Statement of Government Policy 10 September 2024

SWEDEN, September 10 - Statement of Government Policy delivered by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson

Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Mr Speaker, Honourable Members of the Riksdag, ladies and gentlemen,

There is light on the horizon.

Sweden is leaving behind several trying years marked by high inflation, shootings and explosions, an energy crisis and a protracted security policy limbo. The situation in Sweden and abroad remains serious in many ways. But we are now on more solid ground.

Sweden is a NATO member. We have won the fight against inflation. More and more gang-related crimes are being solved and an unprecedented anti-crime offensive has been initiated. The number of asylum seekers is historically low.

Sweden has had a new start in a wide range of areas– from energy policy to school and social policy. The four cooperating parties sought and were given a mandate by the voters to set our country on a new course. To bring order to Sweden. And we are delivering on our promises. As we enter the second half of the electoral period, the results are starting to show. This is a government that gets things done.

For a long time, Sweden had been growing poorer and more dangerous. Now we are on our way to becoming more prosperous and safer.
We have made considerable progress, but much remains to be done. Almost everyone understands that problems that have built up over a long time cannot be solved overnight.

This summer’s wave of violence reminds us that the fight against organised crime will require extraordinary measures for a very long time. Reversing weak school performance, building new nuclear power plants and modernising roads and railways will also take time.

A more prosperous and safer Sweden cannot be achieved in one electoral period. But we are currently laying the groundwork so that in the future, Sweden will be known for great innovations rather than dangerous child soldiers.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

The second half of the electoral period is beginning, and our policy process is entering a new phase. Now that inflation has been defeated, the Government’s economic policy will focus on investment for the future and reforms for economic growth.

Now that migration has decreased to more sustainable levels, the focus will shift towards making sure we have integration that works. Creating a community that gives everyone a fair chance and also emphasises individual responsibility. And now that Sweden has become a NATO member, security policy will shape the emerging Nordic NATO.

At the same time, the intensive work to implement the political change of a new course for which the Government was given a mandate continues. A very large number of inquiries will now be processed and used as the basis of reforms that will make a difference in people’s everyday lives.
I hope for broad support for our policy in pursuit of a more prosperous and safer Sweden. But it cannot be those who want the least who set the tempo. The Government has stepped up the pace of reforms for good reason – order must urgently be restored in Sweden.

This is how we will continue to govern. With perseverance and a sense of urgency. With Sweden’s best interests in mind and driven by the task of building a better future for our children and grandchildren.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

The Government has launched its largest-ever offensive against organised crime. As each month passes, it is becoming increasingly difficult to be a criminal in Sweden. This past year, the police and prosecutors were given a number of new tools to prevent and solve crimes, including precautionary coercive measures, stop-and-search zones and restraining orders. Moreover, confiscating criminals’ proceeds of crime – such as money, cars and expensive watches – will be made easier in the coming months. This will have a serious impact on gang leadership.

The Government will continue to implement groundbreaking reforms at the same rapid pace. No task is more important than pushing back against the systemic threat posed by organised crime. To break the culture of silence and solve more crimes, a government bill on anonymous witnesses will be presented in the coming months.

Investment in more cameras continues. The police’s overall surveillance capability is being enhanced, in part through a significant increase in the number of surveillance cameras and through legislative amendments that grant the police access to traffic cameras and automatic vehicle registration plate recognition.

But this is not enough when children are constantly being socialised into organised crime. What Sweden is experiencing is extreme. Children are being lured into taking on murder assignments via social media and put in taxis headed to addresses in other parts of the country – where they shoot to kill.

The Government is mobilising efforts to stop this trend. ‘Clear and early’ are the guiding words for all measures. These include initiatives for children and families aimed at keeping children away from organised crime, and measures targeting the children and young people who are already committing serious crimes.

At the end of the year, the Government will present proposals on special prisons for offenders between 15 and 17 years old. The Government also wants to impose much more severe penalties on young people who commit crimes, and enable the use of secret coercive measures against children who are involved in serious crime. Moreover, we are investigating the possibility of monitoring more young people using electronic ankle tags so that they will leave crime behind.

Secrecy barriers are being removed so that police, social services and schools can share the same information to prevent the recruitment of children and young people, to pull them from the gangs’ clutches. The Government has already presented proposal for an entirely new Social Services Act with a focus on early and preventive measures. This is the beginning of the biggest reform of Swedish social policy in decades.

