Personnel supply for the military defense

Peter Hultqvist (S)

Madam Speaker! The bill concerns extending the number of days in readiness service. Readiness service may comprise a maximum of 360 days or a minimum of 230 days, at one occasion. It is about that those subject to military service during high readiness shall be able to remain as called up for readiness service or war service up to 47 years of age. Military service may comprise former professional officers up to 70 years of age.

War-placed shall remain longer than ten years from the last period of service of the conscription until the end of the year they turn 47. It concerns reserve officers' right to leave from civilian work and to guarantee the independence of the Pliktråd.

We in the Social Democrats can fully accept the proposal. It increases the availability of personnel in the military defense and also the endurance in the military defense, but it is not sufficient to meet the challenges we have ahead of us.

At its core, it is about the fact that we must expand the size and scope of the Armed Forces and the war organization. It is this that provides the real endurance, and the proposal affects that to some extent. It does not solve any problems, but it is still a step.

Our goal is to increase the number of conscripts from 10,000 people, which we agree on, to 20,000. In practice, it is about the fact that we have the ambition to double the size of the war organization from the current target of 130,000 to in the order of 250,000.

Why was this then needed? Well, it was needed because we now have the clear ambition to manage to maintain two international operations within the framework of Nato and deploy them under war or crisis conditions. We have one in the Baltics and one in northern Finland. Being able to rotate it and replace any losses requires a larger organization.

We must also manage the territorial defense, which will have as its main task to defend transports from Norway out to the east coast and then over to Finland and the Baltics. We must manage unit rotations, and we must be able to replace losses throughout the entire organization.

This requires training of more officers and an increased number of conscripts. I hope that the Defence Committee will eventually discuss these issues and that in a future defense decision we can draw up guidelines to make a real strengthening of the Swedish Armed Forces. This will naturally take time, and it requires a strong political determination and governance for it to work.

Questions concerning the basic personnel supply in the military organization will be central for a very long time. What we are taking a position on today, I think, is relatively uncontroversial. It affects to a small extent but is still to be considered as a step in the right direction.

With this, I move for the approval of the present proposal.

(Applause)

Videoriksdagen.se

Hanna Gunnarsson (V)

Madam Speaker! Hello, everyone watching and listening!

Today, the Committee on Defence has its very first real debate during this parliamentary term, and what fits better than to talk about the staff's conditions? It is interesting that all parties are involved in this debate.

The personnel are the foundation for a functioning total defense and for society to be robust and function even during crises. The work tasks are seemingly endless, many times very difficult and need to be performed at inconvenient times, in places far away and sometimes with far too few resources. The Swedish Armed Forces' operations, just like those of the rescue services, the police, and other similar professions, involve great risks and high demands and are ongoing around the clock.

Working with the military defense's sharp tasks is not an easy job. We are very grateful to everyone who chooses to work there and in other vulnerable professions. The most difficult tasks are probably those performed abroad, with absence from family for shorter and longer periods as a result. I would therefore like to extend a big thank you to everyone who is currently or previously has been abroad on military missions or on other acute missions, such as during earthquakes or evacuations. A big thank you for your efforts!

For these reasons, it is important that the working conditions within the Armed Forces are as good as possible – that security is always taken most seriously and that harassment and violations are always countered. Wages and conditions should be so good that the staff want to and can stay in their profession and do not have to seek out another employer for economic reasons. All employees in the Armed Forces shall have the materiel and the personal equipment they need. It is ultimately a question of security. It is very positive that measures have actually been taken in these areas.

Madam Speaker! In the summer of 2025, Redo finally arrived! An investigation into the staffing of the military defense. It was an investigation that was long-awaited. There are many questions to be solved in the area concerning the conditions of military personnel.

Now comes also the first proposition in this area. I am still a bit disappointed with that proposition. I would have wished that it had included more issues. We must be happy with what we get and handle the proposition we have, but it can be stated that continued work is required in this area.

