Question Time

ANDRE VICE TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions today will be answered by EU Minister Jessica Rosencrantz, Minister for Energy and Business Ebba Busch, Minister for Elderly Care and Social Insurance Anna Tenje, and Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa.

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/her performance of duties. The question shall therefore not concern, for example, conditions within political parties. EU Minister Jessica Rosencrantz answers both general political questions and questions within her own area of responsibility.

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Mathias Tegnér (S)

Madam Speaker! I have a question for Minister for Seniors Anna Tenje.

The cost crisis spares no one – not the families with children, nor the municipalities, and above all not the elderly. Yet, the government has time and again chosen to prioritize tax cuts for the wealthiest – this at the same time as the state grants to the municipalities have been sidelined in the government's budgets.

Inflation has dug holes in elderly care while the government watched. Now, the government also wants to implement a new law that is intended to punish those municipalities that want to levy a higher tax in order to manage to offer good elderly care.

My question to the Minister is therefore: Why does the government and the Minister for Seniors want to make things more difficult for the elderly and for dignified care?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! I say: Many thanks for the question!

There is no truth whatsoever in that we would want to make things more difficult for the municipalities or, in that regard, for the elderly and elderly care. We are doing exactly the opposite now.

Step by step, we are raising the requirements for one to be allowed to work within Swedish elderly care at all, so that the quality can improve. We are extending and expanding the Elderly Care Boost – it is a natural extension of that. It is a direct investment to Sweden's municipalities to specifically raise competence. More nursing assistants shall be able to become specialist nursing assistants, and more healthcare assistants shall be able to study to become nursing assistants. This is the single most important state grant, which we now see is providing real bang for the buck. It also has a direct effect. This we have extended and expanded.

Add to that the important language requirement that we are now introducing in elderly care, so that the elderly can understand and make themselves understood, so that the working environment among colleagues can become better, and so that we can also ensure medical safety. This strengthens both the elderly and elderly care in Sweden.

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Mathias Tegnér (S)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer!

The Minister seems obviously satisfied, which is actually difficult to understand given how things look in Sweden today.

With a social democratic policy, we would have had more money for Swedish elderly care. We would have had more elderly people who had gotten out into the fresh air. We would have had more who could have eaten a Sunday dinner with a bit of luxury. We would have had more relatives who would have been spared worrying about their loved ones.

Resources matter. Therefore, my question is: Is the government truly satisfied with the situation for the elderly and how they are treated in today's Sweden?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! During this parliamentary term, we have added 16 billion to the municipalities regarding the general state grants. We have also extended and developed Äldreomsorgslyftet, which has a direct effect and improves the quality within elderly care.

I listened to SKR's economic report yesterday. Perhaps the member also should devote themselves to that, given that they showed brightening times regarding the economy in Sweden's municipalities. In 2025, a really strong result was achieved, and this also looks set to hold.

(Applause)

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Linda Lindberg (SD)

Madam Speaker! Today I will make a somewhat more emotionally charged contribution here in the chamber. Today I speak for Ulla Håkansson in Bromölla.

Last week I visited a Social Democratic-led municipality in Skåne – Bromölla. There, I had a poignant moment with Ulla. She took my hand and said: Please, please, help me with this! I can't stand it, and I don't want to be part of this anymore. I have five different foreign men visiting me per day. They don't understand what I say, and I don't understand what they are trying to say. And I don't want their hands on my body.

Madam Speaker! I know that we have done a fantastic amount for elderly care during this parliamentary term, not least regarding home care services. We have strengthened it very much. We have the Elderly Care Boost, which Anna just mentioned. But there must be some kind of penalty for the municipalities when they do not ensure that the elderly who are today cared for in the Swedish home care service receive the respect and security that can be expected.

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you very much, Linda Lindberg, for the question!

I too am deeply moved when I meet many elderly people during the many study visits I make around Sweden.

Elsa, 84 years old, in Uppsala came out saying that she had been raped by one of the staff – she was one of the first women to come out with that. The staff are therefore supposed to be there when one needs it the most. They are the ones you trust and the ones you let inside the threshold.

These are things and matters that are appalling and that no woman – regardless of where she finds herself – should have to endure, least of all when she is in a position of dependency. For that very reason, it has been important for us to move forward with, not least, the possibility of requesting extracts from criminal record registers and suspicion registers. Now we move forward with this and shall make it mandatory to request extracts from criminal record registers both before and during employment. Furthermore, we propose, at least from the Moderaternas side, that it shall be possible to choose which gender the person who is to perform the most intimate care shall be.

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Linda Lindberg (SD)

Madam Speaker! Somewhere, it is about dignity and respect within elderly care. I mean that one should undergo some form of assessment regarding whether one is even suitable to work within care. If one does not have the natural talent to care about other people and want other people to be well, one should not work within Swedish care. Then one can work on the workshop floor or split wood or do something else, but one should not work close to our elderly who are in a position of dependency.

For me, this is completely appalling. We really must address this.

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! I share the member's views. It is not, therefore, a human right to be allowed to work within Swedish elderly care, but it is the elderly person's right to be able to feel safe and secure. For that very reason, it has been important for me to put forward the three requirements and to raise them. It is about competence requirements. It is about language requirements. It is about requesting extracts from criminal record registers to weed out those who are directly unsuitable to work within elderly care.

(Applause)

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Ilona Szatmári Waldau (V)

Madam Speaker! In an uneasy world, the rules-based world order, together with investments in long-term, equal, and reliable partnerships, is important for our common welfare and security.

Preventive work saves lives and reduces suffering and is at the same time significantly more cost-effective than managing crises and conflicts once they have already occurred.

Still, global aid was drastically reduced by 23 percent just last year. The least developed countries receive a limited and decreasing share of the EU's development aid. The same applies to the EU's support for human development initiatives such as health and education in Africa, despite the fact that investments in these areas are crucial for building resilient societies and promoting social development and sustainable growth.

That is why I want to ask the Minister for Development Cooperation whether the government will ensure a sufficient budget in Sweden and push for the EU to allocate enough for key development areas and for humanitarian aid.

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Ilona Szatmári Waldau, for an important question!

