Question Time

FÖRSTE VICE TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions will be answered today by Minister for Education and Integration Simona Mohamsson, Minister for Social Affairs Jakob Forssmed, 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 Council of State's area of responsibility and concerns his/her performance of duties. The question shall therefore not concern, for example, conditions within political parties. Minister for Education and Integration Simona Mohamsson answers both general political questions and questions within her own area of responsibility.

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

Ardalan Shekarabi (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Employment. In October, Sweden had the same level of unemployment as during the worst month of the pandemic. Now we have the EU's third highest unemployment. Unemployment has increased by 100,000 people since the government took office.

Despite this, the number of people who are in training leading to jobs is at a record low. Arbetsförmedlingen plans to send back several billion kronor to the government – billions that would have gone to training leading to work.

I would therefore like to ask the Minister for Employment: Does the government intend, during the two weeks remaining of the year, to make a decision to ensure that Arbetsförmedlingen actually finances training that leads to jobs with the resources that the Riksdag has allocated to Arbetsförmedlingen? Or does the government accept that Arbetsförmedlingen lets these funds burn away?

(Applause)

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

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

Arbetsförmedlingen is not functioning well enough. I think Ardalan Shekarabi is right about that. Among other things, that is why we have tasked the agency with assigning many more people to regular education. We are not there yet. More must attend the vocational training programs in order to be able to take the vacant jobs that exist in Sweden. Successively, that direction will also mean that the appropriations are spent.

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

Ardalan Shekarabi (S)

Mr. Speaker! I received no answer to the question. There are two, actually almost three, weeks left of 2025. The Government has every opportunity in the world to make decisions that Arbetsförmedlingen shall use these resources to, among other things, finance labor market training and other training and measures that lead to jobs.

In a situation where Sweden has the EU's third highest unemployment, with 100,000 more unemployed, does the government now intend to make a decision to ensure that Arbetsförmedlingen uses the resources in the right way?

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! As I mentioned in my first answer, it is clear that we want Arbetsförmedlingen to assign more people to training. There are also many training places. But one must remember that one reason for the problems we see at Arbetsförmedlingen and for the fact that Arbetsförmedlingen functions poorly is the chaotic privatization that the Socialdemokraterna and Centerpartiet forced through during the last parliamentary term. Valuable time has been spent on privatizing parts of the operations instead of supporting the unemployed and assigning them to training that leads to jobs.

(Applause)

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

Magnus Persson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! The number of new applications for unemployment insurance continues to decrease sharply for the fourth month in a row, according to a report from Sveriges a-kassor that we were able to review. It is also pleasing that the number of layoffs is decreasing. November's layoff figures are the lowest since August 2023. These are figures that clearly show that the Sverigedemokraternas and the government's measures linked to cyclical unemployment are having an effect.

But the big problem, Mr. Speaker, is the structural long-term unemployment, which is clearly linked to previous governments' destructive policies. My question goes to the Minister for Employment: What does the Minister consider to be the highest priority in the work against structural long-term unemployment?

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much, Magnus Persson, for a good and important question!

We are now successively implementing a plan to break the recession and thereby also address the cyclical unemployment. But the challenge remains in the structural unemployment we have, where half of the unemployed are foreign-born and lack the language skills, formal education, competencies, and experiences that employers demand.

Therefore, it is important that we invest in two things above all else, I would say. One is education that leads to jobs, not least vocational training, and the other is that we continue to have a strict asylum migration to Sweden.

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

Magnus Persson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister for Employment, for the answer!

Much work will still be required ahead, but the dividing line in Swedish politics is clear on the issue: the Tidö parties' work line, which gives people opportunities, or the Social Democrats' destructive contribution line, which cements exclusion. It is an analysis that I assume the Minister for Employment holds with.

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! I completely share Magnus Persson's view of the situation. I am very concerned when I hear how the Social Democrats, the Left Party and the Green Party, above all, propose that we should increase the benefits for those who have not supported themselves for a long time. This would lead to even longer periods of unemployment and even greater exclusion and to major problems not only for our country but also for the people who are affected by the destructive policy.

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

Ciczie Weidby (V)

Mr. Speaker! Johan Britz can stand firm. About a month ago, I stood here and asked Johan Britz what he intended to do about all the poor alternatives and training programs that are supposed to get people into work but do not. Most recently, just a few days ago, we read about people who are made to sort screws and unscrew pallets as a way to check their work ability.

Johan Britz then told me that this really is not good; all people must be equipped in a good way to be able to get a job. He said that the privatization zeal that prevailed during the previous mandate period must be stopped. Now I became even happier when Johan Britz used the term chaos privatization, something we from the very beginning have thought it was.

But then my question to Johan Britz is: How does Johan Britz think it is going when it comes to stopping these bad alternatives and actually ensuring that people are equipped to get a job?

(Applause)

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

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

I believe we are in complete agreement that the measures offered by Arbetsförmedlingen – whether in public or private hands – shall be of high quality and mean that people come closer to the labor market.

Unfortunately, we have a situation where the control has not functioned. But Arbetsförmedlingen has progressively increased the control and terminated a number of contracts with external suppliers because the quality has not met the standard.

This is a journey that has only just begun. It will take a good while to clean up after the previous mandate period's chaos-privatizations and the burden and backpack we carry with us from that.

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

Ciczie Weidby (V)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much for the answer, Minister for Employment!

