Question Time

FÖRSTE VICE TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions today will be answered by Minister for Civil Affairs Erik Slottner, Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall, Minister for Culture Parisa Liljestrand, 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 relates to his performance of duties. The question shall therefore not concern, for example, conditions within political parties. Civil Minister Erik Slottner answers both general political questions and questions within his own area of responsibility.

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Linus Sköld (S)

Mr. Speaker! Earlier this year, the SD government's Finance Minister said that the money is gone. The reform space for the entire next mandate period has been used up, and the government has borrowed for tax cuts to such an extent that we are approaching the limit of what the EU allows for deficits, that is, 3 percent.

But now we see a government that, with increasing public panic, continues to borrow for election treats on election treats. It appears irresponsible and almost desperate.

My question is simple and is directed to the Minister for Civil Affairs. Which is it – are the funds exhausted, or can you afford more election treats?

(Applause)

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! First and foremost, I actually thought we were in agreement that we are to borrow money to equip Sweden's defense, which needs to reach NATO's goal of 3.5 percent plus 1.5 percent for civil defense.

I thought we were in agreement that we should keep the support for Ukraine outside the budget frameworks so that we can borrow to support Ukraine. It was only as late as today that the announcement came that we are once again strengthening this support.

I also do not see the Social Democrats presenting any balanced budget in their budget alternatives. And it is reasonable, when we are in a recession, to support demand in the economy in order to be able to increase growth and thereby strengthen the long-term economy and the capacity within welfare. That is exactly what this government is doing.

I certainly have not seen the Social Democrats protest when we are now lowering the fuel prices after they have been raised due to what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz, and also lowering the prices within public transport.

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Linus Sköld (S)

Mr. Speaker! Yes, Erik Slottner is right that we agreed to borrow in order to expand the defense at a rapid pace and to support Ukraine.

We have not accepted any loans to lower taxes for high-income earners, which is what this government has engaged in over the last few years. And to announce that the money is finished and then continue to borrow in an attempt to buy votes in the upcoming election appears irresponsible and desperate.

What is it, Minister for Civil Affairs – are the funds exhausted, or can one borrow more for election treats?

(Applause)

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! The room for major reforms in the next mandate period will most likely be limited, given that we have reserved much of the money for, for example, the justice system and the construction of the total defense. But how the economy develops in the coming years is, for the time being, only forecasts.

What we know is that this government, during these four years, has taken Sweden from a bottom position in the EU's growth to the absolute top. With such an economic policy, we also create better conditions to have a room for reform ahead.

(Applause)

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Markus Wiechel (SD)

Mr. Speaker! The Government has successfully increased the requirements for recipients of Swedish aid, which has made the aid safer and more effective and reduced the risk of it ending up in the wrong hands, for example with radical Islamists.

Facts from earlier show that the left-wing parties have channeled money to both pro-Russian separatists and Palestinian terrorists as well as to revolutionary communists, and now it seems as if certain forces to the left in Swedish politics wish to restore support to the Muslim Brotherhood's aid foundation Islamic Relief.

My question to the Minister for Development Cooperation is: Does he see any risk that Swedish tax money, intended to do good, ends up in the wrong place as we have seen under previous S governments?

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thanks to the member for a very important question!

It is an important priority in the government's and the Sweden Democrats' policy that not a single Swedish tax krona shall end up in the pockets of extremists, Islamists, or organizations that undermine the rights of women and girls.

This is a moral issue towards the Swedish people, who whether they want to or not are forced to pay into Swedish aid. Then they should also know that that aid makes a difference.

I must admit that I am quite concerned. So far, the Social Democrats have not dared to comment on any of these issues, but the two friendly parties of the Social Democrats are definitely pushing in that direction.

Some examples have been mentioned here. As a direct result of the government's policy, Islamic Relief, for example, no longer receives any money. But under the previous government, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad also received money to participate in, for example, workshops and panel discussions.

This is, therefore, an important reform that the government has pushed through.

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Markus Wiechel (SD)

Mr. Speaker! This leads me to a related question concerning development aid, not least given my own involvement in the Sweden Democrats' aid foundation Hepatica.

Recently, the dictatorship in Belarus has terrorized the Liberal Party's counterpart, Silc, which could have devastating consequences. Is this something the Minister for Foreign Affairs has acted on, and can we expect further measures?

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thanks to the member for the follow-up question!

Silc has performed and continues to perform a very important work that is appreciated, not least for the populations living under totalitarian regimes. Belarus is a concrete example. There are other geographical areas where Silc has also performed important work, not least in our eastern partnership.

Of course, the government takes this most seriously, and we are using all diplomatic channels we can to help Silc. But it is a dictatorship we are talking about.

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Samuel Gonzalez Westling (V)

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

The government has pushed through a contribution ceiling this week that lowers the compensation for people who are already living on the margins. It concerns families with children, the sick, and people who, for various reasons, are far from the labor market.

