Personal questions

Gustaf Göthberg (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would first like to express my approval of the committee's proposed decision in this report.

When we debate personnel issues within the total defense today, we do so against a very gloomy and dark background. The security situation in our global environment has, as is known, changed fundamentally. Therefore, it is required that we have a strong, well-functioning and sustainable defense. That, in turn, also requires something more.

It requires people who are prepared to step forward when the wind blows hardest. It is about all employees in our defense force and in our total defense. It is about reserve officers and civil servants, about veterans, volunteers and those subject to total defense duty – those who together form the backbone of our security. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely crucial that we give these people the right conditions to succeed. Therefore, I am proud of the policy that the government pursues.

The government has strengthened the personnel supply. The compensation is better. We have improved the possibility of combining service with civilian professional life. We ensure that the conditions for officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers, and sailors are sustainable over time – not only for the Armed Forces' own needs but for the individual's security and motivation.

We know that the defense of Sweden is not built only in barracks or on training grounds, but it is also built in the security of knowing that you have a future after your service and that you as a veteran are not forgotten but recognized, supported, and given the opportunity to grow further as a human being when the duty is fulfilled.

For us, it is obvious that those who have served Sweden, often under very tough conditions, should not be met with silence afterwards but with respect, recognition, and concrete support. Being a veteran in Sweden should not be a lonely experience but a mark of honor that society carries together with the veteran.

Deeply impressive are also the civil society organizations that work to support veterans during and after service. I particularly want to mention Invidzonen, which does important work supporting relatives and families of those deployed.

Mr. Speaker! We must not forget the power of voluntary commitment in the total defense. We have a long and fine tradition of strong defense organizations on a voluntary basis, everything from the Home Guard to the Lottakåren. It is about Home Guard soldiers who deploy when the storm hits. It is about youth leaders in our voluntary defense organizations who ignite the will to defend in the next generation. It is about volunteer medics who stand ready in a crisis, every hour of the day. It is they who carry our preparedness and constitute the foundation and the backbone of the total defense and the defense of Sweden.

I myself met a few weeks ago the deeply committed Gothenburgers who work in the Frivilliga Automobilkåren in my hometown. They embody something that is fine and deeply rooted in the Swedish social model: that freedom implies responsibility and that security does not come from above but is built from the bottom up, together.

Mr. Speaker! It is therefore pleasing that we are now strengthening the support for the voluntary defense organizations. It is an investment in defensive will and readiness and enables democratic anchoring. Common security is not some abstract idea but something that is built very concretely every day by soldiers, officers, veterans, volunteers, relatives, and civil society pillars.

In the budget bill for 2025, the appropriation for voluntary defense organizations is increased radically, and in 2027, the support will amount to over 50 million kronor. These are appropriations that make a difference.

Mr. Speaker! It has escaped no one, not even here in the chamber this late April evening, that a historic buildup of the Swedish defense is underway. It is occurring in deep solidarity between the parties in the Riksdag, which is a strength to hold onto. Sweden is arming. We are preparing for the worst by working for the best.

We are investing a lot, as is well known. It is new weapons systems and submarines. All of this is good, important and necessary, but the defense of, and in, Sweden always begins with the individual. It begins with you, and it begins with me. It begins with the will to defend Sweden.

A soldier in Sweden must train to be ready for combat. For that, weapon systems and vehicles built by the defense industry that our country is so proud of are needed. Personal equipment, raincoats and boots are needed, which unfortunately – as we have all too often been able to read about – have not been on site when they have been needed most. Then the soldiers and the civilian employees in the Armed Forces must be recruited or perhaps conscripted and trained by officers who must have salaries they can live on and career opportunities ahead. And they must all receive better pay.

Let me therefore leave a clear statement on this issue: The Moderates will, in the government's budget negotiations after the summer, propose an increase of the daily allowance for Sweden's conscripts. It has not been increased since 2017 and stands at 146 kronor per service day. We Moderates want to see an increase of nearly 30 percent, and for this, we hope for broad support in this chamber.

In addition to this, the Armed Forces need to clear away obstacles and administrative red tape that sometimes stand in the way of the opportunity for soldiers and officers to perform their task. In this way, a more significant and meaningful period of service can be created. We share the frustration that exists out in our military units, where administrative obstacles sometimes stand in the way.

Mr. Speaker! In Sweden, the number of garrison locations has increased as more young girls and boys enlist to perform their duty for our democracy. Historical reinforcements of our land forces are taking place right now, but also at sea and in the air, and another couple of thousand young guys and girls are waiting to perform their duty for our country after the summer. They will be welcomed with open arms in growing garrison locations such as Sollefteå and Karlskrona, on Gotland and not least in my hometown Gothenburg, at the Älvsborg Amphibious Regiment, Amf 4, which we Gothenburgers are so proud of.

But the defense of Sweden is not growing only in Sweden. The Defense Committee visited the USA and Joint Force Command Norfolk in Virginia two and a half months ago. On-site, we met Swedish deployed personnel who had just embarked on contributing to NATO's collective security. It became apparent there that we actually face quite significant challenges linked to deployed personnel.