But the crime prevention efforts are much broader than that. Schools and preschools, sports and club activities play a crucial role in many children’s lives, and it all starts with the family, with parental responsibility. Support in parental care, family centres and home visit programmes will enable more children to have a secure childhood. Ultimately, it is society’s right and obligation to intervene.

Explosions and shootings are the visible part of organised crime. But the often-hidden criminality that attacks welfare systems and infiltrates authorities is no less of a systemic threat. Welfare crime threatens democracy and funds criminal networks.

Cutting off the gangs’ financing is therefore a priority for this Government, and a large number of reforms are under way. The Swedish Social Insurance Agency and the Swedish Companies Registration Office will be granted new powers to fight crime. Organised crime also exploits financial systems. The Government will present proposals to hinder money laundering through ‘hawala’ transactions and is maintaining a close dialogue with banks and mobile network operators to stop the defrauding of older people.

With the same force that we are fighting organised crime, we are also fighting violence against women, which repeatedly claims lives. The Government is implementing a sweeping offensive against men’s violence against women, intimate partner violence and honour-based violence.

An action programme containing 132 items has been presented. To make it easier for people to leave abusive relationships, the Government is developing a new ‘exit programme’. The tyranny of honour-based oppression – that which isolates many women and girls and takes away their freedom – must stop. ‘Virginity tests’ will be prohibited.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

For decades, Sweden implemented a poorly devised and unsustainable immigration policy, in combination with unsuccessful integration policy. We cannot accept Sweden being torn apart by social exclusion, gang violence and parallel societies. Swedish asylum legislation must therefore be adjusted to the minimum level required under EU law, and the requirements for family member immigration must be tightened. Our country must have a chance to become whole again.

The Government is currently implementing a paradigm shift and the effects are already clear. The number of asylum seekers has decreased dramatically, and this year’s figure is expected to be the lowest this century.

In implementing the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, the Government will meet the minimum level required according to the new rules. Better control over the EU’s external borders will further reduce irregular migration to Sweden and the EU as a whole. The EU’s recent consensus is important and would not have been possible without Sweden’s efforts in the European Commission and the European Parliament, and in connection with the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU.

We are bringing order to asylum reception. A key part of these efforts is establishing specific reception centres for asylum seekers to live in, which will ensure a swift and clear asylum process. A government bill on this subject will be presented in the coming months.

Major efforts are being undertaken to increase returns and combat the ‘shadow society’. Going underground following rejection of an application for asylum so as to then submit a new application must not pay off. The Government is drafting a legislative proposal to prevent this and create incentives to leave Sweden for those whose applications have been rejected.
Voluntary repatriation should also be heavily stimulated and increase. This can help reduce the number of people living in social exclusion and the consequences that social exclusion entails, for both Swedish society and for the individual. With the right measures, such as support and information, the number of people voluntarily returning will increase, particularly among the individuals who for various reasons find that they have not become part of Swedish society for reasons, such as inadequate self-sufficiency or Swedish-language skills.

At the same time, we must be an attractive country for highly qualified workers and foreign researchers and doctoral students. The new fast track process has been a great success – practically all highly qualified workers now receive a reply within 30 days.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

As migration decreases, the focus will be to ensure successful integration. How well we manage this task will define Sweden as a country in the coming decades.

For too long, Sweden has implemented a lax integration policy with low expectations on the individual to learn Swedish, find employment and live honourably. We are now changing this. We are stressing the individual’s responsibility to become part of Swedish society, not least by learning Swedish and earning a living. In Sweden, we respect fundamental values in relation to equity and gender equality, individual rights and obligations, and children’s position in society.

We are laying the groundwork for introducing a new benefit reform with a benefit ceiling and gradual qualification for various welfare benefits, and we are introducing stricter requirements for those who want to stay in Sweden and become a Swedish citizen. The Government is also imposing stricter requirements on those studying Swedish for Immigrants.

Successful integration policy must be based on both requirements and opportunities. Too many children grow up in social exclusion marked by language poverty, where Swedish is not spoken. In the coming months, the first steps will be taken towards a mandatory language preschool for children who otherwise do not learn Swedish well at home. All children should be able to attend their first day of school full of anticipation, and all children should have every opportunity to succeed in school.