Not least, the cuts in American aid have had major effects globally, and most of all for the most vulnerable people on the entire globe. For that very reason, it has been a particular priority for the government to safeguard the humanitarian life-saving work, namely that which concerns food parcels and clean water, as well as health aid with important and cost-effective vaccine injections. Particularly prioritized is also that which concerns women's issues and the rights of women and girls, where we have seen dramatic effects not least on UNFPA.

The government will always safeguard what is the core of aid, namely human dignity, that all children and all people across the entire globe have a right to the most basic and fundamental needs. At the same time, we have great needs also at home.

We are reducing by 5 percent, which is significantly less than what the British have done and what the Germans and the French are doing. We should be proud of the Swedish aid.

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Ilona Szatmári Waldau (V)

Madam Speaker! Due to the reduced aid, for example, health centers have been closed in Congo-Kinshasa, which has accelerated the spread of Ebola. With aid, the spread might have been detected earlier and, at best, stopped.

At the same time as aid for health issues and the protection of women's and children's rights has been reduced, Swedish aid to organizations that work against abortion is increasing. Does the Minister for Development Cooperation consider these to be the right priorities in a restless world?

I also repeat my question: Will Sweden work for a powerful EU budget when it comes to aid?

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Madam Speaker! Now the members are mixing some different topics here, and it is difficult to answer exactly all of them in the 24 seconds I have now.

We have tightened the management of Sida. Not a single Swedish tax krona shall go to extremism, terrorism or organizations that undermine the rights of women and girls. One of the largest priority areas for this government is precisely basic maternity care and safe abortions. As we know, unsafe abortions are one of the most common causes of death south of the Sahara in Africa.

(Applause)

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Anders Ådahl (C)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Energy and Business Ebba Busch.

Sweden is on a truly dangerous path when it comes to growth and productivity. We are good at researching, innovating and creating new companies, so-called startups, but significantly worse at retaining headquarters, ownership and value creation when the companies become large. This is particularly worrying because it primarily concerns the hottest future areas, such as deep tech, AI, life science and green industrial companies.

It is reasonable to ask whether Sweden is on its way to becoming a talent factory for companies of stronger economies, where we take the risks and educate the talents but where the long-term values end up elsewhere.

What does the government and the Minister for Enterprise intend to do to ensure that Swedish growth companies stay, scale, and keep their headquarters in Sweden instead of being sold off early?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Madam Speaker! It is spelled simplifications. If Sweden is to distinguish itself within the European Union in the global industrial war that Europe risks being squeezed into between our friends in the USA and China with their methods, where trade and business are used as a form of power exercise rather than trade for trade's sake, we need to show that we are a country that continues to be a leader when it comes to innovation – we are second in the world now – and that continues to be the best on unicorns.

Despite the fact that we constitute 1 percent of the EU's population, we therefore account for 12 percent of all so-called unicorns. The possibility for them to take part in the good capital market that we have here in Sweden, which begins with investments in ISK that have almost become a national sport, is spelled out in massive simplifications in Sweden. That is what we have as leadership in the EU, and that is what we have here in Sweden as well.

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Anders Ådahl (C)

Madam Speaker! If one broadens the question slightly and listens to the Productivity Commission's main conclusions from last autumn, the picture becomes even more worrying.

Sweden still has strong fundamental conditions, but growth is being slowed by a low pace of reform, weak public efficiency, skills shortages, and investments in energy, infrastructure, and digitalization that are too slow.

Those are quite sharp words from the commission: low reform pace. Which reform does the government consider most important to prioritize now to increase productivity?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Madam Speaker! There was much that needed to be cleaned up after the red-green politics, a politics that had also gone against itself in several areas.

Now we have made decisions on the largest infrastructure bill ever – we know that is crucial – and also the largest research and innovation bill ever for this country. This combined with regulatory simplifications, that we are reviewing the possibility of employee options and that we lower the regulatory burden for companies across the entire field and additionally increase access to capital, not least for women's ownership, will yield results. It has already done so.

(Applause)

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Janine Alm Ericson (MP)

Madam Speaker! I have a question for Minister for Development Benjamin Dousa.

We now see how a new Ebola epidemic is spreading in Congo-Kinshasa with neighboring countries. At the beginning of 2025, when the Trump administration took power and quickly dismantled most of USAID and withdrew from WHO, many researchers and infectious disease experts warned that global disease tracking, laboratory capacity, and early detection of outbreaks would be weakened.

Sweden's cuts in aid have not been quite as drastic, and we are thankfully also still in WHO. In May 2025, Sweden also contributed an extra 130 million to WHO's work. But a very reduced aid framework risks having worsened the funding of the common systems. Furthermore, the government chose at the end of last year not to provide any increased support to Gavi.

I would therefore like to know if the government has conducted any review of whether Swedish contributions that would have contributed to contact tracing and prevention of this Ebola outbreak have been removed.

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Janine Alm Ericson, for a very important question!

I believe that many parties in this chamber share a great commitment to health issues in particular.

We know that vaccines not only save human lives but are also one of the most cost-effective ways to save human lives. Right now, we see attacks not only in terms of funding from many countries but also somewhat more political attacks – people hardly believe in vaccines at all.

This government believes in science and stands behind vaccines and, in that regard, also Gavi, which carries out very important work. I have personally visited an important clinic against Ebola in Uganda that has received support from Sweden.

Health assistance is extremely important, and it is included in many of the bilateral and thematic strategies. We are also major core donors to many different vaccine alliances and UN organizations that work with precisely these issues.

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Janine Alm Ericson (MP)

Madam Speaker! We have very similar priorities in these issues. However, I feel that the Minister did not answer my question regarding whether it has been looked into if the own reprioritization of aid has contributed to this situation now having arisen. It is, after all, very serious.

We may not want to cast blame, but if things have been removed, it is very good to know what would need to be changed in that case. Therefore, I would like to ask the government how it intends to contribute to supporting the treatment and countering the spread.

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Member, for the question!

Let me be completely transparent. We have reduced the aid budget by 5 percent. That is not particularly much if compared with many other European countries. The big thing that has happened is that we have almost doubled the support for Ukraine over the last 1.5 years. We obviously do not have a secret money tree, and if Ukraine is to receive more money, other – sometimes important – projects must receive reduced support.

Health is still prioritized, but it is clear that the funding situation right now has affected the support to not least many African countries.