Over a multi-year period ahead, a couple of hundred officers will be deployed, often with family and children. This process will make the Armed Forces better and increase our security, but it must occur under good conditions for the individual. There is a great deal left to do. I am convinced that the government and the Armed Forces will keep their promise to return to these issues, which are important and are actively followed by all members of the committee. That in itself is also a strength.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, it is sometimes spoken of defense policy as if it were only about enormous weapons systems. These are large multi-billion procurement projects and tens of thousands of people who are to be equipped in war organizations beyond 2030, according to the long-term plans. This may not be the most common thing to hear from a Moderate defense politician, but it is not the crowns and öres that are essential in this, but the trust in society – the trust between the state and the citizen, between the soldiers in the unit, and between the management and the staff.

It is about the trust, the will to defend, and the realization that there are values in this country that are worth defending and that one is prepared to do so, even though the pay and compensation are not always good and even though it occurs in unpleasant environments and at difficult times. The trust and the will to defend are the backbone. This is what the experiences from the war in Ukraine have taught us, not least.

Many of us understand that defense investments are not just about a cost but about an investment in common security. The defense of Sweden, Mr. Speaker, is not a strictly partisan matter. I want to address my colleagues in the Defense Committee and truly thank them for the good spirit of cooperation that we have on this issue so important for the nation: the defense of our common democracy. It is not a partisan matter but a national task that must be carried out with leadership that is consistent, result-oriented, and grounded in reality.

Let me finally be as clear as it is possible: Sweden will never stand alone as long as we hold together, also with our allies. A strong defense is a prerequisite for a free country. Let us never take it for granted. Let us instead defend it.

(Applause)

In this speech, Alexandra Anstrell (M) agreed.

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

Johan Andersson (S)

Mr. Speaker! Tonight we are debating the report FöU6 Personnel Issues. The report deals with 62 motions from the general motion period on a number of different areas. It concerns personnel and competence supply within the total defense and the rescue services, gender distribution and equality, civil service, veterans and voluntary defense organizations.

I would like to begin by moving for approval of reservation number 8.

In my speech here, I will focus on some areas where we have shortcomings in the report.

First, a brief summary. In light of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, all countries in Europe and within Nato have significantly increased their buildup of defense in their respective countries as well as in alliances with others.

Just as Gustaf Göthberg said in his speech, there has been broad consensus in the Swedish Riksdag on this. There still is, and, I hope, also for a long time to come. I can agree that Sweden as a nation benefits from us having broad consensus on these issues. But we also have some differences of opinion between our parties and a bit about how it looks.

It was not long ago that we made a decision in this chamber – it was just before Christmas 2024 – regarding the upcoming period concerning defense investments, where we will significantly increase the ambition. Already today, we are working on and preparing a new process regarding an additional decision linked to the reinforcement of the defense components.

When it comes to our defense capabilities in the reserves, we in the Social Democratic Party in the Swedish Riksdag see that the Armed Forces must grow with more conscripts. Our clear objective is that at least 10,000 conscripts shall begin basic training per year. Today, we are quite low – in the current situation, we have 8,000 training places. We aim for 10,000 in the first phase and thereafter to increase the volumes up to 12,000 trained per year until 2032 and up to 20,000 conscripts per year in the longer term. This means that the total war organization's personnel must increase to 115,000 by the year 2030.

Personnel procurement will be absolutely crucial to succeeding with this. The most important resource in the Armed Forces is the personnel, and public support is crucial for Sweden's resilience. The agency's ability to attract, recruit, develop, and retain competent personnel is crucial for the ability to grow in accordance with the defense decision and the Riksdag's intentions.

We propose that good conditions should be created to provide employees with good terms so that the Armed Forces can recruit officers, soldiers, and sailors. This concerns conditions both in terms of salary and employment.

We also propose that the officer training should be reviewed and adapted to be able to meet the demands of the new era and that cadets' benefits and wage conditions should be reviewed.

The voluntary defense organizations perform a very important work in our total defense. The support that has been given to the voluntary organizations until now has not been sufficient. Therefore, it is pleasing that the support will now be reviewed and increased. It is once again about the public anchoring, which I mentioned earlier in my speech. If we are to succeed in having a strong organization, there must be strong public support for this.

Veteran policy is another area where we have worked together and still do. It is important that we never forget the contributions that our veterans have made out in the world for Sweden's best. One should investigate how long-term support for our veteran organizations and veteran associations should be designed to be manageable over time so that it does not become a passing fancy.

Equality and inclusion is another important area that we point out. If we are to achieve this strong public support, we must increase the number of women in the defense at all levels within the organization. There is more to be done to stimulate this. It has become a rising trend when it comes to the number of applicants, but we must do even better.

Therefore, we propose that a long-term goal is set for the proportion of female conscripts of at least 40 percent by 2030 and that the Armed Forces are tasked to work on concrete conditions so that this can be implemented.

It is about conditions. It is about prerequisites. It is about life puzzles and many other parts, but also about such simple things as having equipment that is adapted for female soldiers in combat. Many of these issues are very important in the future discussions so that we can maintain our defense and strengthen it even further.

We also have an area that we do not talk about so much. It concerns the rescue services, which also fall within the defense committee's areas of responsibility.

We see that the rescue services are an organization that needs to be developed. It is largely about the recruitment of part-time firefighters, who in the long run should also be able to provide the necessary skills for the rescue services in the municipalities. It is an area that can feel a bit neglected and which we perhaps need to devote more time to, which we are happy to point out in our work.

I would like to point out some forward-looking and somewhat more long-term parts. If we are to succeed with all those parts, it is also about the financing of the Swedish defense.