The government claims that this is supposed to lead to employment, but it is a claim that lacks clear support. On the contrary, there is sharp criticism of such cuts, as they risk increasing poverty, stress, and ill health – factors that in practice make it much harder, not easier, to enter the labor market.

Let me strip away the rhetoric about the work line and ask a concrete question: What basis does the minister have for the claim that it is precisely lowered compensations that lead to more work? Is it not the case that the government is pushing forward on the issue of increasing poverty for ideological reasons?

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would first like to inform the members that this issue falls within the Social Insurance Minister's area of responsibility.

When this government took over, we took over a country with an inflation of over 10 percent. Combating inflation had to become the first part of our work. We know that those with the absolute smallest margins are the ones who have to struggle the most when the value of our kronor is eroded.

Since then, we have ensured that those who earn the least have received the most in tax cuts. We are lowering the preschool fee. We are halving the food VAT so that every grocery bag becomes cheaper. The leisure card is an important part so that children who are in a state of exclusion can have a meaningful leisure time. Not least, we ensure that the housing allowance receives a permanent increase for the first time in 30 years.

These are just some of the areas where we have worked to ensure that children and vulnerable people in particular can be given better conditions.

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Samuel Gonzalez Westling (V)

Mr. Speaker! The Minister for Social Services has close contact with social services all over the country, so it is reasonable that the Minister for Social Services also has a responsibility over this area.

This is about people, including children, who are living in severe poverty already today. This government has increased poverty in the country. What the government has now done by pushing through this benefit ceiling is to put additional pressure on families who have several children so that they have to live in further poverty under very difficult conditions.

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! The truth is that poverty has decreased overall. Real child poverty has also decreased. What concerns the government is that there is a group that has had it tougher, and for that very reason, we have made all these interventions.

After having visited other areas in the world with exclusion, areas where one might have four generations of exclusion, I want to say that one of the absolutely most important measures we are taking right now – the best preventive part of all this – is that children get to see their parents go to a job and thereby break the exclusion.

(Applause)

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Anders Karlsson (C)

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

The government has in recent years clearly stated the principle that the state should not own companies where there are no clear reasons for ownership. This position was expressed, among other things, during the sale of Bilprovningen in 2024.

Against this background, there are reasons to examine why the state, through Postnord, continues to own the printing house Postnord Strålfors in a competitive market, outside the core mandate of society-wide postal services.

My question is: Why should the state own a printing house and at the same time accept that a state-owned company pursues an offensive acquisition strategy in a market where private actors have long operated under competition?

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! When it comes to specific holdings and activities within individual agencies and companies, the questions must still be posed to the responsible minister. I do not think this can be considered a general political issue.

On the broader theme, it is completely obvious that the public sector should not compete with private alternatives where there is a functioning market. This is an area that Minister for Enterprise Ebba Busch is responsible for, and she will now present legislation to ensure that this is not possible.

All of us who have been municipal politicians know that many municipalities today conduct activities where there is a functioning market with private companies. Gyms are one such activity, not least. There are many municipal gyms, even though we know that we have a functioning market there.

We do not think that the public sector should compete with private companies, and therefore we now want to move forward with sharper legislation in the area.

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Anders Karlsson (C)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the answer. Can one, based on that, expect that you also scrutinize an individual transaction, as is the case here, in the competitive printing industry? Otherwise, an answer is almost required as to why one should enter a well-functioning market that is also quite tough. There must be strong reasons.

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I do not question this. It is very possible that such an audit will occur. Whether it violates the law can be decided in the event of a potential report. But since Postnord does not fall under me as Civil Minister, it is very difficult for me to answer whether such an audit will be conducted on this grounds.

That specific question must nevertheless be addressed to the responsible minister. It cannot be considered to be of a general political nature.

(Applause)

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Camilla Hansén (MP)

Mr. Speaker! In a year 4 class in a disadvantaged area, approximately 90 percent of the students use AI. Two-thirds see AI as a friend. One-third sees AI as a close friend. The first thing a portion of the students do when they wake up in the morning is to ask their AI: How are you?

The previous government excluded the entire school from all AI work for a long time, for example the work on the AI strategy, but at the last minute pushed in that students in upper primary school and upper secondary school need knowledge about AI's impact on society and the individual and that teachers need competence development and support regarding the opportunities and risks with AI.

In the action plan that is to lead to the strategy becoming a reality, there is nothing about the school – nothing!

I wonder, Erik Slottner, what strategic responsibility the government intends to take so that even ten-year-olds will receive the knowledge they need.

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the member for the question. The question of AI's impact on people, not least on children and young people, is important. We must not see AI as something separate, some independent being flying around, when it is so incredibly integrated with other areas and will become increasingly important in more and more parameters in our lives and our technological development.

