Response to interpellation 2025/26:533 on support for public transport

Infrastruktur- och bostadsministern Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Aylin Nouri has asked me if I intend to take the initiative for increased long-term state support for public transport and if I have taken the initiative for an analysis of how the temporarily lowered ticket price over six months affects the regions' ability to maintain and develop public transport and if I can, in that case, report on the result.

The war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have caused a significant disruption in the global energy markets and resulted in rapid price increases in, among other things, oil, which has worsened the growth prospects globally and in Sweden. Higher energy prices mean that households lose purchasing power.

The government has taken a number of measures in view of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Among other things, the government has proposed temporary reductions of the carbon tax on gasoline and diesel to counteract the effect of the global price increases on fuel.

To enable alternative modes of transport with more efficient energy use to a greater extent and to support households, it is necessary, in addition to measures already taken, to also facilitate travel by public transport.

The Government has therefore, in an extra supplementary budget, proposed that 6.5 billion kronor be allocated to be used for state grants to public transport organized by regional public transport authorities. The support is intended to be provided to regional public transport authorities that have lowered the price of monthly tickets or equivalent tickets by 50 percent for journeys between July 1 and December 31, 2026. The specific conditions for the support are intended to be regulated in a decree that is currently being prepared within the Government Offices.

This measure, together with other measures in the extra supplementary budget, which totals 17.5 billion kronor, should be seen as temporary measures to handle the acute situation that has arisen as a result of the war in the Middle East. In an acute situation, the government needs to act quickly and resolutely.

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

Aylin Nouri (S)

Mr. Speaker! I welcome the government's investment in public transport. Public transport is not a luxury but a basic prerequisite for people to be able to organize their lives and get to work, studies, and leisure activities. It is absolutely crucial for making everyday life function. Furthermore, it is absolutely crucial for the functionality of society and for the climate transition. That is why we Social Democrats throughout the entire period have pushed to make public transport cheaper and more accessible.

That is also why it is so difficult, Mr. Speaker, to understand the government's sudden actions. After almost four years in power, the government has suddenly discovered that people need public transport – after four years of increased ticket prices, after four years of cuts all over the country, and after four years in which the government has pressured the regions' finances and the regions have warned of major economic problems.

Then, just before the election, the government comes with a promise of temporary support for six months. It is difficult not to ask the question: Why now? If the government now thinks that public transport is so important that one is prepared to allocate 6.5 billion kronor, why has it not been done earlier?

During this mandate period, the government has repeatedly said no to all the proposals we have put on the table to strengthen public transport and make it cheaper to travel by public transport. They have let the regions bear an enormous economic burden.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, the urban environment agreements have been phased out – state investments that help municipalities and regions expand public transport and create long-term travel opportunities. And they have refused to present a long-term national strategy for public transport. They have even voted no to our and the industry's demands for increased travel by public transport.

Here I think the Minister's answer becomes telling, or perhaps non-telling. I asked two questions. I asked about the long-term support for public transport, and I asked whether the government has analyzed how the reform affects the regions' opportunities to maintain and develop public transport. The Minister did not answer either of these questions.

Instead, we received a description of why the government wants to implement the reform. With all due respect: We have already understood that – we already know that. The big question that remains is: What happens after January 1st if the Tidö parties continue to have the confidence to lead Sweden? What is the long-term plan and vision to strengthen public transport travel across the entire country, not just for the next six months but in the long term? I still want answers to that.

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Rashid Farivar (SD)

Mr. Speaker! When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. I was here today to participate in a completely different interpellation debate and had left the child with the childcare service, but the Minister did not show up. Therefore, I thought I would take the opportunity and participate in these two important interpellation debates.

I thank the interpellor for the questions and the minister for the answer. I think it is important to start at the right end. The government's and the Sweden Democrats' proposal for halved ticket prices in public transport during the second half of 2026 is not presented as a permanent reform. It is presented as a temporary measure due to an extraordinary situation, as the minister explained.

The war in the Middle East, disruptions in the energy supply, and rising oil prices have hit household economies. It is therefore reasonable that the state takes measures to ease people's everyday lives, whether they drive a car or travel by public transport, and that is exactly what the government is doing.

I think the interpellator raises a relevant question here, because temporary support is precisely temporary. It can never replace a long-term policy. The real question, therefore, is not what happens during six months but what happens during the next ten years.

Mr. Speaker! When the Social Democrats now demand long-term perspective, there is reason to remind them of their own time in power. For eight years, the Social Democrats governed Sweden. During the same period, the maintenance debt in the transport system grew. The punctuality of the railways deteriorated, and large parts of the infrastructure continued to wear out faster than it was refurbished.

We see the results today: trains that do not run on time, capacity shortages on important routes, and a heavily neglected maintenance that must now be addressed. That is the reality that the current government and the Sverigedemokraterna have inherited. The difference is that we are actually doing something about the problem.