From the Social Democrats' side, we have proposed that a defense tax should be introduced and that those with the highest incomes should pay a larger share toward the buildup of the defense. What happens otherwise? Well, otherwise we fear that maintenance will be neglected in our public sector and our common welfare and in other ways. It is something that we would like to include in the upcoming defense talks – that the question of long-term financing should also be raised.

We want to move towards a long-term goal of training 20,000 conscripts per year. We want to strengthen and develop the defense forces' voluntary organizations and the popular anchoring, which is quite important for this to be able to be implemented in a good way, but also for the defense industry's capability. Now, the report does not address the defense industry, but it is an important part even in this. Personally, I look forward to taking part in and possibly debating the defense industry strategy that the government will present in the near future.

Civil preparedness is also incredibly important, just like basic societal functions in times of crisis and war, critical products and food, emergency hospitals, expanded civil service, and so on. There is much more to debate about, Mr. Speaker, but I intend to stop there so as not to drag out the time too much.

I conclude by once again moving for the approval of reservation number 8.

(Applause)

In this speech, Hanna Westerén (S) agreed.

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

Mikael Oscarsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! As you have heard, we are debating the Committee on Defence's report number 6. This debate takes place in a severely deteriorated security policy situation. Both we in the chamber and you watching on TV have heard it said that this is now the toughest security policy situation since the Second World War. It has to do with a neighboring country to Sweden, namely Russia. They have attacked Ukraine. It is a terrible war.

There are also rules in war, but Russia ignores all those rules. One is driven by terrorist activity, and one targets civilians. We know that approximately 700,000 soldiers from the Russian side are in Ukraine. Regarding this, the military intelligence service, Must, has warned clearly. They say that in the event of a ceasefire in Ukraine within two years, there is a great risk that these troops could be moved into our immediate vicinity. Within two years after the end of a war or a ceasefire, one can be prepared for a regional war. In five years, one could be ready for a major war.

Everyone understands that we must rearm, and that is exactly what we are doing. We have a long way to go. We had a time during the Cold War when we were between 3 and 4 ½ percent of GDP. Then it fell, and unfortunately, we share this with the entire Western world – except for Finland. They never did so. They did not disarm, but other countries did. We even were below 1 percent for a time.

Now we are doing a major upgrade, and as stated earlier, we are doing it in unity across political boundaries. We are moving from the current 2.4 percent. The Government has said that we shall go up to 3.5 percent. This is not strange. It is roughly like owning a property somewhere in the country and not handling the maintenance in the way that was needed over 20–25 years. It is not strange that it costs to get it in order.

This is an investment in our security. That is why, over the course of four years now, we are doubling the defense effort, and we continue upwards. We do it to be able to defend ourselves – our own country – but also to ensure that we contribute as a NATO member state. We have a responsibility for our own country, but it is also the case that we have a responsibility for the front states Finland and the Baltics. Sweden will be somewhat of a staging area. It is important to now ensure that everything is directed towards this. We do that in the investment in materiel and personnel.

We have now said that we must increase the number of conscripts. They are the backbone of our defense force. We are going from 4,000–6,000, which we have now, up to 12,000 in 2032. But it will likely not be enough. We need to continue. Something to keep in mind now is that we are in Nato. We will receive capability targets – that is something all Nato countries receive. We in Sweden, Finland, and all other Nato countries receive it during the spring. There will be a summit in The Hague around midsummer.

These goals will likely result in us having increased materiel – for example, ammunition will likely need to increase – as well as air defense. But people will also point to the lack of ground combat troops. Here, it is very important with conscription. It is likely that we will further need to increase the number of conscripts. We will now have conversations across party lines, and I believe that this is something we need to look at.

Everything is about deterrence. If it is just a matter of gliding into a country, the sense of adventure increases, but if the country has a strong defense with materiel, ammunition, personnel and conscripts, the sense of adventure decreases. It is exactly this it is about. By carrying out an upgrade in Sweden, the chances increase that we never get a war. That is why, Mr. Speaker, the investments we report are so important.

It is also about civil duty. The rescue services are now making investments, and so is Svenska kraftnät. We see in Ukraine how they are targeting the power supply. It is actually against the laws of war, but Russia ignores that. It is a reason. We need to see what happens there and bring it home here.

We have been without war for 200 years. It is something we are so grateful for, but it is not a law of nature. It is nothing we can take for granted. That is why we in Kristdemokraterna place such great emphasis on this. We are a party that burns for human dignity. If there is ever a time when human dignity is oppressed, it is in war. That is why it is so important with rearmament, and that is why it must occur militarily, with materiel, more conscripts, and with the civil duty.

Everything is connected. No chain is stronger than its weakest link. That is why it is so important to also emphasize the voluntary organizations. There are 18 voluntary organizations with over 300,000 people. They do a very important work. Therefore, it is so important that they do not just say this with hot air but also increase the grants. They are an important part of the public anchoring.

Another important matter is the Home Guard. It is an important part of the backbone of Sweden's defense. Therefore, this will also increase. They are now 22,000 and shall increase to 26,000. Probably it is also there something we will need to review. Perhaps we need to increase this further. We are a large country, and even with the upgrading we are doing, we have very large areas to guard. The Home Guard performs a very important task in guarding important places for us.

I want to add that the conscripts we have must train. The Armed Forces pointed out Östersund, for example, in its latest annual report. There, delays of ten years can occur. That also applies to that part of Falun.

We cannot have it this way. As I began with, we do not have all the time in the world. We are making important upgrades, and we are also pointing to the staffing and the veterans. Everything is connected. It is an important part, because what we have to defend – our freedom – is worth defending.