A new list of areas of social exclusion will soon be presented, with a broader focus than the police’s existing knowledge base on the situation in vulnerable areas. This will be an important tool for developing effective measures.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

We are proud of the Nordic welfare model: general benefits, joint funding and individual freedom of choice. Together with the work-first principle, this forms the foundation of some of the world’s best welfare societies. It provides security through life’s difficulties, but also the freedom to choose our own path.

The four cooperating parties have supported the welfare system in financially challenging times. This has been a correct and important priority. Sweden’s welfare system must be reliable.

But welfare involves more than just resources from the state. General welfare requires that everyone who is able to work does so, and zero tolerance for any type of abuse of welfare systems. It is successful businesses and individuals’ hard work that create the resources welfare needs.

Sweden has world-class health care, but too many people have to wait for it. The Government is therefore pushing for the regions to increase care capacity. The implementation of a national health care referral centre is being accelerated. The Government also plans to introduce a new and enhanced health care guarantee with considerably shorter time limits than those that currently apply. Central government responsibility for health care needs to increase.

Sweden must continue to be at the forefront of cancer care. All children who develop cancer are now offered genetic mapping and precision medicine tailored to each child’s individual needs. This is unique. The Government is stepping up its efforts for Sweden to achieve its goal of being the first country in the world to eradicate cervical cancer. An updated cancer strategy will also be presented in the coming months.

The first stage of a major dental care reform is being implemented. High-cost protection in dental care is being enhanced for the large demographic of people over 67 years old, which will more closely resemble other forms of health care. This will make a difference not only to many people’s oral health, but also their wallets.

Sweden must be a safe and secure place to grow old in. The Government is continuing its billion-kronor investment in the Care of Older People Initiative to train more staff. Steps are also being taken to increase medical expertise in the care of older people and to introduce Swedish-language requirements for staff. Personal assistance, which enables a freer life for people with disabilities, should be safeguarded. For this reason, widespread fraud must be combated.

Many people struggle with mental health. Hundreds of thousands of people in our country have no close friends to turn to when darkness descends. This is a societal problem. Mental illness must be taken as seriously as physical illness. In the coming months, a national support line for mental illness will be launched. A national strategy to prevent and counteract involuntary loneliness will be presented in 2025.

A number of indicators give cause for concern about the well-being of children in Sweden. Inactive lifestyles are on the rise, and children are now suffering from illnesses more commonly seen in older people, such as fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes.

Teenagers between 13 and 16 years old spend an average of 6.5 hours per day on screens – not including their schoolwork. This takes time away from other necessities for well-being – sleep, social interaction and physical activity. Many parents are very worried but also feel powerless. We will not sit idly by as children become slaves to algorithms. The Government will present proposals to make the school day entirely phone-free. The leisure-time card (Fritidskortet) being introduced next year will be one of many ways to activate children and young people.

What happens in the classroom today determines what Sweden will look like tomorrow. It is therefore deeply troubling that the Swedish PISA results are sharply declining. One in four 15 year-olds is not even able to read properly. This underscores the need for schools to go back to basics.

The Government has started to re-establish a strong knowledge-based school system that focuses on fundamentals such as reading, writing and arithmetic. We are moving from screens to books. Order must be restored in the classroom and the school system itself by combating grade inflation and unscrupulous school governing bodies.

The Government is planning a bill to increase transparency in independent schools with the aim of counteracting unhealthy driving forces in schools.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

The fight against inflation has dominated economic policy in the first half of the electoral period. High inflation has undermined people’s real income, put welfare under severe strain and led to bankruptcies and unemployment.
The Government has therefore pursued a restrained fiscal policy. At the same time, we have provided targeted support to households and the welfare system during these difficult times. We have lowered taxes for both wage earners and pensioners, and on petrol and diesel so that people in rural areas can afford to drive their cars.

The worst is now behind us. Economic policy is entering a new phase. Now is the time to invest in Sweden’s future and implement reforms that increase its growth again.

Sweden once made an impressive journey from poverty to wealth, but our welfare cannot be taken for granted. Tomorrow’s growth is not secured through subsidies and regulations. Sweden must compete on entirely different qualities: a school system focused on knowledge, excellent research, an innovative business sector and a good business climate. Large amounts of reliable and affordable fossil-free electricity, robust infrastructure, welfare we can count on and strong community.