We support the bill in the large whole, just like all other parties, but we have a reservation. It concerns the issue of extended compulsory service for former professional officers and reserve officers. That former officers serve with duty as officers until the age of 70 can be logical. It is the same age limit that the total defense obligation otherwise has. In peacetime, however, voluntary employment that can be terminated whenever the employee so wishes must be what applies. Vänsterpartiet has taken into account the views that Officersförbundet and Förbundet Reservofficerarna have submitted in their referral responses. To counter the risk of abuse of the changed regulations, we propose that a clarification be made that this duty cannot be utilized in peacetime. I therefore move for approval of reservation 1.

Madam Speaker! One thing we would have liked to include in this and a solution to is the Swedish Armed Forces' fixed-term employments. Vänsterpartiet believes that the norm for employment across the entire labor market should be permanent and full-time. This is logical and obvious to us. But today, so-called GSS/K soldiers within the Swedish Armed Forces have a fixed-term employment of maximum twelve years. Despite the fact that the need for personnel in the Swedish Armed Forces is very great, people are forced to leave prematurely for this reason, when they can do the job best. We think this is incredibly stupid. It has been discussed for a very long time and comes up in almost all discussions with the trade unions in the area. It is very stupid that experienced and skilled personnel, especially in the technical area, are forced to leave prematurely completely unnecessarily. Vänsterpartiet believes that the so-called twelve-year limit must be abolished. Unfortunately, it was not included in this bill.

Madam Speaker! I also want to highlight in this speech the role of the Conscription Council in monitoring the interests and rights of those performing national service. Even though those performing national service are not employees, they should be counted as part of the military personnel from a broader perspective. A good basic training also lays the foundation for being able to employ more soldiers and officers in the future. The Conscription Council must be given good conditions to be able to do its job, and it should receive greater resources as the number of those performing national service increases. We will also have those performing civil service during basic training, and that also requires a Conscription Council that can monitor this.

Finally, we argue that the compensation for those performing national service should be indexed to ensure that the daily allowance keeps pace with the cost developments in society. We look forward to a new government taking action on this.

(Applause)

Videoriksdagen.se

Alexandra Anstrell (M)

Madam Speaker! Sweden's defense begins with people – with the soldier who trains to be able to perform their task when it really matters, with the officer who educates and leads, with the home guard soldier who is ready to leave their everyday life to protect our society, and with the reserve officer who combines a civilian professional life with a responsibility for Sweden's defense. Behind every unit and every capability are people. Their knowledge, their commitment, and their will to take responsibility are crucial for our security, for all of Sweden's security. Therefore, today's decision is important. I want to begin by moving for approval of the committee's proposal for a decision and rejection of the reservation.

Madam Speaker! In part of the report, the right of reserve officers to leave of absence from their civilian employment is addressed. It is now explicitly stated in the law, which is good. It is an issue that we Moderates have pushed for a long time – I believe it was already in 2021 that a Moderate motion led to the Swedish Parliament urging the government to facilitate and strengthen reserve officers' opportunity to serve. The right to leave of absence was a central part. At that time, there was, and now there is, unanimous support behind that announcement. Even the Left Party stood behind it. I think that is worth noting. We are often in agreement on defense issues. It is important for Sweden's security, because when we gather around concrete improvements for Sweden's defense, we should also make them. Now we move from a notice from the Parliament to a clear provision in the law. It is good, and it is welcome.

For the individual reserve officer, this is about making everyday life work. One has a civilian job and colleagues who depend on them, and perhaps there are children to be picked up and dropped off. At the same time, one has trained, taken on a military responsibility, and is ready to contribute to our defense. Then society must also create the conditions so that one can do that in a good way. The person who wants and can serve should have a clear right to be off for that service. It provides security for the reserve officer and clarity for the civilian employer. It makes it easier to plan and combine both missions. It is common sense. Sweden has invested in these people's military training. They have themselves invested time and effort. Then we must also take advantage of their competencies. Furthermore, the reserve officers bring with them experiences from work life outside the Armed Forces. They combine military knowledge with civil competence and contribute to the defense's anchoring in society. It is a strength that we need to utilize even better.