It is not true at all that the AI strategy excludes the school completely. School and education are mentioned in the AI strategy. It is important that education and knowledge development take place here. I do not recognize that picture at all.

What we have reacted strongly against is the arrival and dominance of tablets and screens in schools, not least when it concerns the younger children. We believe it has gone too far. We believe that screens should take up less space. We believe that algorithms in social media should take up less space in the lives of children and young people. However, it is a different matter to learn about AI and different technologies.

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Camilla Hansén (MP)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister for Civil Affairs, for the answer to a completely different question!

In the strategy, there are descriptions – I described them in the question – of what knowledge older children need. In the action plan, there is nothing about the school.

I still want to know in what way the government will ensure that these ten-year-olds and their teachers receive the knowledge they need to be able to handle AI, which, just as the minister describes, is intruding into more and more living spaces.

This is not a question about the choice of teaching materials or tablets in school. Answer the question I am asking, please!

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! In the question, it was insinuated in some way that the government is against children receiving education on AI due to some kind of general opposition to digitalization in schools. That is not the case, and therefore I wanted to address that indirect assertion.

The action plan referred to is an account of measures that are ongoing or have been taken at the government level. Based on the strategy the government adopted in February, every department must now do its homework and see how we can implement the strategy in concrete measures to fulfill its goals in our respective departments.

(Applause)

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Maria Stockhaus (M)

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

The government has during the mandate period done a lot to promote digitalization and the use of AI in Sweden. But there is one sector that has fallen a bit behind, namely the public sector.

Now, over 100 agencies in their regulatory letters have been tasked with using more AI, and we have adopted Sweden's first comprehensive AI strategy.

What does the minister expect will happen now?

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for this important and exciting question regarding how AI can be accelerated within public administration. I encounter an incredibly great curiosity all around Sweden when I meet representatives from municipalities and regions as well as state agencies. There is a real desire to increase the use of various AI services, and there is an incredibly great potential in improving operations and services to the citizens, improving the work environment for those who work in various operations, and making processes much more efficient and thereby achieving increased quality for every krona invested.

We are now investing in an AI workshop whose purpose is to create an environment where we can develop various AI services and AI products that can be scaled up and deployed across the public sector.

We have a big problem with fragmentation in the public administration where many of the innovations stay in one municipality, one region, or in a state agency. It is not good. We need more scaling and broad implementation of good AI products.

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Maria Stockhaus (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for Civil Affairs for the answer.

Mr. Speaker! AI brings many new opportunities but also risks, for example when it comes to cyberattacks, privacy violations and espionage. How does the Minister think regarding balancing opportunities and innovations with security and privacy?

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! All markets need some form of regulation, and that is also why the EU has taken steps with its AI Act to regulate AI applications. We cannot ban the technology itself, but we shall do everything we can to ensure that AI technology is used to drive social benefit, be in the service of humans, drive sustainability work, and strengthen competitiveness. But AI must also be regulated so that it is not used to control people, to mass-surveil people, or to manipulate people – for example, in general elections.

(Applause)

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Mikael Oscarsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! At the NATO summit in Helsingborg recently, Sweden received praise from NATO's chief Mark Rutte and also from Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, for the buildup we have undertaken both civilly and militarily.

I have the following question for the Minister for Civil Affairs: How is the government working further to further strengthen civil resistance through robust digital infrastructure, secure communications and a stronger civil society?

I ask the question against the background of the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has now lasted for over four years. We see how Russia wants to strangle the entire society, but we also see how Ukraine succeeds in keeping society running, including the civil structure.

My question is about what the government is doing. What has the government done, and what else is being done? We know that we are in the toughest security policy situation since the Second World War.

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Many of us admire – admire is truly the right word – the resilience that Ukrainian society, Ukrainian authorities, and Ukrainian citizens have shown. It is something completely extraordinary.

In addition to a great commitment from the population and authorities to meet the challenge – they must win the war – a strong civil infrastructure has also been one of the means of success. For example, robust digital infrastructure where one can quickly reach the public with different types of important messages is a strong element. There has been a redundancy, meaning that when a certain part of electronic communication is destroyed, there are alternative paths and a strong civil society.

We have much to learn from Ukraine in our security policy. It is also why we strengthen the protection of our electronic infrastructure as much as we do.

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Magnus Oscarsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Let me make an addition. I am thinking about the question of the digital infrastructure, which also affects Sweden.

Unfortunately, we see how fraud is increasing, and modern technology is being used. For example, with the help of AI, one can appear trustworthy and deceive people. This is increasing, and particularly older women, 85–90 years old, are being called and subjected to fraud.

I know that the government has acted, but what more can the government do to stop the ruthless frauds that are ongoing right now?

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! This is, of course, a very important issue. The example raised shows why we need to regulate AI in some way, that is to say, such use of AI should not be permitted and such application of AI technology should not be permitted but is directly illegal.