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Katarina Tolgfors (M)

Madam Speaker! The government is implementing the largest reform of Swedish aid in decades. At the same time, we are living with war in our near surroundings, and we have a large amount of aid to Ukraine.

Under previous red-green governments, the one percent goal has been paramount, as if it were a measure of quality, sustainability, and a target-oriented aid. Therefore, Madam Speaker, my question to Minister Dousa is what it would mean if the red-greens were to once again decide on Swedish aid and Sweden were to return to a one percent goal.

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Member, for an important question!

We are undertaking a major cleanup and very extensive reforming of Swedish aid for moral reasons and so that the Swedish people shall know where their money ends up.

In response to the question of whether we should return to the one percent goal, which all parties in the opposition want, it involves 25 billion Swedish kronor in 2028. I have been in many, perhaps hundreds, of debates with the opposition about aid. Everyone wants to spend more money, but the content has actually never been debated. It seems to be more important to increase the aid than where the money is actually going.

I also think it would have been honorable of the four opposition parties to answer the following questions: Which hospitals and schools should be closed so that more can go to aid? Who should get higher taxes? Which hard-working families should be punished as a result of that policy for making an effort? Should we borrow from future generations to get back to the one percent goal? It is therefore a matter of 25 billion kronor in 2028.

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Katarina Tolgfors (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer! I have a follow-up question. We had today in the Committee on Foreign Affairs a presentation from Sida with an evaluation of the humanitarian aid. Sweden has even increased that aid in certain areas. Could the Minister mention something regarding just that humanitarian aid?

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Member, for the follow-up question!

The humanitarian aid is the support, as stated earlier here, that concerns human dignity – that is, getting a tent, a cot, food and clean water. We know that a record number of conflicts are ongoing. I think that is much of the core of the aid. That was why we put forward several extra packages during last year.

We also safeguard support for, for example, Unicef and World Food Programme in the budget process that we have gone through. It is important for Sweden. It is important for the world.

(Applause)

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Dan Hovskär (KD)

Madam Speaker! During the recent period, many very serious cases of sexual abuse within home care and elderly care have been brought to light. It concerns suspected sexual crimes – rape of elderly people – in very vulnerable situations. It is completely unacceptable. For us Christian Democrats, it is about dignity, safety, and respect for our elderly.

We Christian Democrats raised this issue during the past year and have since pushed for that elderly people should be able to choose the gender of the staff who perform intimate care and that care should, as far as possible, be performed by staff of the same gender as the care recipient.

In January, I asked the minister about this, and the week after, the government announced that it is now included in their policy, which is very welcome. The question now to Minister for Seniors Anna Tenje is when it can become a reality that seniors in Sweden get the right to choose the gender of the staff for intimate care.

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Many thanks, Dan Hovskär, for a very pressing question! It is fundamentally about freedom of choice and about the right of the elderly to decide for themselves.

As it stands today, there are many providers, both municipal and independent ones, who, as far as is possible, try to meet the requirements and requests that exist. À la bonne heure for these efforts! But it is still the case that it is about the safety and security of the elderly. My firm opinion is that the right to choose and to be able to influence the content of the care and nursing one needs and is entitled to is important. This also applies to the right to choose which gender the staff has who perform the most intimate hygiene routines.

So this issue is not going into retirement, but I am determined that the right to freedom of choice shall be implemented. As we said, we will appoint an inquiry to look into this.

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Dan Hovskär (KD)

Madam Speaker! Thank you very much, Minister, for the answer!

The Minister himself pointed out that many – especially women – who have been subjected to abuse live in great insecurity and can experience intense fear in connection with intimate care. Therefore, this is not just about organization and staffing but also about human dignity, as the Minister himself highlighted.

My follow-up question is whether the Minister sees a need for additional national guidelines in this matter. How are we to roll it forward?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Just as I touched upon earlier, we will appoint an inquiry that looks at precisely this question and how the proposal can come to look. It is a bit too early to say exactly which guidelines will be established. It is also difficult to say. But the important thing is to aim at preserving, safeguarding, nurturing and developing the freedom of choice for the elderly.

One should have the right to choose the gender of the staff who perform the most intimate hygiene routines, but obviously also to have greater influence over the care and nursing one needs and is entitled to. It is about the elderly's safety and security, and this is important.

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Anders Ekegren (L)

Madam Speaker! I have a question for Minister for Seniors Anna Tenje.

In Sweden, all women between 40 and 74 years of age are regularly offered free screening for breast cancer through mammography. The purpose is to detect tumors at an early stage before the tumor has had time to cause any symptoms. Already Barbro Westerholm pushed the issue that women also over 74 years of age should be offered screening. She saw it as a form of age discrimination. There are several reasons for this.

The Breast Cancer Report 2025 shows that more than half of all deaths occur in women over 74 years of age and that mortality has decreased significantly for women under 74 years, but hardly at all among older women. My question is therefore whether the Minister is prepared to work towards the national abolition of the age limit for mammography screening.

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Many thanks for a very pertinent question, Anders Ekegren!

Yes, I am definitely willing to work to have the age limit for mammography and breast cancer screening changed or abolished. Because, just as Barbro Westerholm so wisely pointed out very early on, this is nothing other than pure and simple ageism. Breast cancer knows no age limits, and therefore we should not have age limits when it comes to screening and mammography.

We have made many different changes regarding cancer care and strengthened it in many different ways. We have also tasked Socialstyrelsen to review the age limits in the screening model. I really hope that it is decided to move this limit up properly or alternatively remove it entirely.

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Anders Ekegren (L)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for a good answer!

Is the government prepared to give the regions the opportunity to introduce an opt-in system from the age of 75, where the woman chooses whether she wants to continue to be called?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! I believe I know that that possibility already exists for the regions. I also believe I know that several regions have already started to make use of it. That possibility is, therefore, freely available for the regions to adopt and make use of. I must say that I think it is good when the regions take the lead and take such initiatives when the state's mills sometimes grind something slowly.

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Magdalena Sundqvist (S)

Madam Speaker! In many places across Sweden, we see major deficiencies within elderly care. It is interesting that it is not only we in the opposition who are highlighting deficiencies today, but the Tidö parties are doing so as well.

According to a new report from Kommunal, 43 percent of the staff experience that the staffing is rarely or never sufficient. It is doubtful whether the minister wants to be confronted with that reality.