Madam Speaker! We make major and necessary decisions to strengthen Sweden's defense. We need materiel, we need ammunition, we need functioning infrastructure and, above all, we need well-equipped units. But every such investment presupposes that the people who can translate it into defense capability are there and can serve. We need to recruit and train more. We also need to give those who are already in the organization opportunities to stay, develop, and serve. Therefore, the personnel's conditions must be a natural part of the defense buildup. Leadership, work environment, and the possibility to combine service with family and civilian work ultimately affect our ability to defend Sweden.

Today's report also contains proposals that strengthen endurance through longer readiness service and better opportunities to keep trained personnel available. With increased obligations for the individual, a great responsibility for the state follows simultaneously. Competence shall be utilized with judgment and respect for people's circumstances.

With today's decision, we remove an uncertainty for people who have chosen to take special responsibility for our country. It shall be noticeable in practice – in the possibility to participate in exercises, in the units' staffing, and in the individual person's, the soldier's, security before the next service. For me, it is obvious. The one who is prepared to stand up for Sweden shall also be able to rely on that Sweden creates the conditions for it. Our defense is carried by people. When we strengthen their opportunities to perform their task, we strengthen Sweden's security and freedom.

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Per Söderlund (SD)

Madam Speaker! A strong defense is not just about materiel and weapons systems. Ultimately, it is about people with the right education, the right competence, and a strong will to defend our country, our allies, our democracy, and our population with their own lives at stake if the worst imaginable were to occur.

Madam Speaker! The proposals in Proposition 2025/26:279 represent important steps to strengthen the Armed Forces' personnel supply and improve the possibilities to retain trained personnel within the war organization. Against the background of the serious security policy situation and the Armed Forces' extensive growth, the reforms are both necessary and well-considered.

The total number of positions in the war organization is estimated by the government to amount to approximately 130,000 plus reserves in 2035, when the war organization is expected to be fully staffed. According to the Armed Forces' annual report, 75,400 people were war-stationed there in 2025, an increase of 14,700 since the previous year. Significant personnel reinforcement is therefore needed before the war organization is fully staffed.

Increased conscription volumes are part of what needs to be realized but are not enough. We must also streamline the Armed Forces' use of personnel resources. The bill contains proposals that go in exactly that direction. Therefore, the Sweden Democrats welcome the bill and stand behind the government's proposals.

Madam Speaker! The obligation to fulfill military service applies to Swedish citizens from the beginning of the calendar year when the person subject to total defense duty turns 19 until the end of the calendar year when he or she turns 47. Through an addition to the Act on Total Defense Duty, the obligation to fulfill military service will remain during high alert for those who have been called up for alert service or war service before the end of the calendar year in which they turn 47. This means that the obligation does not automatically cease at the age of 47 for the person who has already been called up. Furthermore, a person subject to total defense duty who has previously been employed as a professional officer or reserve officer for at least one year will be obliged to fulfill military service until the end of the year in which the person turns 70, not 47 as today.

Thanks to this, the Armed Forces will not lose important competence to the same extent as today because someone is considered too old. The competence will be able to be used much longer than with current legislation. This means a not entirely insignificant efficiency, to put it cautiously.

Madam Speaker! SVT recently reported that the Armed Forces' personnel reserve is shrinking because it is being emptied faster than it is being replenished. According to today's regulations, normal military placement in the personnel reserve normally expires ten years after the last period of service if it is not extended.

The concept of the conscript reserve is therefore introduced in the proposition. The conscript reserve shall be a specific reserve within the personnel reserve and consist of conscripts whose military status would otherwise have expired after ten years without service. In the conscript reserve, the military status remains until the end of the calendar year in which the person turns 47, even if the person has not served during that period. To be redeployed to a military unit, however, the person must undergo refresher training.

This proposal also leads to more efficient use of personnel resources, as it concerns people with education who can be updated relatively quickly. In this way, they can continue to make an important contribution to the war units. We have for a long time invested time and money in training people for the defense of our country. It is necessary that we also become better at making use of the competence and experience that already exists.

Madam Speaker! It can be said very simply that readiness service is a way to maintain readiness even when there is no high state of alert or war. Readiness service may only take place if it is needed for Sweden's defense readiness, but it may take place regardless of which alert level prevails, that is, even in basic readiness. Readiness service may for each person subject to total defense duty comprise at most 180 days distributed over one or more service occasions. The bill increases the service to 360 days, of which at most 230 days at a single occasion. The Government also states that, as a starting point, a person subject to total defense duty should not be called to readiness service on more than one occasion.