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

Per Söderlund (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Let me begin by moving for approval of reservation 5 so that that part is settled.

The Armed Forces are in a historically strong growth phase. This is occurring, however, after a long period of decommissioning of Swedish defense capability. With the decided growth, the number of conscripts increases and, consequently, so do the requirements for materiel acquisitions.

It can be easy to fixate on the need for submarines, combat aircraft, combat vehicles, transport planes, cars, ammunition, personal protective equipment and so on. In many cases, it is painfully expensive materiel that the authority is in need of.

Without personnel, however, the equipment is not worth much. Insufficient investments in personnel cause the value of the equipment to decrease. Despite great commitment, increased conscription volumes, and more civilian employees, there is still much that needs to be done to ensure that the Armed Forces' personnel are given the right conditions to carry out their tasks.

Fundamentally, we need to change the view of the Swedish Armed Forces' employees and realize that it is not an ordinary job they perform. They must, with their own lives at stake, defend our country, our democracy, our constitutional system, our population, and our allies if the worst imaginable were to occur. In some cases, we need to provide these heroes with conditions that other professional groups do not have.

Both the Armed Forces and we politicians should therefore consider alternative benefits to retain competent personnel and raise the status of the profession. Examples of such benefits could be a lower retirement age, tax-free service housing, and support for relocation in the case of long-term commuting or overseas service.

Mr. Speaker! There is still a great deal that needs to be done to ensure a good supply of capable and professional leaders who can serve as battalion commanders in crisis and war. The officer corps as a whole needs to have an age structure and a physical status that corresponds to the requirements set for one to be able to exercise active command during crisis and war. The starting point should be a broad base of younger officers who constitute a foundation for selection to higher positions already at a relatively young age.

In the event of war, we must also expect extensive losses that need to be replaced quickly, which is clearly evident from the experiences from Ukraine. There will not be enough time or instructors in sufficient numbers to call up new conscripts. Therefore, a well-prepared mobilization reserve is needed that can be quickly retrained before being added to a unit with replacement needs. This applies even more to commanders primarily at the platoon, company, and battalion levels, which is why the reserve officers in particular are an important group.

Mr. Speaker! As I said earlier, we need to change the view on the members of the Armed Forces, and we need to do it in society as a whole. Even civil society needs to understand how important the Armed Forces' work is. Unfortunately, much of that understanding was lost during the time when a large part of our total defense was phased out and when the conscription volumes were low. Previously, everyone who had done their national service had an understanding that the military and the civilian sectors are largely interconnected.

Even municipalities, county councils, county administrative boards and authorities had a greater understanding of the importance of total defense and the importance of the entire society having preparedness for crisis or war. Civil knowledge was useful in the event of war, and conversely, military knowledge was often an asset in civilian professional life or in the event of societal crises.

Today, much of that knowledge is missing, and one hears young people who do not want to participate in the defense of our country because they do not want to defend the government that currently rules the country. Those who hold such views must understand that it is our constitutional system, our allies, and our freedom to decide over our present and future that must be defended – including the freedom to choose political representatives. The alternative should be unthinkable for everyone, regardless of what political opinion one holds.

It will take time to get the Swedish people to understand some of this, but if there is one thing we know, it is that an external threat has always united our people.

Mr. Speaker! There are those who are very well aware of what I have just spoken about, and those are the ones who are part of our voluntary organizations. They are extremely important for both public support and the will to defend, but also for the defense capability and the civil preparedness. They constitute a recruitment base and a platform for personal competence development within a number of special areas that are of great importance for the total defense's competence supply.

The voluntary organizations should therefore have continued close cooperation with and support from the Armed Forces, and it is important that the funds that the Armed Forces are permitted to utilize for voluntary activities are also fully utilized. It is also important that the government, in its continued work, takes the voluntary organizations into account.

Mr. Speaker! Our veterans and their relatives deserve our unconditional gratitude for their contribution. With great courage and personal sacrifices, they have made invaluable contributions to peace and democracy in Sweden and abroad.

Some of them have come home from overseas service with scars for life. Some have visible scars, and others have invisible scars. They all have in common that the price they have paid to safeguard peace in various hotspots many times is much higher than what someone who has never been involved can ever imagine. They deserve the support that is needed regardless of where in the country they live. But unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, healthcare in most regions lacks knowledge about the unique needs these individuals have. Veteran healthcare needs to be expanded, and I hope that more regions develop this competence so that our heroes receive the help they need.

Mr. Speaker! Veterans Day is approaching. It is the day when we honor our veterans and commemorate the memory of those who have paid the highest price in the work for peace in various hotspots around the world. Since 2008, we have observed Veterans Day in Sweden on May 29, and since 2012, the day has official status as a state ceremony. Since 2018, May 29 is also a general flag day. It is welcome and the least we can do to honor our heroes.

We would like to see that increased long-term support for the veterans' associations is investigated. It would guarantee additional support to those who need it and who in the highest degree deserve our gratitude.

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

Gulan Avci (L)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to begin by moving for approval of the committee's proposal in the report and for the rejection of all motions.

As many before me have mentioned, Sweden is in a time of historical change. The Swedish Armed Forces are now undergoing the largest reorganization since the days of the Cold War, and it is happening for a very clear reason. We live in a new era, with a new world order and an entirely new security policy situation.