We see this in many different places in the country. In my home municipality, the Moderater-led Kungsbacka, the staff feel time pressure. They do not have enough time to provide the support and the help that they want to give their patients.

I think the Minister radiates a certain satisfaction regarding the situation that prevails today and therefore want to ask: Is the Minister really satisfied with how the situation looks today? How does she defend the fact that the quality for patients and staff is deteriorating?

(Applause)

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Magdalena Sundqvist, for the question!

If I radiate satisfaction over how the situation looks today, the member is gravely mistaken. If I radiate satisfaction that we have now addressed the many issues and deficiencies that the Social Democrats, during eight years in government, had the opportunity to address but never did, she perceives the matter correctly.

Now we are raising the requirements step by step so that one can work within Swedish elderly care at all. We ensure that there is a competence requirement and a language requirement. We also ensure that there is an opportunity to make extracts from the workload register and the suspicion register so that we can truly clear out those who are definitely not suitable to work within Swedish elderly care.

We do all this to strengthen the working environment and to rectify the great failure within the public sector that has caused high sickness absence rates, that people do not have the strength to move from part-time to full-time, and that leadership is lacking in many places.

(Applause)

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Magdalena Sundqvist (S)

Madam Speaker! I am surprised by the satisfaction that is being radiated. I must say that nonetheless.

I come straight from Kungsbacka municipality, where the Moderates have ruled for ages, and I do not recognize at all that such measures are being taken as the minister now claims. I do not recognize that we are receiving the support and the help that is needed most among the staff. The question remains. How is it noticeable that something is actually being done?

(Applause)

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Again: communication occurs based on the recipient's ability.

We are now raising the competence requirements for working in Swedish elderly care. From July 1, we are introducing a language requirement that ensures that the elderly can understand and make themselves understood. One must be able to guarantee medical safety so that handover, medication use, and documentation become correct and accurate. Furthermore, employees must be able to talk to one another, sit down during the coffee break, and get to know each other and in that way be able to enjoy their work. But they must also be able to trust one another so that the language does not become a source of suspicion and frustration.

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Markus Wiechel (SD)

Madam Speaker! Sida has received an explicit mandate in the regulatory letter that aid shall create synergies between trade, export, migration, return, and national interests. The transition is, however, proceeding quite slowly, and there seems to be a resistance to this within the agency.

My question to the Minister for Development Cooperation concerns what measures he intends to take when Sida opposes the Tidö Government's focus on migration, trade, and national interests.

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for an important question.

Swedish authorities, including Sida, shall be impartial and deliver based on the government's policy. It is the government that governs the realm. Sida therefore has no mandate to conduct its own foreign policy, aid policy, or any policy at all.

In several of these areas, we have come a good way, for example in the migration area. It can of course always feel frustrating that the state system moves a bit slowly, but in the name of honesty, Sida did not have this competence previously. They have never before worked with migration in the way that we are now ensuring they shall do.

This yields results. We can take Somalia as an example. Over the last two years, we have deported persons who have committed very serious crimes here in Sweden, for example, aiding and abetting murder, aggravated assault, and rape of children. These are persons who are no longer in Sweden but are back in Somalia, where they are also citizens.

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Markus Wiechel (SD)

Madam Speaker! For over 60 years now, S has built up a bureaucracy with heavy administration, ideological coloring, and weak focus on results. Among other things, the National Audit Office has repeatedly pointed out a number of deficiencies.

What measures does the Minister for Development Cooperation intend to take to increase efficiency, save costs, increase transparency at Sida, and ensure that the government's interests are also fulfilled?

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Madam Speaker! These are issues that I am passionately concerned about – unfortunately, a bit too passionately for the 30 seconds of speaking time I have at my disposal.

It is about everything from the fact that OpenAI is now updated more often to the fact that we have given several evidence missions so that we water where it grows. We are going to use the efforts and projects that yield the best results. We have also tightened the governance of Sida so that no money shall go to extremists, for example Islamists.

We have moved forward with very many measures because it is exactly the taxpayers' money at stake and so that they will actually make a difference.

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Anna Lasses (C)

Madam Speaker! Today, the Taliban regime made the decision that nine-year-old girls are allowed to marry. We may differ on whether or not it is okay to negotiate with representatives of the Taliban regime. We can also accuse or state that even previous governments in Sweden have reached questionable agreements in order to be able to deport people. We can also agree that it is reasonable to deport those who lack Swedish citizenship and who have committed murder or committed rape.

When the so-called technical negotiations are to take place between the EU Commission and Afghanistan, I wonder if there will be aid money at the bottom.

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for the question.

I hope that all parties in the chamber share the view that the government has on the very brutal Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which oppresses women and girls, yes, people in general.

At the same time, it is important to be able to maintain diplomatic relations and be able to talk about issues that are important for Sweden, for example, getting a functioning return in place. What is particularly prioritized for the government is, of course, to be able to carry out deportations of people who have committed very serious crimes in Sweden.

Regarding Afghanistan, we have phased out the bilateral strategy that applied to Afghanistan. We are still carrying out important humanitarian efforts. It is a country where the civilian population is in need of virtually everything: food, clean water, tents, cots, and other things. We will continue to make such efforts, but there are no plans to revive the bilateral strategy that we previously had with Afghanistan.

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Anna Lasses (C)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer!

Today, the EU Parliament voted no to such negotiations. One thinks that this is wrong. I did not, however, get an answer to the question. Regardless, we can assume that when one sits in that technical negotiation, Afghanistan will want something in order to receive the returning persons. The question then is: Will aid – EU aid or Swedish aid – be in the negotiation pot?

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for the follow-up question!

The government has, as stated, no plans to revive the bilateral strategy towards Afghanistan. Previously, we have carried out important interventions such as schools for girls, but these have unfortunately been countered in many ways by the Taliban regime, which oppresses its own population in a completely appalling manner.

However, one must be able to talk with many to be able to make progress in issues that are important for Sweden.

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Erik Ottoson (M)

Madam Speaker! Ukraine's cause is ours, which is quite obvious in a Swedish context. Around the world, it is not quite as self-evident. But an important step forward for Ukraine would be EU membership.

As late as today, the German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz signals an ambition to look at how we can tie Ukraine closer to the EU even before the formal process for an EU membership has been able to be completed. He is looking at various solutions, such as allowing representation for Ukraine at EU summits and other things, for the purpose of being able to create political support for Ukraine in the very difficult situation it finds itself in.