Sweden can then attract talent and international investments. We must be at the forefront – a small country that punches above its weight.
In the coming months, the Government will present three key bills to realise this vision: a budget bill with a clear focus on investment and growth, an infrastructure bill and a research and innovation bill.

A historic investment is being made to upgrade Sweden’s infrastructure. The financial framework will be expanded by more than SEK 200 billion. This is needed, as Sweden has an extensive deferred maintenance backlog in the form of potholes in roads and constant train stoppages. Addressing these shortcomings will be a top priority as the Government formulates a strategic direction for the forthcoming 2026–2037 period. But this is also about enabling new investments. Functioning infrastructure is critical to both business sector development and the vitality of cities and rural areas, but ultimately for the defence of Sweden as well.

Sweden has long been, and will continue to be, a prominent research and technology nation. But international competition is getting tougher. For this reason, the Government is currently making its largest-ever investment in research and innovation. By 2028, this will total more than SEK 40 billion.

The research bill will focus on excellence, research infrastructure and cutting-edge technology. The business sector must also continue to be a hive of innovation in order for Sweden to succeed, and few countries have a business sector as engaged in research and development. It is a strength that the government and business go hand in hand, and they can do so more often. That is why the Government wants to see more of a Team Sweden approach.

In the coming months, the AI Commission will present its recommendations. Sweden has unique possibilities in this area as well.

Step by step, reform by reform, we will improve Swedish growth. The Government is expanding its ‘growth support’ so that the smallest businesses can go from one to two employees. We are broadening the expert tax category to make it easier to attract highly qualified workers. The aviation tax entails a substantial competitive disadvantage for Swedish airports. It is now being scrapped.

We are enhancing the incentive to work and household purchasing power. The Government cares about ordinary people’s household finances, which is why we are once again lowering taxes for all working people and pensioners. In addition, we are exempting investment savings accounts from taxes in two stages up to a base level of SEK 300 000, thus increasing ordinary people’s freedom. After a number of tough years, it will once again be possible for people to put away some savings or treat themselves to a little something.
The work-first principle needs to be restored. Everyone who can work should work. We have reformed the unemployment insurance fund to provide more incentive to work. The Government is enhancing its support to people who are particularly detached from the labour market.

Many people need to acquire the skills to take the jobs currently available and those that emerge as the economy picks up again, which is why the Government is investing in municipal adult education and higher vocational education.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

Solving the energy issue is crucial to our success as an advanced industrial nation. The decommissioning of half of all nuclear reactors has resulted in a shortage of plannable electricity in southern Sweden. This has cost us dearly. To secure the electricity supply and succeed in the climate transition, the Government is fundamentally reworking its energy policy. All types of fossil-free energy will be needed. Without energy policy, there is no climate policy.

The Government is taking action to meet both short- and long-term electricity needs. A wind power package is being presented to enhance municipal incentives to expand wind power, where local residents will have a right to compensation. This will give wind power companies a clear responsibility to compensate municipalities and local residents for wind power’s impact on them. The Government is also providing investment aid to remove bottlenecks and boost impact, particularly in southern Sweden.

Important steps have been taken to establish a new nuclear programme in Sweden, and these efforts are now entering an intensive phase. The Government is continuing work on the recently presented model for risk-sharing. The Government is presenting a bill on research and innovation in the field of energy, where research on nuclear power is a particular priority. We are investing in pilot and demonstration projects in the area of nuclear power.

Sweden has enormous potential in the climate transition. The Government has therefore launched a green acceleration office and submitted the first proposals to shorten permit processes.

Running a business in Sweden must be simplified, which is why the Government has established both the Simplification Council and the Implementation Council. No unnecessary rules should burden Swedish business owners or dampen the joy of entrepreneurs’ life projects.

Housing construction is hampered by an excessive regulatory burden. The Government is simplifying and streamlining the planning and building process so that more housing is being built. More construction measures must be exempted from building permits, and the unreasonable requirements for the design of student housing must be simplified.

Many people dream of living in a house of their own. The Government wants to make that dream possible for more people and has appointed a commissioner for owner-occupied housing. Proposals are being drawn up to create type-approved small houses exempted from building permit requirements.