We have now moved forward with a proposition to the Riksdag to, with the help of new legislation, prevent so-called SMS frauds, which are also common. Already today, 50,000 suspected fraud calls are blocked every day. With guidance from the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority, we now want to do approximately the same thing with SMS.

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Helena Gellerman (L)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to Erik Slottner.

The Swedish public sector has a great need to streamline its operations so that public funds can be used in a better way for services that directly benefit our citizens.

A previous study shows that 140 billion could be saved if we use AI and digitalization. At the same time, Sweden is the world's most innovative country and is far ahead when it comes to AI and digitalization.

What is the government doing to combine the need to streamline the public sector and the innovative power that exists all around Sweden?

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! The government is doing a lot to streamline the public sector, but there is much more to be done. At least four more years are needed to continue this work. There is great potential for increased efficiency. One of them is better public procurement and increased digitalization.

Here, the government has done a lot to create better conditions for state agencies and for municipalities and regions to conduct better public procurements, among other things through the roadmap for public procurement that the government decided on in October and through many assignments to, among others, the National Agency for Public Procurement to support public agencies, municipalities and regions in the procurement of digital services.

We have also made efforts to lower the thresholds for entry into the public sector, so that more small and medium-sized enterprises, many startups, can participate in public procurement and win contracts. One such example is a preliminary study of dynamic purchasing systems, as they are called, to lower the thresholds and make public business easier for small companies.

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Helena Gellerman (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the answer.

At the same time, new innovative digital solutions are strongly linked to the issue of access to data. One must be able to test one's ideas on large amounts of data to see if the services work in all contexts.

How does the Minister view the possibility of providing innovators across Sweden with access to test data to develop new services for the public sector, while simultaneously taking personal privacy into account?

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I view this positively. Within a few weeks, I will receive an investigation on so-called privacy-enhancing technologies. It should be possible to use confidential and protected data, where, through various technical solutions, the data is "washed" in order to be able to use it in, among other things, research, development, and innovation.

We are doing much else to remove the obstacles that our data legislation creates. We shall be able to increase the amount of data and raise the quality of the data we produce.

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Marie Olsson (S)

Mr. Speaker! Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson has previously said that the Swedish economy is Trump-proof. But the reality looks different. We all know that now.

On the same day the government presented the budget, it was admitted immediately that the own growth forecast no longer held. We all know that growth is extremely important for jobs and for welfare. It is unfortunate that the SD government does not pursue a more growth-friendly policy. Then there could have been money for reforms without having to borrow for them.

My question concerns the fact that the minister previously answered that there is no money for large reforms next year. How can there then be money for election treats now?

(Applause)

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! It is interesting that that which is called election pork here – what I have understood – nevertheless receives support from the Social Democrats. One day it is called election pork, and the next day, in various interviews, people think it is very good and say: We have proposed this for several years. There is, therefore, a bit of disorder in the argumentation.

Regarding growth, during these four years we have moved from being in the bottom tier of the EU to now being in the top tier of the EU. Thus, we are creating better conditions for reforms in the future. So, this government has indeed pursued a growth-promoting policy.

But we are of course not isolated from the rest of the world. We are dependent on our surroundings. When there is war around the world, when transports cannot be sent across and through different seas and straits on other continents, it also affects the Swedish economy. And when the USA imposes tariffs on different goods and services, it of course affects the Swedish economy, which is very dependent on the rest of the world. It is obvious.

However, it does not mean that this government is not pursuing a growth-promoting policy. The figures also show that we do.

(Applause)

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Martin Westmont (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.

Aid, return migration, and family reunification are issues that are connected in many ways. Family reunification in Sweden is a considerably more difficult and costly process than if the reunification takes place in the part of the world where one has their roots. Being reunited with family in the region where one has their origin provides good opportunities to create a deeper sense of belonging and home. It is a significantly better alternative than a life of exclusion in Sweden.

Does the Minister for Foreign Affairs share the view that family reunification, when possible, should take place in the country or region where the family has its roots?

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for an important question.

Actually, for the first time in modern Swedish political history, we are now using aid policy together with migration policy. It feels almost as if aid policy has previously been allowed to live its own little life. We therefore have an entirely own migration strategy, precisely to reduce irregular migration to Europe and to Sweden. It also focuses specifically on the migrant routes that are important.

I was myself in Mogadishu at the end of last year to meet Somalia's president, also to set counter-demands. If Somalia receives hundreds of millions every year from the Swedish people, we expect Somalia to follow international legislation and accept its own citizens.

We have seen the results of that policy over the last two years. Persons who are not Swedish citizens and who have committed very serious crimes – such as aiding and abetting murder, serious assault, and rape of children – have now left Sweden to go to Somalia.

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Anna Lasses (C)

Mr. Speaker! The so-called technical negotiation with the Taliban to be able to deport Afghans who are not allowed to be in Sweden or in other EU countries is still to be carried out by officials on neutral ground in Brussels, like in a hotel. You hear yourselves how controversial this is. It is so sensitive that the governments pushing for it exhibit a certain sense of trepidation.