My question to EU Minister Jessica Rosencrantz is: How does the Swedish government view this? Is it something that we are willing to support? Do we believe that this can be a way forward for Ukraine and in order to be able to provide better support from the EU?

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Madam Speaker! Many thanks, Erik Ottoson, for the question!

It has been said many times in this chamber: Support for Ukraine is this government's most important foreign policy task and priority. Europe must step forward, and we have also done so, militarily and financially. Sweden and the Nordic-Baltic countries have been proactive and are taking a leadership role in this, and that makes me very proud. Ultimately, this is about all of our common security.

This also includes the question of EU membership. Here, the government's position is crystal clear: Ukraine belongs in the European family. We welcome all proposals that drive that process forward. But it can never replace actual membership.

We hope that we now, with a new government in place in Hungary, can finally initiate the formal negotiations and take real steps forward. But in parallel with this, it is good with initiatives such as the German one to push this negotiation forward and in the right direction.

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Erik Ottoson (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, the Minister for EU Affairs, for the answer!

All our favorite hat object Viktor Orbán has now lost power in Hungary, and that undeniably opens up opportunities. But it also opens up for things that have hidden behind Viktor Orbán's categorical no to Ukraine in the EU membership issue to start coming to the surface.

Therefore, the question to the Minister for EU Affairs is: Do we now see that it is starting to move in that direction? What further clouds of concern do we see? How can we help Ukraine better?

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Madam Speaker! Erik Ottoson is absolutely right: It is perhaps sometimes a bit easy to hide behind others. Hungary has indeed provided the strongest opposition to Ukrainian membership. But I hope and believe that from now on there is a broad consensus among the other countries, and hopefully also Hungary, to actually take a step forward. Ukraine deserves it.

There is much left to do in Ukraine regarding reform work, but they have made impressive reform progress despite the raging war. The least we can do is to initiate these negotiations and ensure that we in the EU do our part so that Ukraine can begin a path toward full membership.

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Lili André (KD)

Madam Speaker! Sweden is today the world's second most innovative country, and we have a long tradition of world-leading companies and research within life science. Life science is one of our true industries of the future, in fact our third strongest export sector. It is an area that not only contributes to better treatments, saves lives and improves people's health, but it also contributes to jobs, investments and strengthened Swedish competitiveness.

Work is also underway on the pharmaceutical investigation, which can become an important piece of the puzzle for strengthening Sweden's competitiveness as a leading life science nation by creating better conditions for new and effective treatments to quickly reach patients. My question to Minister for Energy and Business Ebba Busch is therefore: What does the Minister see as the most important thing to do so that Sweden can become even stronger as a leading life science nation and take the next step, from being the world's second most innovative country to becoming number one?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Madam Speaker! I believe we must begin by stating that the competition is intensifying. The top position we have today, we really cannot take for granted. The life science sector has long been a power factor but is now beginning to become part of the industrial war that I pointed out.

We are working on four fronts. First: more research and development here in Sweden. The new R&D tax incentive, which is currently being worked on, could result in Sweden becoming the country in the OECD with the highest subsidy rate for research specifically.

The second point concerns more clinical trials, faster and with more patients, and about setting up the entire structure that is needed for that, which has not existed in Sweden.

The third is time and pace in the permit processes. We receive a proposal now in the middle of June, and the goal is clear: shorter lead times from application to start.

The fourth is precisely the pharmaceutical investigation, which allows us to increase the pace in an EU context and work on a broad front to stand stronger as a life science nation.

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Lili André (KD)

Madam Speaker! I thank Minister Busch for the answer.

Life science is not just built on research and companies, but we have had a healthcare choice committee that has reviewed the governance of healthcare. The Christian Democrats have long pushed the issue of a stronger national responsibility for healthcare, where pharmaceuticals specifically became a prioritized healthcare area. My follow-up question to the minister is therefore: Does the minister see that an increased state responsibility for healthcare is an important part of being able to become even stronger within life science?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Madam Speaker! I stand here as a representative for the entire government and our four coalition parties. We have received these conclusions, where it is stated that in some areas increased state governance was needed, which has also received broad support in this chamber. This is one of the areas where it has been pointed towards exactly this.

Sweden is currently quite late in the EU circle in introducing several medicines. The differentiated and very decentralized governance means that patients end up caught in the middle. So yes, our collective opinion is that it is needed.

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Peder Björk (S)

Madam Speaker! During this question period, the Minister for Health and Social Affairs has received several questions from my colleagues regarding elderly care in Sweden and seems to be noticeably satisfied with elderly care, despite the fact that we can see reports and testimonies that it actually does not work in many parts of Swedish elderly care.

The Minister also highlights investments in quality and development of training for staff. This is good and fundamentally well-intentioned. But the fact remains: Regardless of how much staff are trained or how quality is strengthened, it is the number of people working in healthcare that will determine how good the care becomes. When municipalities and regions have been put on a starvation diet by this government, they cannot afford to hire that staff.

My question to the Minister for Health and Social Affairs is therefore quite simply: Why does this government not allocate the resources that are actually needed in Swedish elderly care?

(Applause)

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! The Social Democrats over there in the corner of the chamber seem to be very satisfied with the questions they are asking. I wish they could have been just as satisfied when they look back on their eight years in power – that they had taken the necessary measures to strengthen the competence requirements within Swedish elderly care and that they had launched the language requirement and already had it in place so that the elderly could understand and make themselves understood and employees among themselves could have a better working environment, but above all that they had ensured medical safety.

When it comes to extracts from conviction and suspicion registers, so that one can truly ensure increased safety and security for the elderly, I would really like, Madam Speaker, that the Social Democrats could have said that they were satisfied that they had already introduced this. Now that is not the case, but we have had it in place during this parliamentary term.

We also have more reforms in the pipeline regarding strengthening, in particular, the working environment within elderly care. It must become significantly better so that we can lower the sickness absence rates and more people can move from part-time to full-time, but above all so that the professions' attractiveness and status will increase.

(Applause)

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Erik Hellsborn (SD)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to EU Minister Rosencrantz. In the proposal for the new long-term budget for the EU, it is proposed that the Swedish EU fee be shock-increased. The EU Commission wants to increase the annual fee for Sweden by a staggering 11 billion kronor, which corresponds to approximately an extra thousand kronor every year for every inhabitant in Sweden.