I am pleased that work has begun to get people into work in a dignified way. That is what we want, because people want to get into work. People are not just a burden for society, but we should see all people as an asset so that they can get into work and do right by themselves. One should not punish people all the way but also give them strength and opportunity. I am very happy that I receive this news also from the Minister for Employment.

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Ciczie Weidby, for the comment! I am not sure that I perceived any question, but if it was a question, we can take it later.

I agree. The policy pursued by the Social Democrats and the Centre Party during the previous parliamentary term has been harmful to the Public Employment Service's opportunities to do the right thing. Now we are gradually cleaning up after this, but as said, it will take some time.

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

Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question for Minister for Education and Integration Mohamsson, just because she is both.

Every year we have 20,000 pupils in Swedish primary school who do not pass school and who instead directly move on to a profession. It is one in six pupils. In our neighboring countries, it is one in twenty. Why is it like this, and why is the government doing nothing? That is the big question.

You are talking about a ten-year primary school. It will not make any difference until perhaps 13 years from now. You are talking about a new grading system. Then Skolverket must first learn how to create IT systems, and you will have to start submitting propositions. Apparently, that can take some time.

This is a catastrophe for the individual. It increases unemployment, it increases crime, it is a catastrophe for integration, and it also means that companies cannot get competence. It particularly affects marginalized areas and the countryside. Why does the government not want to do something about this here and now? This is what creates unemployment.

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

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

We know that every fourth 15-year-old today cannot read properly. We see how the violence is increasing in the Swedish school, and we are well aware that there is both a literacy crisis and a safety crisis in the Swedish school.

That is why this government is making the largest reforms in over 30 years. It is about strengthening the teaching profession so that teachers' status increases and the working environment is put into focus. It is about us having order and structure in our classrooms so that one can focus on solving the math problem instead of on the mobile phone, for example.

It is also about ensuring that no child is left behind. The member mentioned, among other things, a new grading system. We also have a new support system that will be put in place to help the children who need help the most. We do all of this so that no child is left behind.

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

Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)

Mr. Speaker! That is good. But we are talking about 20,000 young people, and it does not help that much to talk. We have no bills on the table, and we do not have more money for schools from the government than we have had previously. In the current situation, there is nothing from the government that has any effect on this. There is nothing, and it is about 20,000 students!

Why not open up, for example, the vocational programs so that one can apply based on average grades? Half of the students have an average of Pass. Why should they not be able to move forward? Why not open up so that one can demonstrate their competence through a vocational test? This applies, for example, to students who could attend the vehicle program by showing that they can work on cars. Today, they are not allowed to go there because they failed in English. Why? It is time to open up.

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

Mr. Speaker! It is incorrect to claim that the government is doing nothing. We have presented the largest budget for schools in modern times. School is one of the government's most important priorities, and that is also why we are implementing the largest changes and reforms in over 30 years. We are doing this after eight lost years when the Social Democrats ruled the Ministry of Education.

I am glad that we are now restructuring Swedish school so that all children receive the basics in reading, writing, and arithmetic.

(Applause)

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

Camilla Hansén (MP)

Mr. Speaker! A few weeks ago, the government extended the time for the investigation on strengthened quality in preschool and on language preschool in order to set clearer requirements regarding the Swedish language.

Mohamsson says in an interview that Swedish is not a luxury but a right and, above all, a necessity. The vast majority know very well that good knowledge of the Swedish language is important in our country. Many preschools work closely with researchers to develop language education as a whole in the preschool.

It appears in the preschool curriculum that the education in preschool shall lay a foundation for the children's understanding of different languages and cultures. In the Language Act, which Mohamsson mentions in the interview, the public's responsibility is regulated so that everyone is given access to language and for the use of language in public activities, i.e., in preschool.

My question to the Minister for Education and Integration is: How will the government ensure that the provisions in the Language Act regarding safeguarding Swedish and linguistic diversity, as well as ensuring that those who have another mother tongue are given the opportunity to develop and use it, actually apply?

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, member, for the question about an incredibly important part of all children's opportunity to succeed in life, namely the Swedish language!

It is almost a bit comical that we need to discuss whether the Swedish language should be a given or not in Swedish schools and preschools. That the government is now ensuring to make a major turnaround and re-evaluate the Swedish language in school is crucial, especially for those children who do not get the language from home. They are the ones who do not have bookshelves filled with books and those who do not have the language as a natural part of their everyday lives. They must get it precisely in school.

It all begins in preschool. That is why the government has taken the initiative to strengthen the work for the Swedish language, among other things by having language preschools for the children who need the language the most. We will continue to work every day so that the language does not be a luxury for a few.

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

Camilla Hansén (MP)

Mr. Speaker! No, Simona Mohamsson, this is not the least bit comical. It is about a right to language, both to one's mother tongue and to learning Swedish when attending preschool. This is real; no investigations or any extended investigation time were needed for this. This is in the curriculum, and it is in the Language Act.

I want to know what you are going to do now in your activities – not in an investigation that might land on the next government's table – so that children get the right that the law says now.

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

Mr. Speaker and Member! I understand and share the Member's frustration that it may feel like it is going too slowly.

The government works every day to reform Swedish school policy so that we get a world-class knowledge school, where language is absolutely crucial. Even though it can be frustrating that it takes a long time, it takes a long time to re-regulate Swedish school. We shall ensure that the principals do not use the school as a yo-yo, and it should not matter where one lives. Therefore, it is crucial that we continue to take steps to re-regulate Swedish school.

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

Viktor Wärnick (M)

Mr. Speaker! Last week, the Moderate-led government presented a proposal for a new order for persons with deportation decisions who, due to temporary execution obstacles, cannot leave Sweden immediately.