The European Parliament has said no by a numbing majority. That is ignored.

Now we have been informed that the Taliban, for their part, want an open recognition of their rule by having diplomats in the EU's countries. Sweden's government has no plans to accommodate this, but all types of negotiations are about give and take.

The question remains, therefore, also this week. What is the government prepared to give to the Taliban?

(Applause)

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for this question as well.

I think it is perfectly natural that Sweden as a country has a dialogue with other countries, even countries that do not share our view on equality, human rights and a lot of other issues. It is not only the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which is one of the most brutal regimes that exist on this globe, that we nevertheless have some form of dialogue or contact with.

It does not mean that there are any plans for development cooperation in Afghanistan to give money to the Taliban regime. We have phased out the aid strategy concerning Afghanistan, but we continue, of course, with important life-saving interventions, primarily through the UN system. No Swedish aid money shall go to the Taliban regime. But we will do what we can for the children and girls who suffer greatly as a result of the Taliban regime.

(Applause)

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Jan Riise (MP)

Mr. Speaker! AI is today's topic, and my question also goes to Erik Slottner.

The large pensioner organizations have become involved in issues regarding AI and the elderly. From PRO, I hear that two or three of the most important issues are that AI should be accessible, understandable, and easy to use. Insofar as it concerns healthcare and elderly care, it is useful, but it does not replace people; rather, it is something that should improve the entire healthcare offering.

These are pressing issues. We are all going to be older for the rest of our lives.

There is not particularly much about this in the AI strategy's action plan. I would therefore like to hear a little from the minister on how he views actually including the elderly in the production and development of those types of services.

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! It is very exciting that so much AI is being discussed in the chamber today. It naturally pleases the Minister for AI.

We are allocating 25 million kronor in the budget to increase digital inclusion and reduce digital exclusion. Much is directed towards people in the older age group but also towards a number of other target groups in society.

I have now had many meetings around Sweden with local PRO, SPF, and RPG associations to talk about precisely digital exclusion, but also about the opportunities that digitalization and AI can provide, including for healthcare and elderly care.

One goal in the digitalization strategy, which was adopted a year ago, is precisely that digitalization should contribute to freeing up time for employees in care and healthcare and reducing the administrative burden – in order to improve both the operations and the work environment.

Reading the digitalization strategy, one sees that it is also focused on user-friendliness.

I recommend a reading of the digitalization strategy, because it actually addresses these questions much more than the AI strategy does.

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Stefan Olsson (M)

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

Here in the Riksdag, I have often heard that Sweden has completely recklessly bribed Somalia's Prime Minister with hundreds of millions of kronor. But when I looked at the matter myself, I saw that Sweden has paid out money to UNDP, which is a UN organization. I would therefore like the minister to talk a bit about what organ UNDP actually is, so that this assembly understands it.

I also wonder: How long has Sweden cooperated with the UN body UNDP? Does the Swedish government consider UNDP to be a corrupt body?

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Mr. Speaker! I have had the great pleasure of discussing just this issue for several hours, including in this magnificent chamber.

The decisions that have been made have been made according to all the procedures that are in place. It is not the government that has made the decision; it is Sida that has made the decision together with the embassy, just as they do regarding all other geographies.

Sida currently has over 100 direct agreements with UNDP globally. The Swedish people have, since 1998, contributed 10 billion kronor to Somalia. The World Bank fund accounts for the other half of the 100 million in question, and exactly the same structure was supported by the Social Democratic government in 2018. There is nothing that is different there.

What is different is that over 30 people, who are convicted of crimes in Sweden but are not Swedish citizens, have now left Sweden and are back in Somalia. That is the only thing that is new with this cooperation.

(Applause)

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Anna Lipinska (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Sweden has long been one of the world's most innovative countries. We have strong tech companies, high digital maturity, and good conditions for entrepreneurship. But the international competition is hardening rapidly. Countries all around the world are now investing powerfully in AI data capacity, digital infrastructure, and modern public systems to attract the companies and investments of the future.

For Sweden to continue to be at the forefront, it requires not only innovation in the business sector but also a state and a public sector that drives digital development forward, reduces red tape, and creates good conditions for establishments and growth. Sweden shall be a country where the technology companies of the future want to establish themselves, invest, and grow.

My question is directed to Minister Erik Slottner. What measures is the government taking to strengthen Sweden's position as a leading digital nation and thereby attract more AI-tech and future companies to Sweden?

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! We are doing this on a broad front, and many different departments are involved. Just take the largest research and innovation bill, which we were able to present here around Christmas 2024. There, we really moved the positions forward within these areas – AI and other new technologies.