Mr. Speaker! The Sweden Democrats see public transport as an important part of the transport system, not least for work commuting and regional development. But we also see the reality outside the large cities. In large parts of Sweden, the car will be necessary even in the future. Therefore, Sweden needs a transport system where different types of transport complement each other instead of being pitted against each other, as the Social Democrats did during the eight years they governed Sweden.

My question to the Minister is therefore the following: If the voters continue to give the government and SD their confidence after the election, what long-term reforms does the Minister envision to strengthen the competitiveness of public transport, improve punctuality, and give the regions better conditions to operate public transport without being dependent on recurring state emergency measures from the government?

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Zara Leghissa (S)

Mr. Speaker! Public transport is not a luxury. For very many people, public transport is a prerequisite for everyday life to function. It is healthcare workers, industrial workers, retail employees, and construction workers who take the bus and the train to work. It ensures that young people can study, that elderly people can live an independent life, and that families can stay in areas outside the larger cities.

A functioning public transport makes Sweden stronger. It creates jobs, provides conditions for growth, broadens the labor market, and is important for the climate. But it is also a welfare issue, because those who cannot get to work, healthcare, or education risk being left behind. Sweden needs a well-developed and functioning public transport with fair working conditions for those who keep the transport running. Drivers, train drivers, train attendants, and service personnel should not have to pay the price for political passivity.

During this mandate period, we have seen the opposite. When the government's initiatives have failed to materialize, the regions have been forced to make tough prioritizations. People have been given strike notices and have been dismissed, and more risk following. Traffic has been reduced, fees have been raised, and investments have been pushed into the future. It is not just about figures in a budget, it is about people who lose their jobs, about travelers who get longer waiting times and poorer opportunities to get to work and studies, and about companies that find it increasingly difficult to recruit.

Mr. Speaker! There is also another issue that rarely receives sufficient attention: the state transport agreements. When the market fails to maintain important connections, the state must take responsibility. This applies in particular to night train traffic and other outsourced traffic that binds our country together. For Norrbotten and large parts of Sweden, it is about accessibility, jobs, the tourism industry, total defense, and the possibility of living and working in the entire country.

When the state withdraws, it is the regions that take the hit, and when the regions and municipalities do not have sufficient economic muscles, the consequence is fewer departures, poorer accessibility, and lost jobs.

Mr. Speaker! At the eleventh hour, the government has presented an initiative that applies for six months: halved costs for monthly passes. The government describes it as a way to give households the opportunity to choose alternative modes of transport.

The initiative is good, but it is short-sighted. Where is the long-term perspective that secures and expands public transport?

For those who work shifts at the hospital, in the factory, or in elderly care, public transport is not an alternative. It is the normal mode of travel. It is what takes one to and from work.

There is a fundamental difference between the Tidö government's and the Social Democrats' view. We see public transport as an important social mission and as an investment in people, in jobs, and in Sweden's future. The government seems to see it as a cost item that can be pushed into the future.

The result after this parliamentary term is clear: the regions are being starved, unemployment has increased while the labor shortage is glaring across the entire country, inequality has increased, and the climate transition has been slowed down. It is a failure.

Therefore, I want to ask the Minister: When does the government intend to take the national responsibility required to ensure a functioning public transport system throughout Sweden, in peace and in war?

(Applause)

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Infrastruktur- och bostadsministern Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! One is not always surprised in the chamber of the Riksdag, but the tone from the Social Democrats in this debate surprises me a little in light of the major problems in public transport here in Stockholm, where the Social Democrats govern, which is a showcase for Social Democratic public transport policy.

I am a bit surprised by the tone, Mr. Speaker, not least by Zara Leghissa's fine words about the importance of public transport. But ask Stockholmers how they view public transport when the Social Democrats are in power! Those words ring very false in the reality that very many people have experienced this morning and during the past weeks here in Stockholm. A bit more humility might have been expected, Mr. Speaker, so I must say that I am a bit surprised.

Aylin Nouri asked: Why now? The answer is: The war in the Middle East. She also asked: Why temporary? Yes, in an amending budget, it is within the current year that changes can be made. That is also what the government is doing now, which has been received very positively. This will be an important support for many households and enable more people to use public transport.

Rashid Farivar asks about other measures. It is important to remember that public transport is already subsidized by the regions by approximately 50 percent. It is a regional and municipal responsibility. Now, in the government, we take our responsibility by injecting more funds in this crisis situation and into our work to upgrade Swedish infrastructure so that one can rely on the trains arriving on time and that the state infrastructure meets the standard. This will need to continue in the future as well.