This is a welcome and long-awaited step in the migration policy work to ensure that a no actually means a no. Today's regulatory framework has meant that persons to be deported, for example because they have committed crimes or because they pose a security threat, have been able to be granted residence permits when the deportation could not be executed immediately.

It has resulted in these individuals being able to continue living as usual in Sweden with full access to the labor market and the Swedish welfare state and with freedom of movement within the European Union. This is, of course, completely unreasonable, and it undermines confidence in the entire Swedish migration policy.

Against that background, I would like to ask Migration Minister Johan Forssell: What does the proposal mean in practice, and what effect does the Minister expect from the changes?

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

Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Viktor Wärnick, for the question!

It is exactly as Viktor Wärnick says, and it is very provocative. We have inherited a situation where it turns out that persons who have committed serious crimes in Sweden, who have been sentenced to deportation or even constitute a security threat to Sweden, have instead been able to obtain residence permits in Sweden, rather than having an enforcement of a deportation decision. And not only that: One has even been able to gain access to the Swedish welfare system. One has received housing allowance and child allowance, and one has been able to move around as usual here, despite the fact that one should have been deported from the very beginning.

Now we are changing all of this. We are developing entirely new legislation and tightening the rules significantly for this group. There will be no child allowance. There will be no housing allowance. There will be area restrictions. There will be controls.

We will constantly pressure this group to ensure that one actually goes home. One will not receive any residence permit. One will receive a deportation decision so that one cannot commit new crimes or pose a danger to our country.

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

Viktor Wärnick (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to begin by thanking the Minister for the answer. Finally, Sweden is getting order into the migration policy chaos that the Social Democrats, together with the Green Party and the Left Party, left behind. It matters who is in power!

An important part of the Moderate-led government's paradigm shift concerns, just like the proposal we are now discussing, ensuring that the return is streamlined and increased.

What can the Minister say about the government's other measures to increase the return of those who do not have the right to stay in Sweden?

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

Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! This is a very high-priority issue for us. We are using all the tools in our toolbox to ensure that the small group who actually commit crimes are deported, partly so that they cannot commit any new crimes, and partly so that our crime victims shall receive the justice they deserve but have not received.

This also shows the difference between left and right. With the S-led government, this group received residence permits in Sweden. With the bourgeois government, they instead receive a deportation decision.

(Applause)

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

Hans Eklind (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Christmas is approaching. We are to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I believe that many of us think of Christmas with joy. We think about that we will get to be with relatives and friends, we will get to eat delicious Christmas food and so on.

But for others, this holiday is filled with anguish because one is alone. In my service as a parish priest in the Church of Sweden, I, my colleagues, and the congregation lived with this duality. We did our absolute best, on one hand to be able to celebrate, and on the other hand to be able to rescue all these people who are alone against their will.

A few days ago I read a survey, admittedly two years old, which showed that every fifth person feels lonely during Christmas. In the age group 18–34 years, it is every third person who feels lonely during Christmas.

My simple question goes to Social Minister Jakob Forssmed: What is the government doing to address involuntary loneliness?

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

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Hans Eklind for an extremely urgent question!

Loneliness is an experience that everyone possesses but which affects people very differently and at different stages of life. Loneliness affects people like a kind of chronic stress. We know, for example, that the blood vessels in the body physically contract in a kind of the body's protest against living in conflict with what it means to be human.

This is something I am glad we are taking seriously. We have moved from seeing it as an individual problem to viewing it as a societal problem. We have developed one of the world's first national strategies against loneliness, and we are making a major investment, also with funding, to break loneliness among people. Municipalities will, for example, get greater opportunities to carry out outreach activities toward different individuals.

There are some things we do to break the loneliness, for this is incredibly important.

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

Hans Eklind (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister for Social Affairs!

I feel both proud and warm inside when I see and hear that we have a minister and a government that truly takes this seriously.

With my background in civil society, perhaps I may be allowed to ask a follow-up question. Civil society is a fantastic resource and an enormous force. How does the government intend to be able to mobilize this force? I believe, namely, that they are extremely skilled if they are only given help to perform their job.

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

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I completely agree. Loneliness is one of those problems in life where it is very difficult to do anything on your own. It requires that there is someone on the other side who reaches out a hand. In that regard, civil society is phenomenal. I am also pleased that we are providing 100 million per year so that they can expand their activities and try new ways to reach new groups.

I also want to issue an appeal to everyone to ask themselves the question: Is it time for me to get involved in civil society and make a contribution? It can also mean quite a lot for how one feels personally.

(Applause)

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

Helene Odenjung (L)

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

Having a job is not just about having a salary – it is freedom, and it creates empowerment and an opportunity to both belong and contribute.

More children need to see their parents go to work. A job breaks social exclusion, provides self-sufficiency, and also creates the conditions to build a life for oneself and for one's family. Work is the foundation for people to be able to shape their own future, take responsibility, and contribute to our common society.

Unemployment is still high, and many are far from the labor market. Therefore, I want to ask: What is the government's plan to combat unemployment in the long term and ensure that people get the chance to both work, contribute, and create their own freedom?

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

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

Unemployment in Sweden is too high. It is approximately half a million people who are unemployed. Half of them are foreign-born. Of those who are long-term unemployed, almost two-thirds are foreign-born.

