Preparedness levy

The plan's overarching tax line is that those with large capital assets and highest incomes should contribute more, not ordinary wage earners, and that capital taxation should increase. A targeted tax paid by those with the greatest economic capacity follows that line. That the funds go to defense appropriations conflicts with the plan's opposition to increased militarization, but the tax demand itself aligns closely with the plan's distribution policy.

• tax on the wealthydecisive»Vi vill inte höja skatten för vanliga löntagare utan på mångmiljonarv, lyxvillor och stora aktievinster som man inte ens behöver jobba för.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We don't want to raise taxes for ordinary wage earners but on multi-million inheritances, luxury villas, and large stock gains that you don't even need to work for.”
• increased capital taxation»innebär en ökad beskattning av kapital och högre skatt på de högsta« (party programme ↗)“means increased taxation of capital and higher tax on the highest”
• economic capacity should contribute»Det är hög tid att de få som har stora kapitaltillgångar bidrar mer till omställningen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is high time that the few who have large capital assets contribute more to the transition.”
• opposition to militarization»Vänsterpartiet anser att Sverige ska vara en röst för fred och rättvisa, inte för ökad militarisering.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party believes that Sweden should be a voice for peace and justice, not for increased militarization.”

flags: malkonflikt_omfordelning_vs_militarisering

The plan contains precisely this commitment: a preparedness tax for the very wealthy, linked to defence expenditure increasing to two per cent of GDP by 2028 at the latest. The counter-proposal wants to investigate a tax paid by those with the greatest financial capacity to finance the same ramp-up. This also aligns with the plan's principle that taxes shall be progressive and levied according to financial capacity. The plan therefore supports the demand.

• preparedness tax for the wealthydecisive»Vi vill införa en beredskapsskatt för de allra rikaste.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to introduce a preparedness tax for the very wealthy.”
• defence spending at two per cent»Anslagen till det militära försvaret ska öka till motsvarande två procent av BNP.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Appropriations for military defence shall increase to correspond to two per cent of GDP.”
• tax according to capacity»Skatterna ska vara progressiva och tas ut efter bärkraft« (party programme ↗)“Taxes shall be progressive and levied according to financial capacity”

The plan's distribution principle is that those who are well off shall contribute more, among other things through progressive taxation of capital, which is close to the counter-proposal's tax on those with the greatest economic capacity. The plan also wants to increase appropriations for preparedness, although with emphasis on civil defense. That the money is earmarked for military buildup is not the plan's priority, hence medium-high confidence.

• progressive capital taxationdecisive»att de med mest pengar, som också orsakar större utsläpp, ska bidra mer till omställningen och välfärden genom en progressiv beskattning av kapital.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that those with the most money, who also cause greater emissions, shall contribute more to the transition and welfare through progressive taxation of capital.”
• capacity determines contribution»Den som har det gott ställt ska bidra mer än den som har små marginaler.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Those who are well off shall contribute more than those who have small margins.”
• increased preparedness appropriations»satsa en större andel av försvarets pengar på det civila försvaret, och öka anslagen till krisberedskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“invest a larger share of defense spending on civil defense, and increase appropriations for crisis preparedness.”
• decreased divides»De ekonomiska klyftorna ska minska.« (party programme ↗)“Economic divides shall decrease.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The election manifesto is categorical: the total tax burden must come down and the party will not participate in tax increases that harm jobs or personal savings. The counter-proposal instead demands a new targeted tax on those with the greatest economic capacity. The plan supports the ramp-up to two per cent of GDP for defence, but designates housekeeping with the taxpayer's money within the framework as the way forward, not a new tax.

• no tax increasesdecisive»Det totala skattetrycket måste ner nästa mandatperiod. Vi kommer inte att medverka till några skattehöjningar som skadar jobben, det egna sparandet eller gör det dyrare att bo.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The total tax burden must come down over the next term. We will not participate in any tax increases that harm jobs, personal savings or make it more expensive to live.”
• two per cent for defence»Sverige behöver satsa två procent av BNP på försvaret så snart det är praktiskt möjligt och gå med i Nato.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden needs to invest two per cent of GDP in defence as soon as practically possible and join NATO.”
• husband public funds»Politiken ska hushålla med skattebetalarnas pengar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Politics shall husband the taxpayer's money.”
• less steep tax scale»Därför måste skatteskalan göras mindre brant, så att den inte bestraffar ansträngningar och utveckling« (party programme ↗)“Therefore the tax scale must be made less steep, so that it does not punish effort and development”

The plan goes to the election on lowering taxes and explicitly criticises the recent years' tax increases; a new targeted tax on those with the greatest economic capacity contradicts that direction. The tax reform shall clearly lower the tax on work and enterprise, not introduce new taxes. The plan shares the target of two per cent of GDP for defence, but wishes to reach it without new taxation.