Within the Ministry of Climate and Enterprise, Minister for Enterprise Ebba Busch has a great responsibility for regulatory simplification. We have appointed both a simplification council and an implementation council to avoid the fact that Sweden has many times suffered from over-implementation of new EU legislation.

In my area, we have responsibility for digitalization. We are currently doing a great deal to increase access to data. Computing power is being increased with a new supercomputer, Mimer, at Linköping University. We are investing in an AI workshop for the public sector to be able to scale up new innovation across the entire public sector. We are also issuing various assignments within public procurement so that it will become easier to procure Swedish and European cloud service providers, for example.

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Anders Ekegren (L)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question for Minister for Culture Parisa Liljestrand.

In Sweden, there are many state museums within a wide range of areas in society. There are museums for art, architecture, natural history, marine, railways, aviation, history, world culture – the list can be as long as one likes. We even have a horse tack museum and a shipwreck museum.

One of Sweden's most successful parts of culture is film. Sweden has had a period of greatness internationally from the 1920s onwards. Today, there are only small local museums, which often only cover a single location and a certain period. Sweden needs a state film museum that highlights Swedish film from 1897 up to our days. A suitable area would be Filmstaden in Råsunda, which was the center for Swedish film for 50 years.

My question is whether the Minister is prepared to work towards the establishment of a state film museum.

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the member for the question. Just as the member says, there is a great cultural heritage in Swedish film that stretches back over 100 years, and it is fantastic. This was also seen by the Film Commission. One of the things the Film Commission established was that one needs to take care of this cultural heritage and look at preservation issues for Swedish film. There are many different parts of this that one needs to look at. One needs, for example, to find suitable premises and work on maintaining technical competence and equipment. There are many different parts in this that need to work together.

In light of this, the government tasked the Swedish Film Institute at the beginning of the year to submit a proposal for a national film heritage center. We look forward to receiving that report at the end of October. We have also made specific targeted investments in the digitization of both objects and material from the film collections. Digitization will be a very important part of the construction and preservation of the film heritage.

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Jim Svensk Larm (S)

Mr. Speaker! The government promised to get the Swedish economy started and accelerate it, but instead we have had record-high unemployment, weak growth, and households pressured by harsh and high costs. Now the government is forced once again to revise the growth forecast downwards, and unemployment is not judged to decrease at the rate that was planned. Sweden has also performed more weakly than several comparable countries and is now receiving one of the largest growth downward revisions in the EU.

This is nothing other than a result of the government's incorrect priorities. Sweden is simply emerging weaker from this crisis than we should have had to. We see postponed investments and continued high unemployment. Companies demand stable rules of the game instead of political bickering.

When will the government take responsibility for these misprioritizations and for the fact that Sweden is falling behind?

(Applause)

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! False claims do not become true just because they are repeated like a scratchy gramophone record. That is what I am experiencing in the chamber right now.

Swedish growth has moved from the bottom league to the top league during these four years. We inherited a low growth in Sweden. It is still not as high as it should be – for quite easily understood reasons. If one follows the news at least once a day, one knows that global growth is decreasing. It has taken a hit due to trade barriers and what is happening in the Middle East, but also naturally Russia's war against Ukraine.

Unemployment is now decreasing and has decreased for several months in a row. We have been able to stimulate demand by strengthening household finances without driving up inflation. We inherited an inflation that was double-digit. It is now well below the Riksbank's target. Interest rates have been able to be halved. We have been able to strengthen a two-child family's finances by no less than 5,000 kronor a month.

(Applause)

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Christofer Bergenblock (C)

Mr. Speaker! The frustration was enormous within the disability rights movement when it was discovered in the autumn that the government had let them down on the promised indexation of personal assistance. That the compensation needs to be both increased and indexed is what the vast majority agree on, because it is so low today that it has become very difficult to carry out personal assistance at all.

In the spring budget, the government stated that instead of indexing, Försäkringskassan should be tasked with preparing a proposal for an adjustment. But Försäkringskassan has already submitted its budget basis for 2027 and has not yet received any assignment to supplement this basis.

My question to the Minister for Social Services is: When does the Minister for Social Services intend to issue a mandate to Försäkringskassan regarding the adjustment of the assistance? Or is the intention that this should occur first before the budget for 2028?

(Applause)

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! That people in need of assistance should be given long-term conditions for having their assistants has been a very important part of the government's work. It was also for that reason that we only a few days ago presented an investigation aimed at providing better conditions for the work being carried out to establish long-term state assistance.

The Leader of the Opposition perhaps exhibits a certain fact-resistance by continuing to repeat that the indexing has been promised. In the budget for 2025, and similarly in the budget for 2026, the government says that they are investigating the possibility of introducing an indexing. It remains – nothing has changed.

At the same time, a mandate to Försäkringskassan was presented quite recently. That mandate is being prepared right now. It has been clear and distinct that it will be in place before next year's budget management.