Most people who are unemployed are so because they currently lack the competence and knowledge that employers demand. Language is, of course, completely central here. Different types of educational initiatives will therefore always be the first and most important answer when it comes to breaking and cracking unemployment – education that leads to jobs, preferably vocational training but also language training for those who have those needs.

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

Helene Odenjung (L)

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

I have a supplementary question concerning a group that perhaps is not talked about as often, but whom we have all encountered, namely job seekers who have turned 50. They are often well-educated, but they experience that they are suddenly completely unwanted on the labor market. Several of them speak about being subjected to ageism.

What does the government intend to come back with in that situation for that group?

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

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

I believe it is very important that we discuss the issue of ageism. The first thing we must be clear about is that age discrimination is prohibited and must be combated. Employers who opt out of competent candidates because of their age must actually start behaving. It is a myth that people older in age have more difficulty learning new things, are less flexible, or lack drive. There is an age fixation in Sweden that we need to deal with.

I thank you for the question and the discussion!

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

Rose-Marie Carlsson (S)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question for the Minister for Education and Integration.

This week, we have once again seen revelations about the profit-driven Tellus Group. We have known since earlier that the group has cut back on children's food in order to make money. The children were served crispbread and water. This time, it was about locks on the refrigerator, children falling out through windows, and staff expected to exert pressure on the parents.

We also know that Telluskoncernen has close links to the Liberals as a party. We have a current minister who had to sell her shares when she became a minister and joined the government. The company's CEO has a background within Folkpartiet liberalerna, and Tellusgruppens press chief has been a campaign manager for the Liberals.

We can observe that there are many with a background in the Liberals who transition to helping the corporation pursue profit-seeking in preschool and school. The liberal minister has previously stated and demanded that children should come before listed companies. My question is: When can we see a concrete proposal that puts a stop to this profit-seeking?

(Applause)

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

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

We received a clear mandate from the voters and have now gathered a majority to carry out the biggest change of the Swedish school and independent school system in over 30 years.

It is not least about regulating the school and such things that must be in place in both municipal schools and schools with private operators.

We have strengthened the right to learning materials. Since the summer break, all children have been met with staffed school libraries. These are important reforms for Swedish school.

We have now also appointed an inquiry to regulate the size of children's groups in preschool. I have also recently announced that we plan to do the same for classes in primary school.

The government has additionally allocated funds in the autumn budget bill to proceed with the proposals in the investigation we have received regarding profit caps. We will return during the mandate period.

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

Clara Aranda (SD)

Mr. Speaker! ALS is a disease that involves certain muscles in the body becoming paralyzed gradually. The cause of this is that the nerve cells that control the muscles die. Today, it is not possible to recover from the disease. However, there is a medication that can alleviate the symptoms.

A medicine called Qalsody treats an unusual genetic form of the neurological disease. Although approval of the medicine is recommended by the European Medicines Agency EMA, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions' council for new therapies, the NT-council, advises the regions against using the treatment, partly because the costs are too high.

After harsh criticism, the council is now opening up to potentially revise its decision. How does the Minister for Social Affairs view the fact that functional and recommended medicines for ALS are not being used by Swedish health and medical care? Does the Minister intend to act to change this?

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

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Clara Aranda, for the question and for a great commitment to a situation for patients that is very troublesome.

It is an incredibly serious and troublesome disease for the people who are affected by it. One should have access to the best possible care and treatment within the frameworks that are established.

In Sweden, we have a system where it is not the government that makes the decisions regarding the type of medicines that Clara Aranda points out. In this case, it is a council under Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner that makes those decisions.

One can wonder if we have the best arrangement in Sweden. It is a rather impenetrable and difficult-to-understand pharmaceutical system that we have, where many different organs and instances are involved and make decisions regarding pharmaceuticals.

I do not rule out considering changes in the way of working. But I cannot comment on the individual decisions regarding individual medicines.

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

Caroline Täljeblad (V)

Mr. Speaker! Popular education in Sweden is in crisis. The government's cuts have had devastating consequences. Study associations have lost every third krona, and the state grants do not cover the actual costs for the folk high schools to be able to conduct their activities with good quality.

In my home county of Västerbotten, it results in that the general courses at the folk high schools in Vindeln and Lycksele risk being shut down during the next year.

Individuals who have been unable to complete studies at the upper secondary level or for other reasons have fallen into exclusion and are now, with the help of the folk high school, on their way back, will end up on square one again.

The folk high school is a lifeline in our country for people with disabilities who need support and flexibility, for newcomers who need a context, and for a living countryside. Without folk education, Sweden falls silent.

What does the government intend to do to improve the opportunities for folk high school studies?

(Applause)

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

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

I agree that when one does not succeed in school, there is a great risk of ending up in permanent exclusion. The best vaccine against that exclusion is that we ensure that no child is left behind.

It is a matter of all children receiving the support they need in school in order to then manage further in life. It is about them mastering the basics of being able to read, write, and calculate.

That is also why we are overhauling Swedish school and reforming it from the ground up. We must not have a situation where every fourth 15-year-old cannot read properly. We must not have a risk that children do not manage in school and end up in permanent exclusion.

The best vaccine against exclusion is that one passes school. Our full focus is precisely to get more to pass school.

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

Martina Johansson (C)

Mr. Speaker! Unemployment in Sweden is, as we have previously heard, the third highest in the EU. At the same time, tens of thousands of young people are graduating from universities into unemployment.

Today, academics make up a larger proportion of the group of unemployed than those with upper secondary education. The academics have both education and, in many cases, very good Swedish.