Madam Speaker! The Swedish Armed Forces' personnel supply is based on the possibility of combining a civilian professional life with a military commitment. An important part of the bill is therefore the explicit right to leave of absence for reserve officers and other part-time personnel, including civilian personnel employed through contracts. It is an issue that the Riksdag has noted previously and where concrete proposals are now being presented. For the system with reserve officers and other part-time personnel to function, the regulatory framework must provide reasonable conditions. A clear right to leave of absence strengthens both the individual's and the Swedish Armed Forces' possibilities to plan their activities.

Madam Speaker! The Sweden Democrats would like to emphasize that the work to develop the military personnel supply system is not concluded with this bill. We are therefore submitting a separate statement. Questions regarding the long-term function of the conscript reserve, the availability of specialist expertise, and the availability of reserve officers will need to be followed up. The Sweden Democrats also consider that there are reasons to continue to follow the issue of the representation and influence of those subject to total defense duty as training volumes increase and conscription gains ever greater importance for the Armed Forces' personnel supply.

Videoriksdagen.se

Catarina Deremar (C)

Madam Speaker! Listening to this debate, it is probably difficult to understand that we cannot agree on a government. I think we seem to be very much in agreement on this issue. That is good, because it is an important and extremely central issue for our security.

Madam Speaker! As others have already said, a stronger defense is not just about materiel and appropriations. The Armed Forces' personnel are the most important resource for developing defense capability. Perhaps it is also the case that the Armed Forces' most difficult challenge is precisely the personnel supply. Sweden needs more conscripts, officers, soldiers, and other personnel when the defense is to grow and Sweden's responsibility in Nato increases.

For a long-term sustainable personnel supply, both short-term and long-term measures are needed. Proposals are needed regarding improved conditions for officer candidates, the possibility of a higher retirement age, the right to leave of absence for reserve officers, and the possibility to employ soldiers for a longer period than today. An attractive employer with an active employer policy is required. The Armed Forces need to be able to offer good employment conditions, functioning equipment, reasonable compensation, and opportunities to develop and stay – or return after a civilian career.

A low-hanging fruit is probably to extend the professional soldiers' fixed-term employment to eight plus four years or, if necessary, allow personnel to move forward within the Armed Forces and be offered training and positions such as specialist officers. Then the experience that has been built up over twelve years can remain within the Armed Forces. Salaries and other issues related to the labor market parties shall, of course, be decided there.

Madam Speaker! Conscription is a major intervention in the individual's life. Therefore, the Centre Party wants to strengthen the position of the Conscription Board and improve the total defense-obligated's influence. The Centre Party has also proposed that the daily allowance should be index-regulated to keep pace with the cost developments in society.

Madam Speaker! The Armed Forces need both women and men and must therefore be an attractive employer for both women and men. This means, among other things, that the equipment and protection used must be of real help and not harm those who wear them, and this applies, of course, to both women and men. The Armed Forces need to be a workplace where women and men can serve on equal terms.

Centerpartiet wants the work on equality and equal treatment to be followed up regularly. Equipment and protection must work for female soldiers and must not limit their movement or ability. The problems that the units have experienced with equipment for soldiers must be addressed immediately, and some have, as stated, happened.

When signals of unwelcome behavior arise, they must be taken most seriously and dealt with immediately.

Madam Speaker! There is probably no lack of either policies or guidelines. The important thing is that they are followed up and revised when necessary. A goal should be that by the year 2030, 40 percent of those subject to conscription shall be women. Then one must work to ensure that it is also attractive for women to have the Armed Forces as an employer.

The personal need cannot be met by the Armed Forces alone. Centerpartiet wants more people to be able to contribute through conscription, the reserve officer system, and the voluntary organizations. Voluntary organizations exist throughout the country and play an important role for the popular anchoring, the will to defend, and the total defense capability.