The Government continues to improve the prospects of living and working throughout the country. The development of rural areas is crucial to the success of Sweden as a whole. Business owners in agriculture and forestry need better conditions to increase their production through enhanced competitiveness and profitability. The food strategy is being updated.
Sweden will be a freer country, and it is often small reforms that make this possible. Farm sales of alcoholic beverages are planned for the first half of 2025. The Government is also planning to present proposals for liberalisation of shore protection to enable more people to live near our beautiful waters.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

Sweden will pursue an ambitious climate policy with the target of net-zero emissions by 2045. Sweden has shown that it is possible to reduce emissions by more than one third while doubling the size of the economy. This makes us a role model for other countries in the area of climate.
Since emissions are cross-border in nature, the solutions must be as well. Swedish climate policy is best realised within the framework of EU cooperation. When the whole of Europe makes the transition at the same time, it will make a real difference.

With the Government’s measures, Sweden is now expected to achieve the EU climate targets within the Effort Sharing Regulation sector – emissions that are not included in the EU Emissions Trading System. The new reduction obligation, which also includes fossil-free electricity from public charging stations, is being raised. At the same time, taxes on petrol and diesel are being lowered so that the price at the pump does not increase.
In doing so, we are laying the foundations for a sustainable climate policy with popular support over time. The Government is also undertaking other important climate initiatives, including electric vehicle premiums targeting people in need of support in rural areas, boosting the Climate Leap and support to biogas production in agriculture.

New technologies play a key role in the climate transition. As a forest nation, Sweden has potential to become a world leader in carbon capture – bio-CCS. The first concrete steps will be taken in the coming months, when a reverse auction for negative emissions will take place.

The Government is continuing its reform of forestry policy and is a strong advocate in the EU for protecting vital Swedish interests and ownership rights. Forests are a strategic resource for both the climate transition and Swedish competitiveness.

The number of wolves in Sweden must decrease. The European Commission has proposed changing the protection status of wolves, which the Government welcomes.

We must take care of our land and seas. This includes protecting herring stocks in the Baltic Sea and safeguarding coastal fishing. The Government proposes moving the trawling limit to 12 nautical miles from the baseline and prohibiting bottom trawling in protected marine areas. We want to facilitate the hunting of seals and cormorants, which cause problems for coastal fishing.

The Government is continuing its efforts for effective remediation of sites contaminated by substances such as PFAS. Sweden is working actively for ambitious EU chemicals legislation and a global agreement on limiting plastic pollution.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

On 7 March 2024, a new era for Swedish security policy began. After more than 200 years of military non-alignment, Sweden became a NATO member.
Sweden has come home to the free world’s defence Alliance for peace and freedom. Home to all our neighbours’ security cooperation. Home to the group of nations to which we have long belonged.

With our accession, Sweden became more secure and NATO became stronger. We bring strategic geography, military capability and an innovative defence industry to the Alliance. All these dimensions underscore the fact that Sweden is a relatively large NATO member. Sweden’s NATO integration process is progressing unabated, and the Government will propose Sweden’s contribution of a reduced battalion to NATO’s enhanced forward presence in Latvia during the first half of 2025. We are part of shaping the new NATO in the Nordic region and northern Europe.

Sweden will meet its burden-sharing obligations in NATO, and we expect other countries to do the same. In the last four years, Sweden’s defence appropriations have doubled from SEK 60 billion to SEK 124 billion per year. And this growth continues. Next year, Sweden will allocate more than 2.3 per cent of its GDP to military defence.

In the coming months, the Government will present a bill to the Riksdag on development of the total defence for the period 2025–2030. This is based on the Defence Commission’s reports, which all parties in the Riksdag generally support. The Government notes that there is now broad political consensus on strengthening our defence.

This Government has paid particular attention to the major needs in civil defence. Historic investments will be made to strengthen Sweden’s supply preparedness and ability to resist cyberattacks.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has catapulted Europe back to the darkest chapters of its history. Support to Ukraine will be the foremost foreign policy task in the coming years. The free world has a historic duty to resist Russia’s expansion of power and help Ukraine win the war.

Sweden is contributing in many ways. A total of 17 support packages have been delivered, with everything from battle tanks to airborne strategic command and control aircraft. The Government has presented a multi-year financial framework of SEK 75 billion for the period 2024–2026 to make the support long-lasting and predictable.

The Government is pushing for additional steps towards Ukraine’s EU membership. Sweden is also playing a proactive role to tighten EU sanctions against Russia, including measures against Russian gas, and to use more frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Sweden will support Ukraine for as long as it takes. Ukraine’s cause is our cause.