But I must say, Mr. Speaker, that I am a bit surprised by Member Leghissa's tone here. Given where one governs from, and that the storefront one has for public transport policy affects hundreds of thousands of people every day, I mean that it is appropriate for the Social Democrats to take a bit more responsibility.

In this speech, Rashid Farivar (SD) agreed.

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Aylin Nouri (S)

Mr. Speaker! Infrastructure Minister Andreas Carlson wants us in the opposition to be a bit more humble. I think the Infrastructure Minister can direct that request to himself and his party and to the government.

For four years, this government has chosen to prioritize tax cuts for the very richest and pressured the regions' finances, which has forced cuts and cost increases.

I can take my own region as an example. In Västra Götalandsregionen, the Social Democrats are in power. But, Mr. Speaker, the Tidö parties chose to join forces to break out a part of the budget and force through cost increases at the regional level in Västra Götalandsregionen. An increase in ticket prices in VGR was the most important priority for Andreas Carlson's party colleagues in Western Sweden.

At the same time, Ulf Kristersson stands in front of a bus and says: Now we must lower the ticket prices due to the war in Iran. But at the regional level, they are forcing through increases in ticket prices.

I could also remind Andreas Carlson that a few years ago, at the beginning of this parliamentary term, he received a question from SVT about public transport and the increased ticket prices. At that time, Andreas Carlson answered that this is not the government's responsibility. It is the regions' responsibility. Now the same minister stands here and presents billion-dollar support for lowered ticket prices.

It is certainly so, Mr. Speaker, that the energy crisis that has arisen as a result of the war in Iran is very serious and that measures need to be taken. Therefore, we have welcomed this. But it is also so, Mr. Speaker, that we have had a crisis in Sweden throughout the entire mandate period – a cost-of-living crisis for ordinary people. We have seen how travel by public transport has systematically decreased across virtually the entire country over the last four years and how this government has forced through both cuts and increases in ticket prices.

If the government had truly been interested in improving the everyday lives of ordinary people, they would not have come forward with this proposal three months before the election. It is a temporary proposal that does not aim at the long-term conditions. And people see through this, Mr. Speaker. They see it as the election bribe that it unfortunately is.

I also want to remind that it is possible to pursue a different policy. It is possible to strengthen the regions' basic conditions so that we actually get accessible and affordable public transport all over the country. It is possible to vote for our proposals, which we have put forward time and again, where we demand cheaper public transport and, to give just one example, free public transport for young people and students. We do that because public transport is indispensable, as both I and my colleague have described here today. The last thing it needs is a policy characterized by inconsistency. It is far too important for that. Public transport is indispensable for the labor market, for the climate transition, for growth, and for people to be able to live and reside across the entire country.

Therefore, I repeat for the second time the question to which I did not receive an answer: What is the government's long-term plan for public transport travel to function across the entire country?

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Rashid Farivar (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for the answer and agree with him completely.

It becomes clear in this debate that there are two different perspectives. But it is important to say that self-awareness may not be the Socialdemokraternas strongest side.

The Social Democrats describe the temporary ticket reform as if it were the government's overall public transport policy. It is not. It is a temporary measure in an extraordinary situation, which the minister explained.

Long-term policy is about building a transport system that actually works. What is the use of cheap tickets if the trains do not run on time, as in Stockholm now? What does temporary support help if the tracks are worn out and the capacity is insufficient?

The truth is that Sweden has for a long time lived with large infrastructure debts. This applies in particular to the years when the Social Democrats were in government.

Now the government and the Sweden Democrats are carrying out historical investments to restore functionality in the transport system. That work will not be finished overnight, but it is precisely the type of long-term priorities that Sweden needs. We need less symbolic politics and more investments that ensure people can rely on the transport system functioning, regardless of whether they travel by bus, train, car, or plane.

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Zara Leghissa (S)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Andreas Carlson for addressing my question, but it is not enough to speak of the regions' responsibilities when the state simultaneously leaves them with increased costs and insufficient resources. It is not enough to speak of the market when we know that the market alone does not build a cohesive Sweden. Public transport is, after all, a part of our society-sustaining infrastructure. It holds the labor market together, strengthens the business sector, and makes it possible to work and live in the entire country.

We now see how warnings, cuts, and uncertainty are spreading at the same time as the regions are forced to raise ticket prices and reduce traffic. This is not a sign that the system is working, but it is a sign that the government's policy is not sufficient. It also shows how far one stands from the reality of hundreds of thousands of workers who every day depend on buses and trains to be able to support themselves.

For us Social Democrats, it is obvious that the state should be an active partner. We want to invest in public transport, because that is to invest in welfare, in the climate, in growth and in people's freedom.

Sweden needs a new government that sees public transport as an engine for growth and justice and not as a budget item to be saved on.

Mr. Speaker! It is high time to make public transport a national priority again.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Minister Andreas Carlson for this parliamentary term. When we have met, we may not have always agreed, but there is still a commitment from the minister that I appreciate.