Centerpartiet has a reform agenda for how we can get more jobs while emissions are reduced. The government's policy so far has been the opposite: jobs have become fewer and emissions have increased.

My question to Minister for Employment Johan Britz is: What is the Minister's and the Government's answer to the academics who are unemployed, where a large proportion have entered the category of long-term unemployed?

(Applause)

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

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

The government is now launching, step by step, the plan we have to break the recession and crack unemployment. The unemployment that the member mentions, which affects people who may have a university education or a higher education, is largely cyclical.

That is why we are now investing substantial resources to get the wheels turning a bit faster in Sweden. We ensure that it becomes cheaper to buy food and to employ young people. We ensure that people get more money in their pockets. We ensure that it becomes easier and more profitable to run businesses. That is how we create more jobs.

We live in an uncertain world. A year ago, we saw that the curves began to point in the right direction, and then Donald Trump took office in the White House. The government meets this by investing to break the recession we are in.

(Applause)

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

Jacob Risberg (MP)

Mr. Speaker! The question of age limits for children and young people on social media has been discussed extensively recently. There are many aspects to it – from technical security to children's right to express themselves in different contexts. It concerns everything from the big tech companies' responsibility for moderation to scientific investigations and views on long sessions on social media and the constant influx of new posts.

Neuroscience has begun to reach some form of consensus on the issues. In summary, it can be said that a striking number of people see that constant dopamine kicks as a reward are definitely not what our brains have evolved for.

My question to Social Minister Jakob Forssmed is: How will the minister ensure that genuine health aspects will be weighed in continued discussions on potential legislation or other forms of restrictions or regulations?

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

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Jacob Risberg, for an extremely urgent question!

The health aspects are the entire basis for my and the government's commitment to this. We saw that something is happening, not least in social media and the extremely long screen time that Swedish children and young people have.

It is about the impressions one receives and the algorithms that lead into increasingly extreme content that is addictive. It leads to one constantly being fed new, extensive and more extreme impressions.

This is the reason why we are working hard to ensure that the EU puts increased pressure on the tech companies to remove the algorithms and create safe environments for children and young people.

We have appointed the Inquiry on an age limit on social media. We have produced recommendations for Swedish parents and other adults to achieve a reasonable stance on that which we have simply let happen for a very long time.

The health aspects will weigh very heavily in this. I also note where the research stands. The neuroscientists say one thing, while there are some others who speak of other perspectives that I think should recede a bit. One should focus on the risks that exist.

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

Saila Quicklund (M)

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

For the fourth consecutive month, unemployment is now falling, including youth unemployment. Even the number of layoffs is decreasing. And Boverket announced in the news today that they see a brightening for housing construction, with 32,000 new homes this year and 35,000 next year. That is good for jobs. We also know that inflation has gone down, from 10 percent in 2022 to 2.3 percent today.

My question to the Minister is: How will the government proceed to strengthen these positive effects in the area of the labor market?

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Saila Quicklund, for this question!

Yes, there are some signs that the Swedish economy is starting to turn. But I want to be clear that it is too early to call it a success. We need to continue this agenda so that there is more money in the wallet, for clearer requirements for those who do not work today and who have not supported themselves for a long time, and to invest in education that leads to jobs. It is the way forward during a long recession, but it is also the way forward if it is the case that the economy is now turning.

We see some positive signs, but we cannot celebrate yet.

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

Ingemar Kihlström (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to direct my question to the Minister for Education and Integration, Simona Mohamsson.

School should be a place where one gains knowledge and develops based on their own circumstances. For that to be possible, school should be a safe place where no student should be subjected to threats and harassment. However, Skolverket and the Discrimination Ombudsman have recently presented reports showing that antisemitism occurs in various ways in Sweden's schools. In schools, Jewish students are subjected to both threats and harassment. It is also known that young Jews hide their Jewish symbols to avoid attacks.

This is serious. We must fight and counter this disgusting trend in our society.

Mr. Speaker! My questions are therefore: How does the Minister view this alarming situation and development regarding antisemitism within the school system? And what possible measures does the Minister see to ensure the safety of all students, especially the Jewish students, when it comes to threats and harassment?

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for this very important issue!

It is a societal failure that Jewish students must hide their identity or opt out of schools in order to feel safe. Antisemitism has no place in Sweden, in our society, or in the Swedish school system. It is completely unacceptable that there are schools that do not even dare to observe Holocaust Remembrance Day. The adult world cannot back down.

The Government has tasked Forum för levande historia to produce support material and carry out knowledge-raising measures against antisemitism. The Government has also tasked the University of Gothenburg and the Segersted Institute to strengthen the work to spread knowledge and working methods against antisemitism, in order to counter it in schools. That work is incredibly important for us.

(Applause)

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

Anna Vikström (S)

Mr. Speaker! Recently, a report from the Work Environment Authority regarding health and medical care was released, which shows a shortage of staff and deficiencies in the work environment. But it has long been clear that measures need to be taken for the long-term supply of competence in healthcare.

The National Health Competence Council submitted its national plan for competence supply within health and medical care to the government in May 2024. I have tried to find out if the government has taken any of the National Health Competence Council's proposed measures that were directed specifically at the government and, if so, which ones. But it has been difficult to get clarity. Examples of measures are a national coordination of continuing education, a national leadership program for managers and agreements for health science research, education and learning.

My question to the Minister for Social Affairs is: Which measures that the National Care Competence Council has proposed to the government will the government implement?

(Applause)

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

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, member, for an important question!