The war in Ukraine shows that war in Europe is no longer part of our historical heritage but is happening here and now, in our own immediate vicinity. It is about one hundred miles from our national border to the Ukrainian border. At the same time, the shift in power in the USA shows that democracy and the values on which it rests cannot be taken for granted.

That is why we are now building up a strong defense here at home. We are deepening the cooperation with our allies within Nato, and we are strengthening the EU cooperation.

Mr. Speaker! Many important issues have already been highlighted regarding the report that we are debating here tonight, which concerns personnel issues within the total defense. I intended to raise an issue with a somewhat different starting point that has not yet been highlighted. It concerns something that is absolutely crucial for a strong defense, namely the will to defend.

There is no strong defense force without a strong will to defend. The desire to defend one's country must be just as obvious for everyone, regardless of where one is born, what one is named, or where in Sweden one lives. But that is not the case today.

During the past year, as the government's national coordinator for the work against exclusion, I have traveled around the most vulnerable municipalities – those with the most exclusion – in the country. I have visited many operations, discussed with many important professional groups, and compiled a situational overview of the exclusion. I observe that the problems in some of the areas that we need to address and where there is exclusion cannot only be characterized as integration problems.

My conclusion is clear: The fight against exclusion must also be seen as a national security issue. Our ability to organize society and strengthen our preparedness in a crisis is closely linked to how well we succeed in the fight against exclusion. For what happens in a country where not everyone feels they belong to the same "we"? A will to defend requires belonging and that people feel that this is their country.

As long as exclusion is allowed to grow through school failures, unemployment, insecurity, and crime, the will to defend will decrease in certain parts of our society. And when that happens, Mr. Speaker, our ability to stand united in difficult times is eroded. Those who win from this are our enemies, and they are found both within our country's borders and outside our country's borders.

One thing we must keep in mind: Our enemies are constantly looking for cracks in society, and right now there are a number of cracks where a lack of trust and social mistrust is widespread in our marginalized areas. These cracks can, however, be closed if we do the right things – if we prioritize cohesion as part of Sweden's total defense. That is exactly what this government is doing. We see the problems, and we are announcing clear and concrete proposals for solutions.

Mr. Speaker! Now some may wonder why I am raising just these questions given that the report concerns personnel issues within the total defense. I do it because I care. For me, it is not about pointing out groups, but that reversing the development requires an honest debate about the problems, as well as a clear debate about the concrete proposals to solve the problems.

Many people bear responsibility for the development, not least the politicians who for decades have turned a blind eye to the consequences of exclusion and have not wanted to see what it does to our country when parts of the population neither feel a sense of belonging nor are given the right conditions to succeed in society, or when children lack faith in the future.

Mr. Speaker! Last year, the Riksdag made a historic decision regarding the defense policy direction from 2025 to 2030. It was a long-awaited decision with a clear roadmap for how the total defense shall be strengthened. Personnel supply is highlighted as a decisive factor. That more people are trained and that more choose to invest long-term in a future within the Armed Forces is absolutely crucial for our defense capability. Some of the issues that have been raised in today's debate are very important for this to happen. It is about improving conditions, about the opportunity to make a career, and about being able to work much longer within the Armed Forces. Therefore, I view with confidence the investigation that the government has commissioned to address these important issues.

However, we must not forget the most fundamental thing, namely the will to defend Sweden and the will to stand up. We cannot talk about a strong defense while we have parallel societies. What we need is a strong Sweden where everyone, regardless of where one lives or where one originally comes from, feels that they are part of a whole and that they are prepared to together – side by side – defend our country, our values, and our democracy. We need a defense where more people want and can participate, and where people with different experiences, backgrounds, genders, and skills feel welcome, important, and needed. Let me emphasize the word skills – do not confuse this with any kind of woke agenda.

Being a part of the Swedish Defence must become an obvious opportunity and an obvious choice for more people in our country, because it is precisely this – all the people who together uphold our defence – on which everything ultimately depends.

Mr. Speaker! Security, trust and community are the foundation of our will to defend. It is what holds us together in peace. It is what is decisive for how we hold together in war. This is the foundation for what we are debating tonight. Defense capability is not just about technology, materiel or the number of units. It is, as my colleague Gustaf Göthberg mentioned, fundamentally about people and their will to defend our country, our democracy and our freedom.

Let me finally mention something about the veteran policy. It is important in this context to highlight all the men and women who have been prepared to lose their own lives to defend our freedom and our country's safety and security. They deserve not only well-formulated words but also our respect and reverence. They also deserve that we act clearly with the veteran policy so that they never feel forgotten and so that they feel they are an integral part of our total defense and can continue to contribute in various ways with the skills and experiences they have acquired over all the years when they have performed their duty for Sweden within the Swedish Armed Forces.

(Applause)

In this speech, Gustaf Göthberg (M) concurred.

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

Mikael Larsson (C)

Mr. Speaker! The personnel are the foundation for our success in making our defense force grow. As in many other industries, the personnel are absolutely crucial.

Personnel recruitment within the Armed Forces is one of the biggest challenges ahead. Sweden has joined Nato. At the same time, the military defense is to grow significantly over the coming years, with increased demands on combat readiness and preparedness, service with Nato headquarters, personnel for the new regiments around the country, and an increased number of trained conscripts.

It is evident that measures are needed both in a short and a long perspective to find solutions for a sustainable personnel supply within the Armed Forces. The Center Party's assessment is, among other things, that expanded opportunities for a higher retirement age, the right to leave of absence for reserve officers, and better conditions for officer candidates can be appropriate measures.