Madam Speaker! A strong defense requires long-term perspective and competence from the people and organizations that want to be involved. I intend to conclude where I began. A strong defense is not built only with money and materiel. It is built by people who want to educate themselves, serve, and stay. Therefore, the Armed Forces need to be an attractive employer for both women and men where conscripts have influence and where both employees, reserve officers, and volunteers get the opportunity to contribute. That is how we build a defense that holds across the entire country over time.

Videoriksdagen.se

Mikael Oscarsson (KD)

Madam Speaker! Today we are debating the Committee on Defence's report number 2, Personnel Supply of the Military Defence.

A defense certainly consists of tanks, ships and aircraft, but it consists above all of trained and practiced people who are ready. In a crisis or a war, endurance is crucial – not the first week but the fifth, the tenth and the fiftieth.

We find ourselves – as everyone in this chamber and those watching this on TV know – in a significantly deteriorated security policy situation. It is not enough to have a strong defense on paper. We must be able to man it fully, for a long time. That is why the measures being debated today are so important.

Madam Speaker! I want to highlight three things. The first is readiness. Today, a conscript can be called up for readiness service for a maximum of 180 days, but in a growing war organization, that is not enough. Resources risk running out before the threat does. Therefore, the number of days is now doubled to 360. This gives the government real room for maneuver if it should be needed.

The second thing I want to highlight is that we need to utilize the competence we already have. Those who are called up before the age of 47 should not be released during high alert simply because a birthday has passed. Conscripts who do not serve for ten years should not disappear from the system but be placed in a new conscript reserve. Former professional and reserve officers should be covered by conscription up to the age of 70.

The third point concerns the right to leave of absence – something that particularly pleases me. In the winter of 2021, the Riksdag told the government to facilitate things for the reserve officers by giving them the same right to leave as soldiers and sailors with periodic service. Now it becomes a reality. It is being written into the law, and that is something we Kristdemokrater have talked about and fought for for a long time.

Over the years, I, and surely several others here in the chamber, have met reserve officers who have raised exactly this. They have wanted to volunteer but perhaps had to choose between the boss's goodwill and their responsibility to defend Sweden. It has not been sustainable. Now it is finally being resolved.

The reserve officer no longer needs to negotiate to defend Sweden. He or she can refer to the law. The same applies to civil personnel serving periodically and everyone who fulfills military service, civil service, or general service duty. It is a small paragraph, but it says something big: That serving one's country should never, ever cost a job.

I also want to mention the Pliktrådet. The Riksdag demanded in 2022 that its independence should be guaranteed. Now Pliktrådet is receiving its own financial framework, which is very good.

Madam Speaker! The work does not end here. A conscript reserve is only worth something if those who are placed there actually receive – what? Yes, a refresher training. Otherwise, it just becomes a list, not a reserve. This is something we have reason to follow. Refresher exercises and other exercises create real military capability for our country.

We Christian Democrats often speak warmly about the small communities – the family, the association, and so on. The total defense is the largest community of them all. It is based on everyone stepping up for one another when it really matters.

I want to conclude with a big thank you to all those performing national service, reserve officers, and employers who let their employees go even when it is inconvenient. You all make Sweden safer.

Videoriksdagen.se

Willhelm Sundman (L)

Madam Speaker! It is possible to buy more vehicles. One can order more ammunition, and one can build larger barracks. Experience, however, cannot be ordered with a short delivery time. It must be built up over many years. If we are to succeed in retaining the competence, we must also take care of it.

When the Riksdag now addresses the personnel supply of the military defense, it is important to remember that it is about people. It is people with knowledge and experience who cannot simply be replaced with more materiel or larger appropriations.

Human freedom is the very essence of the Liberals' ideology. It concerns the right to choose one's work and decide over one's life, but also to be free from unnecessary interventions from the state. For these freedoms to be possible, however, a fundamental prerequisite is required, and that is that we have the right to live in a free country where no foreign power decides. In Ukraine, we see what happens when an aggressor tries to strip the people of that right. We also see what immense significance people's experience has for a country's defense capability.

Under nearly five years of full-scale war, Ukrainian soldiers and commanders have built up knowledge that cannot be replaced overnight. Experiences from combat and the ability to adapt and pass on knowledge to new soldiers are crucial for being able to manage to defend their country. It is a reminder that a strong defense is not just about how many we can train, but also about how well we take care of those who are already trained.