The proposals from the Healthcare Competence Council are important contributions to addressing a completely central issue regarding the healthcare sector's competence supply. I am also pleased that we in the Healthcare Responsibility Committee are taking steps together so that the state in the future will take greater responsibility for healthcare competence issues and the competence supply.

Most of the proposals are proposals directed at the heads of the healthcare sector and other organizations. But there are also proposals on what else the state can do in the area.

In the budget bill for 2026, the government presented an enhanced healthcare initiative to strengthen the supply of competence in the short and long term. We are now allocating 450 million during 2026, 2027 and 2028 for this purpose and for more governance measures. We will return to exactly how this initiative is to be designed. These proposals are, of course, included in the preparation of that initiative.

(Applause)

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

Anders Alftberg (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Education and Integration, Simona Mohamsson.

For the first time, Skolverket has published results showing how much students learn in a school year, based on what is measured in Timss. The development in results in mathematics and science is positive for the majority of Swedish students. But for the very lowest-performing students, a negative development is occurring instead. The results reinforce the picture that the problems in Swedish schools are primarily a migration problem.

What measures is the government taking to strengthen knowledge of the Swedish language, so that more students can manage their studies?

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

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

The Swedish school system faces great challenges. The clear results from Timss but also other studies show that the knowledge results need to be improved. Study skills prove to be an important aspect in this. This is shown by the results from both Timss and Pisa.

That is why we are now pivoting and creating a knowledge school where safety and study environment in Swedish classrooms are in focus. The investigation on safety and study environment has, among other things, proposed that it should be easier for teachers to expel students who misbehave, that the school should work with expectation documents with both students and parents, and that it should be easier for schools to relocate students who need extra support or support.

In the budget proposal, the government has allocated funds to implement the proposals. It is central for us.

(Applause)

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

Christofer Bergenblock (C)

Mr. Speaker! The biggest challenge in Swedish dental care today is accessibility. To a large extent, it is about the difficulty with the supply of competence, both in public dental care and among private practitioners. Getting staff to clinics that are far from educational locations and metropolitan areas is extra difficult.

For that reason, expectations were high for the proposal in the dental care reform to compensate municipalities outside the major cities with an extra financial supplement. Rural municipalities such as Åre, Vetlanda and Hylte would receive a 20 percent supplement. Mixed municipalities such as Nybro, Falkenberg and Kiruna would receive 10 percent. But of this, nothing came of it.

Blame has been placed on the state aid rules, but in ordinary terms, it is perhaps more about the government's deprioritization of Sweden's rural areas.

My question to the Minister for Social Services is: Will there be a financial supplement for our rural municipalities?

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

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! The Government is carrying out the largest investment in skills supply in Swedish dentistry in living memory. Next year, we are investing 400 million kronor to create places in work-based training. We are investing money so that the student clinics can receive more patients in a better way. We do this to strengthen the skills supply.

Member of Parliament Bergenblock is absolutely right that the government is now rolling out the largest dental care reform in decades, in order to create conditions so that elderly people with poorer oral health will also receive dental care.

We have continued the ambition that there should be a special supplement in sparsely populated areas and rural areas to also increase accessibility to dental care there.

Our ambitions are very clear. We are making the major reforms that the Center Party was unable to achieve during its cooperation with the Social Democrats. We are doing it so that more people will have access to dental care.

This work is stuck. But as the member notes, we are part of what is called the EU. Sometimes it makes things a bit more complicated when one wants to get things in place. I sometimes wish it weren't so, but now it is. We still have the ambition to complete the task.

(Applause)

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

Magnus Resare (M)

Mr. Speaker! For me, the migration pact is one of this mandate period's truly great successes. I have understood that Sweden's position is to contribute financially rather than through the redistribution of refugees who are in other countries. I personally think that is good. We Swedish politicians actually have an obligation to keep migration to Sweden down until we have gotten both integration and our country in order.

At the same time, parts of the opposition are now raising their voices for us to choose the other path and instead redistribute refugees from other countries here to Sweden. I would therefore like to ask the Minister for Migration what he believes the consequences could be if we choose that path.

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

Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Magnus Resare for the question. It is true that we are in the middle of a major reorganization of Swedish migration policy. We are expected to receive the lowest asylum intake since 1996 this year. If one also counts family immigration and quota refugees, we are expected to receive the lowest intake since 1985 – yes, actually as far back as we have statistics for at all. It is, therefore, truly a major change.

It is, however, a change that stands in stark contrast to many other EU countries, where the refugee crisis still makes itself felt. European cooperation is important in many respects, not least for handling migration issues. That we finally managed to get the pact and its implementation in place was a great success during the Swedish EU presidency.

At the EU meeting this week, we gave notice that for Sweden's part, it will not be relevant to receive more asylum seekers through redistribution; instead, we shall contribute financially. To receive more asylum seekers, as some opposition parties want, would worsen the integration problems. It is actually a purely irresponsible policy.

(Applause)

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

Azadeh Rojhan (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is of a general political nature and is addressed to Simona Mohamsson.

This week, the government decided on a new ordinance that repeals the previous ordinance on support for cooperative development. This means that cooperative organizations such as Coompanion, which create local jobs, help people start businesses together and strengthen both democracy and the local economy, risk being left without state support from 2027.

The UN has designated 2025 as the Year of Cooperatives to highlight the important role of cooperation for economic development, social inclusion, poverty reduction, and sustainability. The message is: Cooperation builds a better world.

But as I said, the government now chooses instead to phase out the support for cooperative development. I wonder how the government justifies this decision.