I would also like to extend a big thank you to Member of Parliament Aylin Nouri for the incredibly important interpellation.

(Applause)

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Infrastruktur- och bostadsministern Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to thank Zara Leghissa for her commitment and for the interpellations debates we have had during the parliamentary term. Her commitment is something that I have valued, and I note that there is also a commitment in this debate.

It is, however, a bit strange to say that public transport is a budget item to be saved on when the government has just proposed 6.5 billion in support for ticket prices in public transport.

Aylin Nouri is trying to make a point out of the fact that I said different things in an SVT interview a while ago and today, but I did not do that at all. I also said today that it is a regional and municipal responsibility. What is most important to say, and what I am happy to repeat, is that the situation is very concerning as a result of the war in the Middle East. Therefore, the government is now acting resolutely.

I note that the Social Democrats do not have any similar proposals in the budgets they have submitted. They have had different proposals, just as Aylin Nouri has pointed out, but have not proposed such comprehensive support as this is: a 50 percent ticket reduction in a crisis situation. I note, however, that the Social Democrats welcome the government's initiative.

Regarding the question of long-term support, I have answered that it is in supplementary budgets that changes can be made for the current year, and this is what the government is doing now. I believe everyone hopes that the crisis and the war in the Middle East will end as quickly as possible, but we naturally have preparedness to be able to make further reinforcements and provide support of various kinds to households if this becomes prolonged. It is, however, nothing I can anticipate in this debate, Mr. Speaker.

When it comes to the support for public transport, for which we have now presented a proposal, it is therefore both about relieving heavily burdened households and about enabling alternative modes of travel with a more efficient use of energy.

Mr. Speaker! I note that none of the Social Democratic members have yet commented on my simple observation: Where one governs and is responsible for public transport, that is, here in Stockholm, many naturally agree with both Zara Leghissa and Aylin Nouri regarding their fine words here in the chamber today, but they face a completely different reality on platform after platform around the Stockholm area. Here, one owes the answer as to why one does not take responsibility when one actually has the responsibility.

In this speech, Rashid Farivar (SD) agreed.

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Aylin Nouri (S)

Mr. Speaker! Let me begin by saying that the Minister is welcome to take note of what we want regarding public transport, as the Minister seems to have missed it. In addition to what was enumerated regarding fees for young people and students in public transport, we have also demanded an indexing of the state grants to the regions. This is indeed the most important thing if we are to create long-term conditions to both expand public transport and keep prices down. We have proposed higher appropriations for the transport agreements, which are the basic prerequisite for expanding capacity and maintaining the traffic.

Andreas Carlson makes a point about Stockholm but misses the fact that he sits in the government that has cut the support to the regions. Despite that, in the regions where we have governed, we have taken our responsibility. In Stockholm, responsibility has been taken by freezing ticket prices for those groups who have it toughest economically, such as pensioners, students and young people.

Andreas Carlson also refused to answer the example from my own region, Västra Götalandsregionen. Andreas Carlson is welcome to answer why his party colleagues are forcing through a ticket price increase in public transport when we in the governing Sledningen actually could have presented a budget where we could freeze the ticket prices. But it was more important to raise them.

I have asked twice what the government's long-term plan for public transport is, Mr. Speaker. I give it a third chance: What is the government's long-term plan for public transport travel in Sweden to increase? Right now, the trend is, in fact, the opposite.

(Applause)

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Infrastruktur- och bostadsministern Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! The government's long-term plan for public transport is that the trains should arrive on time and that one should be able to rely on the roads holding up and that public transport functions. I have said twice that long-term support and various measures that will come in future budgets are not subjects for a supplementary budget.

Aylin Nouri is aware of this, but she still wants me to answer approximately the same thing as I have said three times. I am happy to do so so that it becomes clear and distinct: We naturally do not exclude further measures. However, what can be done in an amendment budget concerns the current year, and there we have taken measures with the announcement, Mr. Speaker: 6.5 billion to be able to halve ticket prices on monthly passes.

I note that Aylin Nouri says that the Social Democrats want to take various measures, but they have not put forward any proposal to halve the ticket prices, and that was what I said: There are no such proposals in your shadow budgets. Now they want to give the impression that they have had it, but they haven't had it. Right must be right even in a parliamentary debate, Mr. Speaker!

The message from the Social Democrats to those waiting for delayed commuter trains in Stockholm became very clear in this debate. The message from the Social Democrats to commuters waiting on the platform is: "We have taken our responsibility." I do not think that will go down well with those who continue to want people to be able to rely on public transport even in Sweden's capital. The Social Democrats were held accountable, and the answer was: "We have taken our responsibility."

In this speech, Rashid Farivar (SD) agreed.

The interpellations debate was hereby concluded.

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