The Minister has already previously announced that the government views this negatively. I actually want to ask how the negotiations are going and what is believed regarding the possibilities of avoiding this large increase. It is quite provocative to demand more money from Sweden considering that we are already a large net contributor today. Year after year, we have paid in more than twice as much money as we actually get back.

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Erik Hellsborn, for the question!

Let me be extremely clear: Europe needs a better budget, not a larger budget.

This negotiation is taking place in an extremely challenging global situation. From the government's side, we are clear that we need to have a greater focus on security, on support for Ukraine, and on Europe's competitiveness. We have a proposal on the table now that reflects those priorities quite well, but the volume is still far too large. On that point, the government has been crystal clear that the volume must be reduced. There must be a fair distribution between the different member states when it comes to how much we are to pay and, naturally, also when it comes to what Swedish taxpayers will have to bear.

We will push in that direction. We have many countries with us. Many countries have tough economic situations and share Sweden's assessment. But it will be a tough negotiation, because many countries have different starting points in this. But we are crystal clear: the EU needs a better budget, but not a larger budget.

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Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)

Madam Speaker! The Government has now said that solutions shall be found for the deported teenagers – for those who have not received legally binding decisions and now also perhaps for those who have. I hope that this is true and that it will be so.

Due to long processing times for this group, some of them have now managed to turn 21, 22, or 23 years old. This means that many are not covered by the proposal presented in the investigation. My first question is therefore whether the group that is over 21 will be included in the government's solution.

Many of those who have already been deported want to come back. I have heard both the Prime Minister and the Minister for Migration say that it is only for them to re-apply to be allowed to come back. But those who have been deported have all applied on other grounds previously, and that makes it harder for them to be allowed to come back for, for example, education. If they have ties to Sweden, that also counts negatively if they apply. They are therefore denied.

I am not asking if you will solve this, but I want to ask the minister: Do you promise to bring to the government's work that these two solutions shall be looked at, so that these young people get a chance to come back and not be deported?

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Niels Paarup-Petersen, for an important question! It has been extremely important for this government to clean up a messy migration policy that has led to a failure to achieve integration in this country. At the same time, we have discovered a number of things along the way that result from decisions from 2016 that previous governments have not addressed.

Such a question has been that of the so-called teenage deportations. There, the government has been clear: We want to try to find a solution, a safety valve, for those young people who have behaved correctly – who work, study and who have, as said, behaved themselves.

The Migration Minister himself has also been very clear that we want to try to find a solution even for those for whom a decision has already been made while they have been in the country. We will need to return in detail and in the near future regarding how the solution exactly should look. But now we are, as said, cleaning up after something that previous governments have introduced but have done nothing about.

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Ulrika Heindorff (M)

Madam Speaker! Sweden is facing a historical shift regarding infrastructure with the new infrastructure bill, with extensive investments in both railway and road. For us in Skåne, which is Sweden's growth engine and the gateway out towards Europe, well-functioning transport is absolutely crucial, both regarding commuting and also freight transport.

At the same time, the Öresund Bridge generates significant revenue, but many people in Skåne experience that these funds are not reinvested in Skåne to a sufficient extent.

Therefore, my question goes to Minister Jessica Rosencrantz: What is the government doing to concretely strengthen the infrastructure investments in Skåne and to ensure that the revenues from the Öresund Bridge come to the people of Skåne?

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Ulrika Heindorff, for an important question!

The government is making a historically large investment in the infrastructure all around our country. We are also moving away from the policy pursued by previous governments, where it was more interesting to cut ribbons and less interesting to maintain and care for the system we have.

We are making extensive investments in the maintenance of our roads and railways, but also many new investments, also in Skåne. This is not least about increasing the capacity on the Södra stambanan, which we see as particularly important in Skåne. For example, it involves expanding to four tracks through Lund municipality.

We have also been clear that regarding

Regarding the revenues from the Öresund Bridge, we should be able to ensure that a future surplus ends up in the region. We are looking into this now. We will appoint a negotiator with the mandate to analyze which measures best benefit the Öresund region.

In short: We are moving from a previous policy where one only cut ribbons to now maintaining and caring for, building new, and ensuring that the revenues come to the region.

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Eva Lindh (S)

Madam Speaker! I notice that the Minister for Health and Social Affairs shows great commitment when it comes to what the Social Democrats have done or have not done. Imagine if the Minister for Health and Social Affairs had also shown as much commitment to truly improving elderly care!

What we see now, beyond the figures, is that the state grants have not increased in real terms. In reality, there are major deficiencies in elderly care in many places in Sweden. What Sweden needs is investments in elderly care, with resources for working conditions, so that people have the strength and want to stay in their jobs.

The government was very proud that an elderly minister was appointed, but that post has not been filled with politics to improve elderly care. What does the elderly minister say about that?

(Applause)

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! It can be observed that the Social Democrats seem to be waking up now, as the election approaches, regarding the commitment to elderly care.

If one had followed this throughout the entire mandate period and also looked at the Corona Commission's report, one could have seen that during this mandate period we have implemented ten of the eleven reforms under my area of responsibility that were proposed in the report. Furthermore, municipal doctors and the strengthened medical guarantee are on the way. We have introduced a fixed care contact, not only within home care but also within special housing, so that no elderly person should fall through the cracks.

We will now ensure that there is access to nurses or doctors 24/7 – a shortage that was quite obvious previously which we are now closing. In addition, we are now ensuring that the language requirement is implemented. Extracts can be made from criminal records, and we will also ensure that this can be done during ongoing employment eventually – all to increase the safety and security for the elderly, to strengthen the quality and, not least, to make these important professions more attractive.

(Applause)

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Daniel Persson (SD)

Madam Speaker! My question is directed to the Minister for Pensions and Social Insurance, Anna Tenje.

The Sweden Democrats and the government have, during this mandate period, given the authorities several tools to curb subsidy fraud. Among other things, confidentiality barriers have been removed for more efficient information exchange between the authorities. We have facilitated the collection of data from several actors. Next week, we will decide to introduce sanction fees and a subsidy ban.