(Applause)

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

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

I believe it is crucial for Sweden that in these tough times we continue to turn the development around, so that more feel hopefulness, more dare to invest in Sweden and more dare to both dream and reach their dreams. I believe that is best done by making it simple for more to reach their dreams. That is done through regulatory simplifications at the municipal level and by making it easier for more business owners and more entrepreneurs to choose to cooperate with others. It should not be complicated to cooperate with others, start companies and be involved and invest in Sweden. We will continue to work to ensure that it becomes easier for more to reach their dreams. More municipalities should step back and give space for those who have innovative power. We dare to invest in Sweden.

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

Sara Gille (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Preschool should be a safe place where children get to be just children. Therefore, it is very worrying when preschools introduce pride themes for very young children while girls in the same facility wear a veil for reasons concerning control and gender-related restrictions. This means that the preschool both sexualizes children's culture through adult identity politics and accepts honor norms without reacting. This creates an inconsistent and insecure value base for the children, who encounter completely opposite signals.

How does the Minister for Education and Integration intend to ensure that preschool does not become an arena for adults' identity politics, but rather an environment that focuses on children's safety and freedom from both pride activism and honor-culture clothing requirements?

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

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

We took over after eight lost years in integration policy and restructured it from gut feeling and pure guesswork to ensuring that we have facts on the table and clearly demonstrate that there are certain things we do not negotiate on.

Our Swedish values are something that is unique in the world and that we need to fight for every day. This applies not least to children and young people and girls. That is why we have accelerated the work against honor oppression, both in schools and in preschools but also in society. It is crucial to prevent and to ensure that the knowledge exists among the staff in the preschool. It is also important that we very clearly and with the full force of society confront those who uphold the honor oppression. We do that by showing that we do not compromise on the values we have.

(Applause)

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

Anna Lasses (C)

Mr. Speaker! The last time the government raised the wage floor, many of the cleaning companies got rid of 30 percent of their existing staff. Now the government is going to raise it again, with the goal that qualified labor, above all, should be able to come to Sweden.

The problem is that qualified labor does not always have a high salary either. For example, the average salary in the shortage occupation chef is 31,400 kronor, which is below the 33,400 that the new floor is to be. As I understand it, there will also not be any list of shortage occupations where exceptions are made.

My question is: What does the government's impact assessment look like this time, not least for the sake of our companies?

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

Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

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

We are in a transition of labor immigration to Sweden. We came from a broken system that did not work. To be honest, it created a great deal of fraud and exploitation of people in the Swedish labor market. Part of the transition is to raise the wage requirement. If one wants to come to Sweden and also wants to take part in the various welfare services that exist here in the country, it is reasonable that one shows that they have a real livelihood at a reasonable level.

We have said that there should be an opportunity to make certain exceptions. That work is currently underway. There will not be a list of 155 different occupations. Such a list would not be manageable. It would become very complicated bureaucratically. Instead, it will be more niche.

At the same time as we do this, we shift the focus to highly qualified labor immigration within specific areas where there is a real shortage. It is there that we believe the great future for labor immigration lies.

(Applause)

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

Johanna Rantsi (M)

Mr. Speaker! This week, Skolverket presented a new follow-up Timss study. Even this study points, like many before it, to the connection between a lack of safety and peace of mind and poorer academic results. Students who experience less safety and peace of mind also perform worse in the subjects that Timss measures, which are science and mathematics. As a teacher, I know that safety and peace of mind are absolutely crucial for results. I also know that it is a priority issue for the Moderate-led government.

Mr. Speaker! I would like to take the opportunity to ask if Minister Mohamsson can further elaborate on what the government is doing to strengthen safety and study environments, so that all students are given the opportunity to complete their studies.

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for the question and also for the important work the Member does as a teacher!

It is incredibly worrying that there has been no progression in a year regarding the students who can perform the least. There is a direct connection with the lack of study space in the classrooms. We know that it is the students who have the most difficulty achieving results and perhaps do not receive support from home who need order and discipline in the classrooms.

The government is making major changes in Swedish schools to achieve more order and structure in the classrooms. It is about teachers having more tools and being able to send out students who disturb and disrupt. It is about schools working with expectation documents. All of this is to reform Swedish school so that there is order and structure in the classrooms.

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

Eva Lindh (S)

Mr. Speaker! Over half a million people are unemployed in Sweden right now. The result of over three years of the SD government's policy is 100,000 more in unemployment. It should be a nightmare for every labor market minister. It is at least a nightmare for all those who are seeking job after job.

The Minister for Employment has repeatedly referred to the fact that the growth is related to the economic cycle. But it is not encouraging for the government that we are at the bottom level of the EU. We are underperforming when it comes to growth.

My question is whether the Minister for Employment has also considered how unemployment affects growth in Sweden.

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Eva Lindh, for the question! Sweden has too high a level of unemployment. Sweden has a cyclical unemployment. My view, however, is that the issue I, as Minister for Employment, speak most about is structural unemployment. We will not address that just because the economy turns around.

Structural unemployment has slightly different causes, but it is due to the fact that we have had a passivizing benefit system, an education system that has not delivered the knowledge that employers demand, and too much asylum migration to Sweden without having the strength and resources to solve the integration challenges it entails. We are now overhauling that entire policy.

We are trying to break the recession, but above all, we are tackling the structural unemployment.

(Applause)

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

Martin Westmont (SD)

Mr. Speaker! "There are no jobs to apply for." We do not hear that all too often from the left. But the truth is that there are jobs to apply for – just not in the specific area where one lives.