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Jacob Risberg (MP)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Civil Affairs Slottner. Today I have received help with the question from our two exchange students Sheron and Jessica Kaur, who are also sitting in the gallery and following the question period.

The development of AI is moving at a rapid pace. We are daily receiving new functions that the various AI services can provide. We know that a large part of the future labor market will look very different because of AI.

In the schools of the primary schools, AI is blocked today. It turns out that different schools have very different strategies for how they handle AI in school and at the same time keep the teaching relevant in relation to AI.

My question to the Minister is: How is the government working to ensure that these upper secondary students and all other primary school students are prepared for the use of AI, both for upper secondary school and for working life?

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Jacob Risberg for the question!

I first thought that the member would say that he had received help from AI to prepare the question. It is a well-known trick, in any case from one of the members. I think it was better that he instead had received two assistants.

We do not have all the answers to these questions. I also believe that the specific question of exactly how the schools are working perhaps should be posed in an interpellation or in a question period to the Minister for Education, who is the responsible minister.

This is something that schools naturally must work with a great deal on moving forward and that they, of course, work a lot with today. AI is such a natural part of most children's and young people's lives today that I would say it is impossible for both teachers and principals not to come into contact with this.

Given how we can see examples of how AI has a negative place in some children's lives with algorithms and other things that can harm children's mental well-being, it is obviously very important that the school also takes a more active role to ensure that AI promotes children's development and does not, for example, exacerbate mental ill-health.

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Magdalena Thuresson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question for Minister Dousa.

There are two different types of aid: long-term development aid and acute humanitarian aid, or disaster relief as it can also be called.

Humanitarian aid is about saving lives. It is food, water and medicine for people in absolute need. I believe that when people think of aid, it is primarily humanitarian aid that they think of.

However, humanitarian aid, the acute aid that is about saving lives, is a relatively small part of all aid. During the years 2014–2024, it stood at around 10 percent of all aid, to for next year, 2025, increase to 17 percent of all aid.

I wonder what the Minister's position is. Should humanitarian aid as a share of Swedish aid increase?

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for a very important question!

It has had effects, not least because the USA has withdrawn so strongly. In a normal year before Trump was president, the USA accounted for approximately 40 percent of the humanitarian aid. That is what is about food parcels, clean water, and fundamentally about human dignity.

The government has reduced the aid budget so that hard-working families in Sweden can keep more of their own money. We also have needs in healthcare and school here at home. Despite this, we have constantly protected precisely that humanitarian aid. It concerns sexual and reproductive health, safe abortion clinics, and safe maternity care. This also applies, of course, to the aid to Ukraine, which we have almost doubled in just one and a half years.

For me as Minister for Development Cooperation, humanitarian aid and precisely that which concerns human dignity is incredibly important. I would have liked to see that it could increase.

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Jytte Guteland (S)

Mr. Speaker! The Minister seems so satisfied. The SD government said that they would pursue a responsible policy. When the Minister stands here and answers our questions, he is satisfied. It is difficult to understand.

There are 100,000 more unemployed, and many thousands more with the Enforcement Authority. Sweden is at the bottom of the rankings in growth when compared with the EU countries. The government should be anything but satisfied.

Perhaps we received some testimony about that in the debate when the minister expressed that the reform space for the next mandate period is not pledged. Something in that style was what he said.

So, the storehouses have been emptied. The next government will find it difficult to be able to help the Swedish people forward. Is that the responsible policy from the SD government? That is what we Social Democrats wonder.

We also wonder why the Swedish people should trust a government that said it would take responsibility for the economy.

(Applause)

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Civilministern Erik Slottner (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I am not standing here and being generally satisfied, like some kind of fat, lazy cat. But I do not intend to let falsehoods go unchallenged. When the opposition says that Sweden is at the bottom of the growth league, it is not true. According to the forecast, Sweden will be number one.

It is true that we were at the very bottom at the beginning of the term, because we inherited the low growth after eight years of Social Democratic and Green Party rule. At that time, we ended up far down in the growth league.

The government has been in power for four years. We see how we are climbing and climbing, and we see that the economic development looks brighter and brighter. I am proud of that, but I am not yet completely satisfied. We have much to tackle ahead.

In a recession, after the high inflation we have been in, we have been able to strengthen the economies of households and families by lowering taxes and increasing certain strategic grants. It has been very good.

It has been important to do this in a recession to support households through a tough time.

(Applause)

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Jan Ericson (M)

Mr. Speaker! No government has made such great efforts to increase the control and efficiency of Swedish aid as today's Moderate-led government. By reviewing and sharpening the management, we have achieved significantly increased effect of Swedish aid, despite a lower aid budget.

The time is over when the most important goal in Swedish aid was to spend a certain amount of money instead of ensuring the results. It is classic Moderate policy that we should get maximum effect from the tax money. This applies, of course, to the aid as well.

