister for Migration prepared to work for legislation that makes it possible for landlords to evict foreigners who are staying illegally in Sweden so that more illegal migrants are forced to leave Sweden?

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Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Martin Westmont, for the question!

If one does not have the legal right to be in Sweden, one should not rent a residence, but instead should return home. We are doing several things to ensure that this also becomes the case.

Let me begin by saying that this has been very neglected for very many years. There has been an ambiguity in the policy. Decisions made have not been implemented. It is not just about the forced return, but above all – and it may be particularly important – about the voluntary. It is the fastest, most effective and most humane, and also the cheapest in this context.

We are making a long series of changes. I have not looked closer at the specific issue of rent, but let me mention that we are now, for example, implementing a major change to the regulatory framework regarding internal alien control. We have also significantly extended the prescription period which, under the previous regulatory framework, meant that every third asylum application in Sweden actually came from a person who had previously applied for asylum and been rejected but still chose to stay and then applied for asylum again.

We are changing all of this now to ensure the fundamental principle in migration policy: If you are denied, you must actually return home.

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Lorena Delgado Varas (-)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to Minister Jonson.

Under this government, the DCA agreement has been signed, which grants soldiers from the USA immunity on Swedish soil. This means a parallel legal system where Swedish courts are powerless.

History shows the consequences of this. In South Korea, for example, soldiers abused a man so severely that he suffered permanent injuries, and they received only reprimands. In Japan, over 400,000 crimes have not been prosecuted. In Colombia, personnel from the USA were co-responsible for murders without being brought before a Colombian court.

How can one, in good conscience, prioritize this agreement over Swedish citizens' right to justice? I also wonder: What will the minister say to a Swedish family affected by crime in the way that has occurred all around the world?

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Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I must correct the member. They do not have immunity when it comes to criminal legislation. What it is about is that, primarily, it should be American legislation that is applied. But there is also a possibility to use Swedish legislation in this context. There is, therefore, no immunity. I have heard that myth being cultivated in some places.

The second dimension is: Is it about 17 American bases? No, it is 17 Swedish bases where there is an opportunity for the Americans to, for example, store materiel. It is therefore not about any permanent bases. It is not possible to draw parallels to, for example, Okinawa in Japan, which consists of 80,000 American soldiers and citizens, and compare it with the Swedish DCA agreement. It is fundamentally different.

The DCA agreement entered into force over a year ago. I do not know which problems the members have identified. But I can state that there is a great deal of myth-making. Through the DCA agreement, we get better conditions to receive support from the USA more quickly in the event of a crisis or war.

(Applause)

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Jennie Wernäng (M)

Mr. Speaker! I have had a fantastic intern with me this week, Wilma Bardh from Vetlanda, who is sitting in the gallery. She has been tasked with writing a question that she wants to ask Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson. I will read it out: I and several young people in my town feel unsafe in the evenings because there are rarely any police nearby. What is the government doing to ensure that even smaller towns get a visible and present local police?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Jennie Wernäng and the intern, for that question! It is an incredibly important question.

One of the most important tasks we, the government and the Sweden Democrats, have is to ensure that we reverse the development that had been ongoing for a long time, with a brutal insecurity and a brutal criminality. When one no longer feels safe, one can also not be free.

Both in opposition and now in government position, I have been and am very happy and proud that we have been able to strengthen the police with resources. If you do not get more money, you cannot have more police officers. But we have also ensured that the police have received and continue to receive new tools so that they can do their job. Previously, there has been far too much legislation that, for example, has prevented the police from sharing information with other authorities.

Step by step, we are providing money and tools, and the number of police officers is now increasing. If we compare with when we took office, it is an increase of a total of 2,937 police officers. And that is almost 1,900 more uniformed police officers in outer service. It takes time to train police officers, but we will continue to do so. There shall be more police officers in all municipalities.

(Applause)

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Marie Olsson (S)

Mr. Speaker! Under the SD government, ten years of real wage increases have been erased. Unemployment has increased, and growth has been at the bottom of the EU.

Now comes the next slap in the face, a parking tax. From next year, tenants and housing cooperative owners will have to start paying VAT on their parking spaces. It could amount to several hundred kronor a month at a time when many are already being squeezed by high rents and interest rates and high food prices. One of the families who has contacted me says that their parking fees will be increased by 6,000 kronor per year. For many, it eats up the entire tax cut.

My question to the Minister for Finance is therefore: Why is the government making it even more expensive to live and park the car?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Marie Olsson, for a very important question that affects an enormous number of people!

This is, therefore, not a decision that the government has taken. In the name of honesty, I will say that I myself was very surprised when I saw the Swedish Tax Agency's decision and interpretation a few days ago.

Now it is such in Sweden that it is the authorities who interpret the legislation, but it is we who enact the laws. I also saw that the Swedish Tax Agency today or yesterday came out and said that the date when this is intended to start applying would be postponed.

But let me be clear. I was surprised. I believe many of us were. This is not an active decision from the government's side. I and we at the Ministry of Finance will analyze the issue and have contact and discussion with the Swedish Tax Agency to understand how they have arrived at this interpretation. We have to take it from there, so to speak. But it is truly not the government that has made this decision.