We know that the wage setting is negotiated by the parties. The Centre Party nevertheless wants to emphasize that it is important that the Armed Forces can offer good conditions and good incentives for the personnel who are interested in seeking employment at the agency, staying for a few more years, or returning to service after a few years in a civil career. The investigation that is currently underway regarding future personnel supply is good, and we will likely have to return to the proposals from there in this chamber.

Something that is important moving forward is to be an attractive and modern employer and to be able to offer attractive employment. Furthermore, it is important that we get a more equal defense force. An important measure that can contribute to this is that the defense command regularly follows up and evaluates the units' work on gender equality and equal treatment. Additionally, the Armed Forces must ensure that female soldiers can carry out exercises and combat with equipment and protection that do not hinder movement or limit their or the group's ability to fight.

Mr. Speaker! The Centre Party considers that the formal co-determination for conscripts needs to be reviewed to become better and, above all, stand independently from the Armed Forces. Each unit should have a co-determination officer who becomes a link between the conscripts and the unit commander. The Centre Party considers that the co-determination for those subject to total defense duty should be improved and that the position of the Duty Council should be strengthened.

Being called up by duty is a major intervention in an individual's life, and therefore it is particularly important that the conditions for those performing military service are not substandard. Centerpartiet therefore proposes that the daily allowance for those under total defense obligation be index-regulated to follow the society's price developments in the same way as, for example, grants from the Central Student Aid Board. Centerpartiet further proposes that the subsistence allowance for those performing military service shall reflect the costs it is intended to cover and that this also be index-regulated upwards.

Mr. Speaker! The voluntary defense organizations, which operate throughout the country, have an important role both in peacetime crisis preparedness and in a strong and robust total defense. They are very important from a public anchoring perspective, and recruitment needs to be facilitated so that more people engage voluntarily, for example through mountain rescue, sea rescue, or various fire brigades around the country. It is extremely important that people living in sparsely populated areas or in the countryside feel secure that help will come if it is needed.

The activities of voluntary organizations cover many different and important areas. Volunteering will take on a larger role now that the civil defense is being built up much more, especially when it comes to civil protection. In order for society to get as much as possible out of volunteering, it is important that responsible actors plan to use volunteers during crisis management. The organizations need to be included in planning, training, and exercises in a more systematic way, and it is necessary to be able to enter into agreements with them.

Mr. Speaker! That civil service is now being activated, and has been activated for some time now, is very good. The Centre Party would however like to emphasize that it is important that civil service personnel within, for example, the rescue services are recruited from local communities around the country as extensively as possible to then be placed and partially trained in the local rescue service organizations. With a local presence and civil service personnel recruited locally, the recruitment base for the part-time fire brigade can, at best, also increase around the country.

In the Defense Committee's report Kraftsamling, the committee described the need to be able to provide training throughout the entire country and not only in a few places, for example, at the state facilities. In this way, the anchoring becomes better, and the willingness to help becomes strong in the area where one lives and works. The will to defend and the public anchoring have never been more important than now.

That the civil duty is also activated within the electricity preparedness area is obviously good, but there are also many other important areas and sectors where it is important to activate the civil duty in the future. This is something that is described, among other things, in the investigation *Plikten kallar!* At every occasion when we debate the total defense in this chamber, I will highlight food and food preparedness. Therefore, I want to emphasize here, it is important that we achieve a good total defense duty with war placement and/or civil duty also within agriculture in order to be able to keep our food production running at high readiness and in difficult times. The entire total defense needs to be strengthened, and this primarily from a personnel perspective.

Mr. Speaker! I truly hope that by next year, when we again have a debate on the staffing of the defense, we have come further regarding, for example, the indexation of compensations to our conscripts around the country. We have heard from several parties that they really want to take this step and be able to increase them, which I find very pleasing and good. We shall ensure that we pick the low-hanging fruit together so that the proposals can be implemented immediately. Together, we shall also point out the direction for how the total defense shall be strengthened in the long term.

With this, Mr. Speaker, I wish to move for approval of the Center Party's reservation number 6.

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

Emma Berginger (MP)

Mr. Speaker! A defense cannot be built without people – people who commit themselves to and in the defense, people who work as soldiers, sailors, squad leaders and officers. In the historical buildup that is now taking place due to the serious security policy situation, more people need to be willing to work for the Armed Forces.

Miljöpartiet wants recruitment to the defense to be based on voluntariness as far as possible. At the same time, we know that conscription is needed. It is a strong and necessary instrument to get the right people to work for the defense. But if we are to get recruits who are as good and motivated as possible, both basic training and working conditions for employees within the Armed Forces need to be attractive. Right now, conscription is being expanded, and more people will both be drafted and undergo basic military training. At the same time, it is only slightly less than one-tenth of a year's cohort that will undergo basic training with conscription.

In order to make more people want to stay within the Armed Forces, whether as employed group commanders, soldiers or sailors, or as officers, the conditions and working environment need to be good. The salary levels are indeed set by the parties in the labor market, but there is a large scope for improvement to ensure that the Armed Forces is an attractive workplace for more people. This involves, among other things, ensuring good conditions and high safety in the work and providing opportunities for professional development in the service.