Madam Speaker! Sweden shall continue to help Ukraine defend itself. At the same time, Sweden is now a member of Nato, something that the Liberals had pushed for for a long time. Membership is a crucial part of our security and entails a responsibility towards our allies. Therefore, we must also make our own defense so strong that an attack against Sweden or our allies appears hopeless.

For Sweden to be an ally that can be relied upon, usable units and endurance are required. It is not enough with large appropriations and modern weapons systems. There must also be people with the right education and experience who are prepared to defend not only Sweden's freedom but also our allies' freedom.

SVT recently reported that Sweden's reserve of trained soldiers is shrinking while the defense is to grow. According to today's main rule, the war placement expires after ten years without service. When the refresher training is insufficient, the Armed Forces lose access to personnel who could still contribute. It is a contradiction that we are now correcting.

Sweden educates people for tasks that we truly hope they never need to perform. But the reality is different. Therefore, we must ensure that their knowledge is available if the worst happens. In the bill, the assessment is presented that a personnel reserve would need to include at least 100,000 conscripts by 2035. At the same time, around 51,000 conscripts are planned to be included in the war organization. These are large figures, and behind them lies a very concrete need. Units must be able to be reinforced, losses must be able to be replaced, and the defense must be able to continue functioning even after severe strains.

With the proposal, it will be possible to retain conscripts who have passed the ten-year limit in a special personnel reserve, until at the latest the end of the year they turn 47. The possibilities for readiness service are expanded, and former professional officers and reserve officers who meet the requirements of the law can be covered by conscription until they turn 70. This is welcome. It is also welcome that the right to leave of absence for, among others, reserve officers is clarified. The person who, during a period, leaves their regular work to contribute to Sweden's defense shall be able to feel security regarding which rights apply.

Madam Speaker! We heard here that Vänsterpartiet wants that the possibility to extend the conscription for former officers should not be utilized in peacetime. I can understand why this issue is being raised. Duty is not an insignificant decision. For the individual, it can mean that work, family life, and personal plans have to take a backseat, and the state must therefore always be able to justify why such an intervention is necessary.

Just because freedom means so much, we must be careful about what we demand of people. Voluntary service and employment should be the primary path, but when the needs cannot be met in that way, the Armed Forces must still have the possibility to call upon experienced competence. Here, the Liberals differ from the Left Party. We cannot assume that the next serious security policy crisis will begin with a declaration of war. Even in peacetime, the security situation may require the Armed Forces to quickly strengthen its readiness. In that case, there must be a possibility to call in former officers with valuable experience for readiness service, even when it is not possible to meet the need through voluntarism.

At the same time, no one should believe that longer military service in itself creates better soldiers. Those who have been away from the Armed Forces for many years need to be given the opportunity to train again. Training, equipment, and functioning planning must accompany the legislative changes. The Government and the Armed Forces must therefore ensure that the ambition to have more conscripts is followed by sufficient resources for training for those who are already trained – otherwise, we have only improved our registers and not our defense capability.

Madam Speaker! For me as a liberal, the conclusion is simple: The state shall show restraint when it limits people's choices. It shall, on the other hand, never hesitate to protect its country against external threats. That people contribute to Sweden's defense is not an end in itself, but it is ultimately about safeguarding peace and the right to live in freedom.

With this, I move for approval of the committee's proposal.

Videoriksdagen.se

Nila Vikhe Patil (MP)

Madam Speaker! Much good has been said in the debate today. Miljöpartiet considers that a strong defense is important for Sweden and that those who serve in the defense should have good conditions to do this. The will to defend builds on those who are appointed to participate feeling responsibility and respect for the task and wanting to participate. As in all well-functioning organizations, clarity regarding the task and a mandate to handle the situations that arise are therefore required.

By adopting this bill, the Riksdag provides further clarity and better conditions for the Armed Forces to create the organization required to defend our country and our freedom in times of high alert and war. A broad popular anchoring for total defense in society also ensures that civil defense throughout the country becomes better equipped to handle crises in peacetime, such as floods, major accidents, storms, and fires.

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(Decisions were made under § 11.)

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