Försäkringskassan shall also review all benefit decisions concerning network criminals and their families, which together are nearly 23,000 individuals. These are very important measures to counter welfare crime. But what is the Minister's view on the relevant authorities, such as Försäkringskassan, receiving additional mandates to work directly in crime prevention?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Many thanks, Daniel Persson, for a very important and relevant question! It touches on how we should combat benefit fraud and ensure that our common tax money reaches those who truly need it. This issue has definitely not been high on the agenda during the Social Democrats' eight years in power, but we saw early on that it is an incredibly important issue.

This is the most important source of income right now for organized crime, so if we are truly going to break the gangs, we must choke the criminal economy. That is what we have now done, step by step and reform by reform. My clear message to the criminals is: We know who you are, and we are coming for you, because now the noose is tightening.

Just as the member mentioned, I have received an investigation that provides proposals in two areas so that Försäkringskassan can have more muscle than it has today. It is about them having a criminal investigation part, and it is about intelligence activities. We are preparing the matter right now, so I will have to come back to this.

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Jesper Skalberg Karlsson (M)

Madam Speaker! Even though many AI companies can feel overhyped here and now, our increased use of large language models suggests that more computing power will be needed in the future. I would therefore like to ask the Minister for Enterprise: What can Sweden do to ensure that more investments in data centers land here in Sweden?

I also want to ask the Minister for Energy if the government can do more so that data centers are also integrated into the energy system. I am thinking, for example, of utilizing the waste heat that is created.

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Madam Speaker! I hope that Jesper Skalberg Karlsson knows that I only have 60 seconds to respond!

Firstly, we are smart, beautiful, and strong in this country. That is why many are now choosing to invest in Sweden. This is also linked, among other things, to the competence of the people and with the energy side. Now, as part of our AI strategy, we have said very clearly that investments shall also strengthen the energy system – not burden it. It is also a huge shift from the red-green era, which Anna Tenje has pointed out several times.

Now we are looking, among other things, at how those who are large consumers of electricity should be able to participate in co-financing new production. That is an important part. We are also looking at how waste heat can be utilized in the district heating network. That is at least as important as nuclear power, and 99 percent of all energy is discharged as heat today.

We have also reviewed the connection queues so that it should become clearer where in the country one can invest and that it should lead to growth and jobs in Sweden.

(Applause)

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Jytte Guteland (S)

Madam Speaker! We Social Democrats want it to be safe to grow old in Sweden, and we want elderly care to be characterized by respect and dignity and also have a touch of luxury.

Today we see an elderly care system that is underfunded, and we want to inflation-proof it. We see an elderly care system where companies drain the operations of money to obtain their own profits.

The Minister for Elderly Care seems very calm and satisfied, and if she becomes irritated, it is at us Social Democrats. Imagine if that anger could instead be turned into a desire to do something about the situation that the elderly are affected by in this country! I am thinking of the Moderate-led Täby, where testimonies tell of Alice, who lived at the care company Vardaga. She got pressure sores with larvae in them.

I think: Doesn't this irritate the Minister for Elderly Care? Don't you feel it in your gut? Or is it only anger towards us Social Democrats that the Minister for Elderly Care feels? That is what I want to ask.

(Applause)

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank the member for the question.

I understand that Member Jytte Guteland has just entered the fray when it comes to elderly care and therefore has not followed me as Minister in my work, but I can emphasize that I am deeply provoked and deeply infuriated and that it affects me very deeply every time I read about elderly people who suffer in elderly care in Sweden.

This applies regardless of whether it is municipal home healthcare, a municipal housing facility, or a municipal home care service, or whether elderly care is run by an ideology-driven operation or for that part by a private alternative. For me, the form of operation is not what is interesting.

I understand that the member has ideological blinkers, because I have zero tolerance for poor elderly care regardless of who is behind it. It is precisely that part I want to fight – not whether it is run privately or municipally.

(Applause)

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Eric Palmqvist (SD)

Madam Speaker! Sweden is in an ongoing conflict with the European Commission regarding how the so-called bottleneck revenues shall be used. Within the framework of its network package, the EU has presented a proposal aimed at to a greater extent directing or redistributing these revenues to common European energy investments.

Minister for Energy and Business Ebba Busch has been clear in her criticism and described parts of the proposals as unacceptable, referring to the fact that Swedish electricity customers' money should primarily benefit them and be reinvested in Sweden.

Against this background, I would like to ask Minister for Energy and Business Ebba Busch: Does the government intend to tighten its countermeasures against the EU if the proposal remains, and if so, in what way?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Madam Speaker! This has been a collaborative effort where the Prime Minister, I, and among others my colleague Jessica Rosencrantz on the EU side have worked hard to ensure that we find a way forward that ensures Swedes' electricity money stays in Sweden and where we also show that it is to the benefit of the entire Nordic region if we build a more robust energy system in Sweden. If we build a more robust energy system in Sweden, it is to the benefit of the entire EU.

We have achieved enormous successes. I am very happy to have a Prime Minister who has personally been involved in the energy geekery to achieve this success. It has ensured that we have saved 85 billion of the Swedes' money where it belongs: in Sweden. It has also ensured that we retain all revenues that arise within the country, and those that arise between countries will be to the benefit of Sweden.

Now the dialogue is constructive. I have good reason to believe that we win this, otherwise there will be more measures.

(Applause)

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Caroline Högström (M)

Madam Speaker! Activity requirements in the social assistance are important. We Moderates know that clear expectations, requirements for activity, and support for self-sufficiency can make a big difference in getting more people closer to self-sufficiency and empowerment. Ultimately, it is about breaking a long-term dependency on benefits and strengthening the drive to work. At the same time, the opposition in the form of C, V, MP, and S seem to be uniting in opposing the introduction of sanction possibilities linked to the activity requirement.

Without any form of follow-up or accountability, the activity requirement risks becoming different depending on where in the country one lives, and one also risks the reform's effects.

My question to Anna Tenje is therefore: How does the Minister view the need for sanction possibilities to ensure that the activity requirement is implemented and achieves the intended effect throughout the country?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Many thanks, Caroline Högström, for a very pressing and important question – a very current one.

It is quite obvious ahead of the election that the benefit line will stand against the work line and that the government, together with the Sweden Democrats, clearly wants more people to move from benefits to work and self-sufficiency, that more people should stand on their own feet and that more children must see their parents go to work. In that case, the activity requirement is extremely important.