The daily allowance for those subject to total defense duty would need to be index-regulated, as the previous speaker pointed out, to follow the society's price developments in the same way as, for example, grants from the Central Student Aid Board. The regulatory framework for the daily allowance and the right to housing allowance would need to be modernized; with conditions that are more comparable to other students, more students within the total defense could work extra during the summer. It would be of importance for the Armed Forces' possibilities to recruit people who are slightly older or have a family.

Mr. Speaker! In a modern society, defense is everyone's concern. Both women and men can and should participate in our defense. When Miljöpartiet was involved in reactivating conscription in 2017, it became gender-neutral. Now, both women and men need to enlist and be part of the base for recruitment. Despite this, the proportion of women among those who perform conscription is around 20 percent, and only 10 percent of the officers are women.

The Armed Forces must work more intensively with equality and inclusion and to increase the number of women at all levels within the Armed Forces. We believe that the long-term goal for the proportion of female conscripts should be set to at least 40 percent by 2030 and that the work with active measures to reach that must be developed and intensified. It must be possible to combine a career within the Armed Forces with family life. This applies to both men and women. Remuneration and conditions must be at such levels and be designed in such a way that family life can be reconciled. This also applies to overseas service. We cannot have systems that essentially presuppose that a partner should be a housewife or homemaker.

It is also important to secure good working conditions and equal and equitable conditions. That the Armed Forces have had challenges with gender equality and traditional masculine roles is no secret. Only in 2023 were body protections adapted for women introduced, and there have been problems with providing personal equipment that works, for example underwear.

Equipment and body protection must be adapted so that they do not hinder women's movements or lead to injuries, which can be devastating both during training and in active duty. Even though work is ongoing to ensure access to equipment and uniforms, we continue to receive reports of deficiencies that are unacceptable.

Mr. Speaker! It is important that policies and action plans are complied with in all parts of the organization within the Armed Forces and that the Armed Forces leadership regularly follows up and evaluates the units' work on gender equality and equal treatment. According to the Armed Forces' own investigations, female soldiers and conscripts experience more unwelcome behaviors such as offensive differential treatment, harassment, sexual harassment, and reprisals than others. Strong measures are needed to ensure that the military defense constitutes a welcoming and safe workplace for everyone and that the zero tolerance against harassment and discrimination is truly complied with.

Mr. Speaker! Serving in the defense forces is not an ordinary job. It can involve great challenges and pressures, not least for those who have served in active operations abroad. It is important that those who have previously worked in the Armed Forces should be able to feel secure in receiving support after a completed mission. The psychosocial support for veterans and their families needs to be strengthened.

We also have a great responsibility for locally employed foreign personnel. During the period 2001–2021, Swedish troops were present in Afghanistan. To be able to carry out their mission, these troops were dependent on locally employed personnel for interpretation and other work tasks. Persons who have worked for foreign forces in Afghanistan are now being persecuted by the Taliban.

Sweden has, in two rounds, resettled employees in the Swedish forces and given them the opportunity to receive protection in Sweden. However, approximately 50 people who meet all the requirements to be resettled were unfortunately not resettled during the time window that existed in 2021. They are still remaining in Afghanistan and are in great danger.

Miljöpartiet wants to emphasize that Sweden has a special responsibility for people who now risk their lives as a result of having worked close to Swedish military in Afghanistan. In the long run, it could lead to fewer being inclined to take employment for just Sweden compared to other countries that have actually taken this responsibility fully. Therefore, we want the government to develop an arrangement that ensures protection for foreign personnel who assist Swedish forces abroad.

Mr. Speaker! Even within civil defense and crisis preparedness, the personnel are crucial for our ability as a country both to handle serious incidents in peacetime and, in the worst-case scenario, to withstand an armed attack.

The rescue services are the most important resource for rapid interventions in accidents, fires, and floods. The rescue services need to be reinforced, and the conditions for working in the rescue services need to be improved so that an equal and good crisis preparedness exists throughout the country. The rescue services are also central to total defense, why a functioning rescue service strengthens all parts of our total defense. Even though the rescue services are primarily the municipalities' responsibility, non-profit organizations are important partners. Therefore, Miljöpartiet wants to reinforce the rescue services and improve the conditions for working in the rescue services and in non-profit activities, even on a part-time basis.

Mr. Speaker! Even the voluntary defense organizations are important for the society's preparedness. In order for competence and resources within these organizations to be fully utilized during high preparedness, we believe that the roles need to be clarified in the relationship between different actors. Here too, we believe that measures need to be taken to improve civilians' conditions to participate in training and exercise activities within the voluntary defense organizations.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of you who in different ways contribute to our defense, whether you have been employed within the Armed Forces for many years, if you are relatives of someone who serves, if you participate in the Home Guard or in voluntary defense organizations, or if you recently participated in the muster and did your best but did not get the chance to perform your military service. Contributions to the defense can occur in different ways, and the will and ability to contribute to the defense can also be handled in different ways.

I would finally like to say that even though we in Miljöpartiet stand behind all our reservations, I want to move for approval of reservation 19.

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

Alexandra Anstrell (M)

Mr. Speaker! The security situation in our global environment is the most serious since the Second World War. In this new security policy landscape, Sweden must be ready – not tomorrow, but today. It is our duty to build a strong, modern, and resilient defense for a safer and more secure Stockholm and Sweden.

The Committee on Defence's report 2024/25:FöU6, which we are now debating, contains very many important issues. Many are pointing out several crucial parts of our total defence. But very many things are also happening in the area.

So that we do not stand here all night, I intend to limit myself to three questions: voluntariness, equality, and personal equipment. For the first, it concerns voluntariness. It is the backbone of our preparedness.