Mr. Speaker! It is not a right to live year after year on the work of other, hard-working citizens; instead, people must take personal responsibility for supporting themselves and their families. The Minister for Employment has previously highlighted that the long-term unemployed should be prepared to move to where the jobs are, and he is prepared to do more to ensure that this happens. The Minister has pointed out a direction.

How do we proceed now so that people who have lived on benefits for many years shall take personal responsibility and move to a region where they are offered a job?

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

Arbetsmarknadsministern Johan Britz (L)

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

It is exactly as the member expresses: There are jobs to apply for in Sweden. There are admittedly fewer jobs than there are unemployed – we must be clear about that. We need to get the wheels turning in Sweden to increase the number of jobs. But the requirements for both geographical and professional mobility have increased during this parliamentary term, and the government is prepared to do more.

An important part is the subsidy reform we have implemented in connection with the restructuring of the cash assistance and the activity support. Previously, one could year after year receive an activity support of 22,000 kronor per month. There was no upper limit. According to the collective agreements, 22,000 kronor per month is approximately the lowest wage one can have in Sweden.

It is clear that the drive to seek a job, a job in another location, or an education that leads to a job has been far too weak until now in our country. We are changing that now.

(Applause)

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

Thomas Ragnarsson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to ask a question to Minister Jakob Forssmed.

We are approaching a holiday that many look forward to, but there are groups in society who do not have this expectation. This can, for example, be due to loneliness, substance abuse and/or poor mental health.

The establishment of a national action plan for mental health and suicide prevention has been well received across the country. As a continued part of this action plan, the government proposes a new law that enables investigations following a suicide. Will the timeline for the work on the new law be maintained? What are the Minister's expectations for the new investigation function that is enabled?

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

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member Ragnarsson, for a very pertinent question!

We are rolling out a large number of measures to promote mental health and counteract suicide in various ways. I particularly want to mention the Helpline with the telephone number 90 390. When life is at its darkest, there is professional staff who receive, listen to, and support, 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

We are making major investments in adult psychiatry and within BUP. No government has ever invested as much as we have.

The function the member mentions will be very important for learning more and preventing suicide in the future. The Government made a decision on a referral to the Council of Legislation last week. Everything is going according to schedule, so the function will be in place on July 1 next year. I believe that will mean that we as a society will become better at seeing people in vulnerable situations and helping them find hope. If they cannot do it themselves, we should be able to be a surrogate hope for them.

(Applause)

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

Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)

Mr. Speaker! In the United Kingdom, the state has on repeated occasions revoked the citizenship of persons who have committed serious organized sexual crimes – that which is often referred to as grooming. These individuals have, through the systematic exploitation of children and women, shown that they do not respect the society whose citizenship they have received.

It is important to point out that the United Kingdom has the same convention obligations as Sweden when it comes to citizenship and statelessness. Nevertheless, the country has found a legally sustainable way to protect its citizens by withdrawing citizenship from the most serious criminals.

My question is whether the Minister for Migration considers that Sweden should also be able to revoke the citizenship of persons who are convicted of serious organized sexual crimes.

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

Migrationsministern Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Nima Gholam Ali Pour, for the question! I am aware of the British system. There is an investigation working on reviewing the possibility of revoking Swedish citizenship from those who have dual citizenship and threaten the state's vital interests, for example, are gang criminals. There is also a parliamentary group linked to this.

I do not think that anything should be excluded. That is my answer to the member's question. I also want to put this in a larger context. We are making very large changes to increase the importance of citizenship.

I want people to be proud of being a citizen of Sweden, and one becomes proud first when one has had to exert oneself for something. That one can become a citizen of Sweden without being able to speak a single word of Swedish is madness. Now we are changing that.

We are introducing an opportunity to revoke citizenship but also requirements for knowledge in the Swedish language and in social studies, that one has not committed any crimes and also that one has their own livelihood. These are important, reasonable changes that lay the foundation for increased significance of Swedish citizenship.

(Applause)

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

Cecilia Gustafsson (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Education and Integration, Simona Mohamsson.

The municipalities are responsible as primary authorities for the schools and for ensuring that the schools provide the support that the students need. The principal bears the responsibility for the daily operations. Many municipalities, including my own home municipality Trollhättan, see an increasing number of students who are in need of different forms of support. This applies to both students with neuropsychiatric functional variations and students in adapted primary school. The right support is absolutely crucial for these students to reach the knowledge goals and in the future be able to establish themselves in society.

I therefore want to ask the Minister how the government has so far worked to strengthen the conditions for the principals and the schools to meet the increased student population. Does the Minister intend to take further measures to improve equity and ensure that all children receive the support they need in a timely manner?

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

Utbildnings- och integrationsministern Simona Mohamsson (L)

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

It is incredibly important that we have a school that is ready to meet all students and give them the prerequisites to manage the rest of their lives. Precisely for that reason, we are reforming the support system in the Swedish school. For far too long, the school has been characterized by an inclusion mindset that has led to exclusion. The children who need the most help end up at the back of the classroom with noise-canceling headphones and a stress ball. That is not how it should be. Instead, they shall receive the support they need, either in smaller groups or individually. In addition to this, we are also reforming the special education teacher training. We want more special education teachers who work directly with students.

These will be important parts in addition to ensuring that our classrooms are characterized by order and tidiness, for that is something these students are in extra great need of. It is the priority for this government.

(Applause)

Question time was hereby concluded.

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