• no to new tax increasesdecisive»Detta är resultatet av en politik som höjt bidragen i samma takt som skatterna. 47 skattehöjningar har det hunnit bli på bara åtta år.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“This is the result of a policy that raised subsidies at the same rate as taxes. 47 tax increases in just eight years.”
• tax reform with lowered tax»Därför behövs en ny genomgripande skattereform.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore we need a new comprehensive tax reform.”
• lower tax on work»Det ska löna sig bättre att arbeta, utbilda sig och ta ansvar.« (party programme ↗)“It shall pay better to work, educate oneself and take responsibility.”
• two per cent for defence»Vi vill därför redan 2025 se ett försvarsanslag om 2 procent av BNP« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We therefore want to see a defence allocation of 2 per cent of GDP already in 2025”

The plan requires that individuals to the greatest extent possible keep their own wages or pensions, that capital taxes are competitive and that taxation does not erode property rights. A new targeted tax on those with the greatest capacity contradicts these commitments, even though the plan shares the goal of a deterrent defence with sufficient resources. The plan therefore points to other forms of financing than a new tax.

• keep one's own incomedecisive»Skattesystemet ska vara utformat så att den enskilde i största möjliga utsträckning får behålla sin egen« (party programme ↗)“The tax system shall be designed so that individuals to the greatest extent possible keep their own”
• competitive capital taxes»Kapitalskatterna måste därför vara konkurrenskraftiga.« (party programme ↗)“Capital taxes must therefore be competitive.”
• taxation without eroded property rights»andra former av beskattning får inte urholka äganderätten och ska utformas enligt vedertagna skatterättsliga principer som skatt efter bärkraft och likabehandling.« (party programme ↗)“other forms of taxation must not erode property rights and shall be designed according to established tax principles such as tax according to capacity and equal treatment.”
• deterrent defence capacity»kan verka krigsavhållande vid säkerhetspolitiska kriser« (party programme ↗)“can act as a deterrent in security policy crises”

Worldstate weighed in: Inflation 10.5 per cent squeezes households — sharpens the plan's opposition to new tax increases; Escalation of defence spending towards two per cent of GDP — creates real need for financing, but the plan does not point to a new tax

The election manifesto promises a tax-rise ceiling meaning that overall taxes are not raised and states that more tax is not a solution. The buildup to two per cent of GDP shall according to the plan be financed through prioritizations and an efficiency office that releases resources for defence. The counter-proposal's demand for a new targeted standby tax thus directly contradicts the plan.

• tax-rise ceilingdecisive»Införa ett skattehöjarstopp under den kommande mandatperioden som innebär att de samlade skatterna inte höjs« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce a tax-rise ceiling during the coming mandate period that means overall taxes are not raised”
• no new taxes»mer skatt är ingen lösning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“more tax is not a solution”
• defence through reallocation»Inrätta ett effektiviseringskansli som ska gå inom alla myndigheters ekonomi för att frigöra resurser till försvaret« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Establish an efficiency office that shall go through all government agencies' budgets to release resources for defence”
• two per cent for defence»Verka för att försvarsanslagen uppgår till motsvarande 2 procent av BNP redan år 2025« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work towards defence appropriations amounting to two per cent of GDP already in 2025”

The plan shares the goal that defence in the long term should be financed with at least two per cent of GDP, but states that the resources should be freed through reallocation of public expenditure and reduced costs for migration, development assistance and EU fees. The counter-proposal instead demands a new targeted tax on those with the greatest economic capacity, which contradicts the plan's demands for taxes that do not hamper business and competitiveness. The goal is shared but the financing method is rejected.

• no competition-hampering taxesdecisive»Ha skatter på en nivå som inte hämmar svenska företag i den internationella konkurrensen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Have taxes at a level that does not hamper Swedish companies in international competition”
• two per cent for defence»säkerställa långsiktig finansiering av försvaret om minst två procent av BNP inom en tioårsperiod« (2022 manifesto ↗)“ensure long-term financing of defence of at least two per cent of GDP within a ten-year period”
• reallocation before tax increase»Se över offentliga utgifter och rikta om medel till välfärden och rättsväsendet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Review public expenditure and reallocate funds to welfare and the justice system”
• financing through savings»Minska kostnaderna för migrationspolitik, bistånd, EU-bidrag och klimatåtgärder som kan göras mer effektiva« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce costs for migration policy, development assistance, EU grants and climate measures that can be made more efficient”