Mr. Speaker! In Sweden, we have something unique, a strong tradition of voluntary defense commitment. It is the Home Guard and voluntary defense organizations such as Lottakåren, Bilkåren, and many more. They represent a force that no other country can take for granted.

It is people who volunteer in their spare time, who train, educate, and stand ready to defend our country if the worst should happen. The Moderates have long protected that commitment. We want to do more by ensuring long-term funding, improved coordination, and greater opportunities for development. Volunteering should not be seen as a complement. It is a foundation.

Secondly, it concerns equality, precisely for a stronger defense. In the Moderaternas policy, competence is always more important than quotas. But that does not mean we turn a blind eye to the problems.

Mr. Speaker! If women leave the Armed Forces because they encounter a culture that is not inclusive, or because there is a lack of equipment, it is not just a work environment problem but a capability problem.

If Sweden is to have a strong defense, we must utilize the potential of the entire population. It is therefore absolutely crucial that the work on equality does not get stuck in fine documents but is noticeable in every platoon, in every exercise, and in every operation. The leadership within the Armed Forces must take its responsibility, everywhere and always.

Here, all our municipalities must also take responsibility for the childcare of our deployed soldiers and sailors. They must be able to know with certainty and security that their children receive care when they defend Sweden.

For the third point, it concerns personal equipment. Professional soldiers and sailors require professional tools. That we still cannot have underwear and bras that fit our women in the Armed Forces in the year 2025 is completely incomprehensible to me. It is beyond my ability to understand, and it is completely unacceptable.

That is why it feels good that the government is now following up on this with continuous reports from the Armed Forces, because we must get to the bottom of this. There are things going out. But we have also heard that for a long time.

Now I really think that things are heading out, because I am going to see quite a few things. Not least, the bodyguards have come out. We saw that, not least at the exercise Birger Jarl which was here in the vicinity a few weeks ago.

Mr. Speaker! We need to be clear here. Those who risk their lives for Sweden shall have the best possible equipment, period. It is unworthy of a modern defense that soldiers are forced to use materiel that does not fit, that does not meet the standard, or that is adapted according to a standard that does not reflect today's reality.

This is not just about convenience. It is about life and death. If we demand professionalism from our soldiers, then we must also provide them with professional tools.

Mr. Speaker! It is the Moderates' conviction that a strong defense is built on three things: duty, professionalism, and steadfastness. We believe in the human being over the system. We believe in being prepared instead of being unprepared, and in a defense where both volunteers and employees have the right support, the right equipment, and the right to be treated with respect.

We stand behind the Committee on Defence's report, and we stand behind a strong Sweden.

(Applause)

In this speech, Gustaf Göthberg (M) agreed.

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

Lotta Johnsson Fornarve (V)

Mr. Speaker! We live in a very serious security situation. There is war in Europe, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago. The serious global situation puts our own total defense to the test and requires that we make investments to make our society more robust. Those who are to do this are the personnel in both the military and the civil defense.

Today we are debating issues concerning personnel in the total defense. It is a very important debate, because no operation, of course, functions without its personnel. Those who work lay the foundation for everything.

In the total defense, this becomes extra important, because all activities in the total defense are crucial for Sweden's security. It is everything from healthcare, infrastructure, public transport, electricity supply and food supply to preschools and the military defense.

The Swedish Armed Forces' operations, just like rescue services, the police, and other similar professions, also involve great risks and high demands and are ongoing around the clock. Many are away from their families for a longer period, both here at home and on international missions. This places very great demands on the individual, but also on the families and friends who must take greater responsibility and carry a heavier load at home. A big thank you for your efforts!

Mr. Speaker! In recent years, our society has undergone several major crises, above all the pandemic and now the consequences that the war in Ukraine also has for Sweden. One of the great lessons has been the importance of well-educated personnel, good working conditions, the right tools and equipment, and also the commitment of ordinary people who can help when it is truly needed. Personnel and engaged individuals within the Armed Forces, the Home Guard, the voluntary defense organizations, the municipalities' voluntary resource groups, the Red Cross, and many other large and small non-profit organizations have made enormous efforts.

Personal questions

Mr. Speaker! In recent years, the total defense has received large financial supplements. It is of course extremely important that a portion of these funds actually goes towards improving for the staff, raising wages, and improving working conditions. There are major deficiencies in this area.

The wages in both the military defense and many civil society-important professions are low. It is not uncommon that the right equipment and good protective clothing for the staff are lacking, and the conditions in the professions where the staff must be able to keep the workplaces running around the clock must be improved. Good wages, a good working environment, and good working conditions are of course important things to make the employees want to stay and be able to continue doing a good job.

For the Left Party, equality is particularly important. Women's participation in defense and security work is crucial for the entire society to be able to withstand crises and acute events. Therefore, we must also get more women into the various parts of the defense, both as conscripts and as officers, but also within total defense.

The Armed Forces' work to improve equality is ongoing. But there is still much to be done, above all to continue purchasing equipment, clothing, and other materiel that fits and is adapted specifically for women.

With that, I move for approval of reservation 4, which concerns exactly the recruitment and retention of personnel. It is absolutely crucial now that the total defense is growing that we can hire more people and the right people and give them the conditions needed for them to want to stay and do a good job. It requires investments, and in the growing defense budget, there must be room to invest in precisely the personnel.

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(A decision was to be taken on 24 April.)

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