On the other hand, we have made many decisions, as Marie Olsson also mentioned, that strengthen households. It is about lowered taxes, lowered fuel prices, and much more. I do not have time to tell about that now, but we also stand here on the side of the hard-working people who have parking.

(Applause)

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Jonathan Svensson (S)

Mr. Speaker! A secure unemployment insurance fund with good benefits provides protection against wage pressure and provides security if one loses their job. But the unemployment insurance fund also functions as a regulator in the economy, because when the economic cycle turns downward, purchasing power is maintained at a relatively high level. This counteracts the prolongation of the recession.

Since October 1 of this year, however, new rules apply in the unemployment insurance fund (a-kassan), where the government has implemented several deteriorations. The greatest deterioration is the steeper tapering of the compensation in the unemployment insurance fund. The reduction of the unemployment insurance fund hits workers and low-income earners hardest. Not least, it will hit many of the women who sustain our society within, for example, childcare and elderly care, unreasonably hard.

At a time when unemployment is at a record high, the government chooses to worsen the unemployment insurance for Sweden's workers. I would therefore like to ask the Minister for Employment: Why are the Minister for Employment and the government worsening the unemployment insurance in the midst of a burning recession?

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Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Jonathan Svensson, for this question! The unemployment insurance fund (A-kassan) is an important piece of the Swedish security system. The unemployment insurance fund shall be a transition insurance. This means that it shall provide security between jobs, but it shall not be a long-term provision.

We are now improving the unemployment insurance (a-kassan) in a number of areas in different ways. We are raising the ceiling, so that one receives more in compensation at the beginning of a period of unemployment. We are making it income-based, which makes it easier for companies and individuals. It will also mean that more people are covered by the new unemployment insurance.

The new unemployment insurance fund is much better than the old unemployment insurance fund. It is to be a security between jobs. The tapering is important, because we want higher compensation at the beginning, and then we shall also have a clear tapering. It is an important driver for people, because it must always pay off better to work than to live on benefits.

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Daniel Riazat (-)

Mr. Speaker! This government's policy is so catastrophic that it is difficult to know which issue to start with here on the Thursdays. But I choose to ask a question about the economic policy.

We live in a situation where families with children are having a very difficult time. 30 percent of single parents have difficulty putting food on the table. Child poverty is increasing. There are record numbers of bankruptcies among small business owners. We also know that many people cannot pay their rent on time.

This is happening at the same time as the government has seen to the fact that the number of dollar billionaires and millionaires is increasing in what was once in time the world's most equal country. This is happening at the same time as the government refuses to sit down with the big food giants, who rob the people through sky-high prices while the owners of these large companies every year put millions and billions into their own pockets.

I wonder: What does the government intend to do to reverse this trend? Or will you continue to favor billionaires and millionaires at the expense of the majority of Sweden's population?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for the question! But I still wonder where the Member has been for the last three years.

This government is now lowering the food VAT. We have now for three years in a row lowered the tax for everyone who works, and we have lowered the tax on pension. This government has raised the ceiling for the housing allowance. That had not been done since 1997, if I remember correctly. This government also ensures that the preschool fee becomes lower.

This government has made it so that a tank of fuel – it is many who must refuel, either they vote left or right – costs approximately half of what it cost when Vänsterpartiet, Socialdemokraterna and Miljöpartiet left government responsibility.

This government is taking steps, one by one, to support just hard-working people. We ensure that the nursing assistant who struggles every day gets to keep significantly more of their income. Next year, a family with two children will receive 5,000 kronor more every month. This is about standing on the side of households and people.

(Applause)

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Boriana Åberg (M)

Mr. Speaker! Minister for Finance! For a long time, organized crime has been allowed to grow in Sweden. According to the police, the criminal economy turns over between 100 and 150 billion kronor every year. It is no secret that criminals are driven by money. Behind every shooting, every explosion, and every recruited child, there is money. It is money that is laundered or taken out of Sweden in suitcases with cash to be reinvested in drugs, weapons, or other crimes.

My question to the Minister for Finance is: What is the government doing to stop the export of cash to third countries and also to countries within the EU?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Boriana Åberg, for a very important question! A part of the large and serious crime that we have experienced in Sweden for a long time is money. The gangs are driven by money. Therefore, this government has been clear that we are not only having increased penalties and not only – do not misunderstand me! – investing in the important preventive work, but we are also cutting off the taps to the criminal gangs.

I know that a former Prime Minister, Magdalena Andersson, sometimes said that she turned over different stones. We do not do that. We tackle the problems step by step. We have changed the legislation in many areas. We ensure that the authorities can work more closely. We change, for example, things regarding the sharing of information. Today, we have made a decision not to let crime profits and billions flow between our countries, even though we have free movement in Europe. Therefore, we have now introduced an obligation to report when one transfers such large amounts of cash.

We take it step by step. It is a multitude of different things we do to stop crime so that Sweden will become a safer and more secure country.

(Applause)

Question time was hereby concluded.

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