China’s conduct towards Taiwan is worrying, and threats of military violence are unacceptable. Looming over the Middle East is the threat of a major war the full consequences of which no one knows. Israel is being threatened by Iran and its allies simultaneously on several fronts. Sweden stands up for Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with international law and demands that the hostages be released. In the short term, a humanitarian ceasefire is needed to reduce regional tensions and mitigate the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. In the longer term, Sweden – like the EU and the United States – believes in the idea of a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, freedom and democracy.

The European Union is Sweden’s most important foreign policy platform and crucial to Sweden’s economy, climate efforts and global voice. The new Commission and Parliament will face major challenges, and Sweden’s priorities can be summed up in four key areas: the war, competitiveness, climate and crime. Sweden continues to be proactive and a strong advocate as a Member State following its successful Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Sweden remains a generous donor of development assistance, and the Government is setting out a new direction for development assistance policy. Ukraine is now Sweden’s single largest recipient of development assistance.
We are increasing our demands for lasting results, effectiveness and transparency. Development assistance can make a valuable contribution, but significantly more needs to be done to reduce poverty. Democracy, trade and growth are what can ultimately lift countries and their citizens out of poverty in the long term.

Sweden is a strong voice for free trade. The EU should protect global trade and enter into more free trade agreements. At the same time, the Government sees the risks involved in unilateral dependencies and the need to take a stance against different countries having different rules.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

Sweden must be an open and tolerant society. Our free society must unequivocally stand up to those who wish to exploit our freedom to restrict the freedom of others.

Everyone in Sweden must be able to live safely and freely, regardless of religious beliefs or personal convictions, regardless of skin colour and regardless of whom they love. Work has begun on an action plan for equal rights and opportunities for LGBTIQ people.

In 2025, the 250th anniversary of Jewish life in Sweden will be celebrated. Improving the conditions for Jewish life in our country is a matter of high priority for the Government, and a long-term strategy will be developed. Meanwhile, support for remembrance trips to Holocaust memorial sites continue. Antisemitism has no place in our country; the Government accepts no exceptions or excuses.

Free and independent journalism is an indispensable part of the democratic infrastructure. All forms of intimidation, hate, harassment and violence against journalists are also attacks on open society. The Government has adopted measures to enhance protection of journalists. Public service media must remain independent and their long-term funding must be maintained.
Human rights, including freedom of expression, are a cornerstone of liberal democracy. The Government will continue its efforts to secure the release of journalist Dawit Isaak and publisher and poet Gui Minhai.

A vibrant cultural scene is the basis of a creative society, creating cohesion and helping increase understanding of ourselves and others. The Government sees the cultural and creative sectors as a new key industry in Sweden.

It is also important to preserve our rich cultural heritage. The Royal Opera has a special status as Sweden’s national venue for opera and ballet.
Let us protect what holds us together in our country. Polarisation and distrust between people are increasing in many parts of the world, and the tone of public debate is becoming increasingly harsh. Sweden does not need to move in that direction. It is up to us – not least those of us gathered here – to set a good example. Let us shoulder this responsibility together.

* * *

Mr Speaker,

Our society still has major problems to solve. But Sweden is rising again.
It will take time to bring order to Sweden, and there will be setbacks, but we are now laying the foundations for a brighter future for everyone who lives in this fantastic country.

A safer Sweden, where the well-behaved majority take back public space from criminal gangs.

A wealthier Sweden, where small dreams of a cottage holiday – or perhaps a puppy – can be realised, and where big dreams of a world-leading technology and welfare nation are once again possible.

A more considerate Sweden, where we care about one another and feel common pride in our society, regardless of where in the world we come from.
A more responsible Sweden, where we ask not only what others can do for us, but what we can do for others.

A freer Sweden, where entrepreneurs dare to invest and the State provides the security that freedom requires. And where falling in love is a desire, never a threat of ensuing punishment in the name of honour.

A more industrious and more ambitious Sweden, where children lose themselves in books and more adults set their alarms to get to work on time.
All of this is within reach. Not for free, not without effort and not without us committing to it. But we can achieve it together. Sweden has risen before. We have protected what is dear to us and still remained curious about what could be even better. Let us do it again.

Tomorrow will be a better day.