It is clear that I want all municipalities to carry this out, and to do it in the best way possible, but it matters who it is that is in power.

I know that this has an effect, and I know that the Social Democrats say that one is for the activity requirement, but when one governs – as in the Social Democrats' Växjö – one dismantles the activity support from behind. They do not dare to engage in the political debate, and they do not make political decisions, but that activity requirement that I introduced in Växjö no longer applies. Therefore, it becomes important with sanction fees for lazy, sluggish Social Democratic municipalities that do not implement the bill.

(Applause)

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Peter Ollén (M)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to EU Minister Jessica Rosencrantz.

A full 40 percent of what we produce in Sweden is dependent on intellectual property. This concerns, for example, music, video games, automation, research, and pharmaceuticals. These rights are often very dangerously and unprotected compared to physical rights, and this despite the fact that they represent such great values.

The protection of the intangible is dependent on the existence of legislation that is preferably global, but at least applies to the EU and the USA. What is happening right now from the EU's side to protect intellectual property rights for Swedish companies and inventions in an AI era, both within the union and in relation to China and the USA?

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you for the question, Peter Ollén!

Yes, Sweden is truly a leading knowledge and innovation nation. We are number one in the EU and number two in the world when it comes to innovation. It is clear that intellectual property rights are extremely important in this, not least for several of the industries that Peter Ollén mentions and where Sweden is a leader.

From the Swedish and Nordic side, we are very active in both ensuring that the regulatory frameworks keep pace with the rapid development, and ensuring that we handle these issues on an international level and ensure that we have fair conditions. This is important, not least in relation to, among others, the USA, which the member also mentions.

Right now, a consultation is underway that the commission has initiated specifically to review how the regulations can be adapted so that our industries become more resilient in the digital age we live in. We will monitor this very closely. Increasing Swedish and European competitiveness, including robust intellectual property rights, is important for the government.

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Malin Höglund (M)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Pensions and Social Insurance, Anna Tenje.

In both preschool and school, there is today a clear leadership for the staff and for the development of the operations. Those who work as a principal must undergo a state principal training to have the right competence to lead the operations, develop quality, and create good working environments.

Elderly care is one of our most important welfare activities and faces major challenges regarding competence supply, work environment, and quality of care. First-line managers have a very great responsibility for both staff and the elderly, but the conditions for – and the opportunities to be – a leader vary greatly between the municipalities.

My question to Minister for Pensions and Social Insurance Anna Tenje is therefore: Would it be possible to introduce a national leadership training for first-line managers within elderly care, similar to the principal training that exists within preschool and school?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Many thanks for a very good question, Malin Höglund!

The answer to the question is – hopefully – obviously yes. It is not long ago that I commissioned the investigation which is now led by Acko Ankarberg Johansson and which is to look at precisely this question, that is, at developing a national leadership training for unit managers within elderly care. We would never dream of removing the important principal training within preschool and school, so why is there not a similar support for our skilled employees within elderly care?

We have several times addressed the working environment within elderly care, and wherever you go, it often boils down to the leadership within elderly care. That is just how it is. Where there is good leadership, the sick leave rates are lower. There, it is easier to recruit. More people work full-time there, and there, one has no problems with minute-management because one listens to, sees, and confirms one's employees. There, relatives are satisfied, and furthermore, the elderly are safe and secure. That is what we want to achieve.

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Margareta Cederfelt (M)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Pensions and Social Insurance Anna Tenje.

During the recent period, I have visited a large number of nursing homes in the city of Stockholm. What is striking is that the waiting time is long in the city of Stockholm, which is governed by the Socialdemokraterna. What I have perceived is also that the waiting time has increased during the last two to three years, that is, for as long as the Socialdemokraterna have governed.

I wonder what the Minister for Pensions and Social Insurance wants to do so that all elderly people have a better opportunity to move to a care home when they need to do so, instead of having to wait until they are no longer physically able to move.

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Many thanks, Margareta Cederfelt, for an important question!

The need for more places in elderly care homes is undeniably very, very great in the City of Stockholm. Far too few places in elderly care homes have been built in recent decades, and the proportion of elderly people is constantly increasing. Precisely because of that, it is truly alarming that the Social Democrats are now going into the election on a platform of abolishing LOV. LOV is not just about freedom of choice for the elderly, that is to say the elderly's right to choose both home care providers and housing, but it is also an opportunity to join forces with more independent alternatives and close the gap that exists, not least in Stockholm.

I view with great concern the deficit of places one has in Stockholm, and I truly hope that there will be a shift so that we can join forces with independent alternatives and secure more places in the shortest possible time. More elderly people shall receive care and nursing in a timely manner.

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

Magnus Resare (M)

Madam Speaker! One of the government's most important pieces of reform work during this mandate period is the major subsidy reform, which is based on the Moderaternas election promise of a re-established work line. This is about fairness and about employment paying off, and in my opinion, these are very reasonable starting points. Unfortunately, it meets resistance from the left-wing parties in this chamber all too often.

Yesterday, the Riksdag voted through part of the large subsidy reform, namely new rules for qualification for social insurance. It is about that one who is new in Sweden must qualify for the welfare instead of, as previously, getting full access to it immediately upon arriving here. Now, one will need to have lived in Sweden for five years to get full access to the welfare, but those who work and live on their own wages shall be able to get access faster. It is a carrot for those who make an effort.

I would like to ask the question to Social Insurance Minister Anna Tenje what effects she sees this will have.

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Madam Speaker! Many thanks for the question, Magnus Resare!

What happened yesterday was undeniably historic. The first part of the subsidy reform was voted through in the Riksdag, and we can now take the first step to ensure that more people move from subsidies to work. We are now beginning the journey to break the great exclusion in Sweden. It is incredibly important, not least because more children must see their parents go to work. They must be able to make that class journey that we all dream should be possible for all children growing up in Sweden.

This is a result of eight years with the Social Democrats in power, when 320,000 asylum seekers were accepted without any plan whatsoever for how they could become a part of our society. Now we are sending a clear signal: If you come to Sweden to work and take responsibility, learn Swedish and become a part of our society – yes, then you are warmly welcome! But if you come here to be supported, it will be significantly more difficult.

(Applause)

The question period was hereby concluded.

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