Now come alarming proposals from the opposition regarding a significantly increased aid budget if they win the election. This will, of course, increase the opposition parties' large budget deficit and entail a need for tax increases for ordinary people.

There is an additional threat built into these proposals. How does the Minister for Foreign Aid view the risk that a powerful increase in the aid budget would lead Sweden back to the time when the goal of Swedish aid was to spend as much money as possible instead of having clear goals for the effects of the aid that Sweden provides?

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Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for a very important question!

On the left side, we see how all four parties want to return to the one percent goal. Centerpartiet, Vänsterpartiet, Miljöpartiet, and Socialdemokraterna all want to allocate 25 billion kronor more per year to aid starting from 2028.

There are three ways to finance it. It would be honorable from the left side to answer: Where will the money come from? One can, for one thing, raise taxes for hard-working people. Answer honestly then that you want to raise taxes.

The second thing is that one can cut expenditures. Answer honestly then: Which hospitals should be closed? Which schools should receive less money so that more can go abroad? Or one can borrow at the expense of the young generation, who are forced to pay for it in the future.

I think it is dishonest from the left side. One does not answer honestly. Of course, more of the taxpayers' money will be wasted. That is what I am very concerned about.

(Applause)

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Björn Wiechel (S)

Mr. Speaker! We have all been able to follow how the SD government is cutting back on the public's access to free and independent media and how the government's policy towards Swedes' public service strikes against local media, against diversity and against preparedness.

Despite the Minister for Culture's speech about compensation, zero action is being taken – zero! The cuts are ongoing, and it is noticeable in the supply. But let us still take the Minister for Culture at his word. Give the public an answer here and now: When will the money for the land network costs arrive? When will the money be paid out?

(Applause)

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! It seems to be a sport during the question period today to describe reality in false words and not say as it de facto is.

That the government would have cut back on free and independent media is therefore incorrect. We have appointed a new media support consisting of approximately 1 billion kronor. We give approximately 10 billion per year to public service. With the new proposition for public service and the new broadcasting license, public service receives more money today than was received during your time and under the old broadcasting license. Public service will receive approximately 83 billion of the taxpayers' money.

It is quite true that the road network is an important issue. But when Björn Wiechel stands in the chamber and says that I should provide a statement, he is probably not very well-informed, Mr. Speaker – then he has missed the fact that it is not the government that makes the decisions, but it is the chamber of the Riksdag that ultimately shall make the decision.

The Government has said that we will refer a basis. We are preparing it now, and we intend to return.

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Noria Manouchi (M)

Mr. Speaker! Over time we have been able to see how organized crime has eaten its way into the entire body of society, and the alarms regarding welfare crime have been many. The previous government could have stopped this in time, but it was not prioritized by the Socialdemokraterna. The authorities wanted the tools. They wanted stronger economic muscles but did not get them.

The Moderates have prioritized completely differently, and the result is that Ivo, together with the police, has shut down 40 HVB homes that had insufficient operations and links to criminal gangs.

Now I wonder how the government ensures that the tightened supervision from Ivo's side actually ensures both quality of care and safety for the children in the HVB homes as well in the future.

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

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

When this parliamentary term began, Ivo, the authority responsible for the supervision of HVB homes, had neither resources, legislation, mandate nor tools to be able to shut down criminal homes. The previous government simply did not give the authority the prerequisites, even though Ivo even contacted the previous Social Democratic government with a petition containing 40 different proposals for what they considered they needed to be able to carry out their mission.

This government has produced that list and taken several measures regarding the resources and tools that the authority needs, and the work is now in full swing to both identify and close these homes. No fewer than forty homes have been closed as a result of these investments.

Today, there are both the resources, the legislation, the mandate, and the tools to ensure that children who are in the care of society feel safe.

(Applause)

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Malin Höglund (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question also goes to Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall.

A year ago, the new Social Services Act entered into force. This means that the social services can, and also should, work more preventatively. At the same time, the confidentiality between the police, school, and social services has been changed to make it easier to cooperate with the child's best interests at the center. The hope is that more children will receive protection and support in time before they end up in destructive environments or crime.

The law has been in place for some time now. My question to the Minister is therefore: How does the government view how the law is being used across the country? Does the Minister already see positive results, or is it too early to draw that conclusion?

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

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

It has naturally been wonderfully fun to carry out legislation that has been long-awaited and which a Moderate-led government is now implementing for our municipalities.

I travel a lot in the country and have seen many municipalities that are now at the forefront and which were already doing so before the legislation came into force. There, one now sees the effects of early and preventive support.

There are also municipalities that, despite very good conditions, are lagging far, far behind. Here, it is often a matter of political will and courage.

It is like this: legislation in itself makes no difference, but now it is really about everyone having to help each other – the government, municipal leadership, and the individual social worker. It is not optional to use the new Social Services Act and the new secrecy legislation, but everyone must use the new legislation.

(Applause)

The question period was hereby concluded.

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