Overall on national security strategy

The counter-proposal's substantive main requirement is that the Riksdag itself, and not only the government, shall establish Sweden's vital national security interests. The plan's guiding principle is that the people's political power over the state is exercised by the Riksdag and that the government is accountable to the Riksdag, which carries this requirement. At the same time, the plan turns against militarization and arms buildup, so the counter-proposal's support for rearmament lies outside the plan's line; hence low confidence.

• the Riksdag exercises the people's powerdecisive»Folkets politiska makt över staten ska utövas av riksdagen, tillsatt« (party programme ↗)“The people's political power over the state shall be exercised by the Riksdag, constituted”
• the government accountable to the Riksdag»Regeringen ska vara ansvarig inför riksdagen.« (party programme ↗)“The government shall be accountable to the Riksdag.”
• against militarization»Vi vänder oss emot militarisering och kapprustning.« (party programme ↗)“We oppose militarization and arms buildup.”
• peace before 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 increased militarization.”

flags: motforslaget_delvis_i_konflikt_med_planen

The election manifesto establishes that Swedish NATO membership is the best path for the country's security and that defence spending should increase to two percent of GDP. A counter-proposal that deviates on the NATO question thus goes against the plan's most binding security policy commitment. That the Riksdag itself should determine vital security interests has some support in the plan's view of representative democracy, but weighs less.

• Swedish NATO membershipdecisive»Ett svenskt medlemskap i Nato är den bästa vägen för vårt lands säkerhet och Sverige har därför lämnat in sin medlemsansökan.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish NATO membership is the best path for our country's security and Sweden has therefore submitted its membership application.”
• increased defence spending»Anslagen till det militära försvaret ska öka till motsvarande två procent av BNP.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Funding for military defence should increase to the equivalent of two percent of GDP.”
• stronger civil defence»Rusta upp det civila försvaret.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen civil defence.”
• the Riksdag's central role»Den representativa demokratin är det mest effektiva demokratiska beslutssystemet.« (party programme ↗)“Representative democracy is the most effective democratic decision-making system.”

The plan demands that disarmament and security policy choices are based on current and politically anchored threat assessments, which speaks for the Riksdag and not only the government determining Sweden's vital security interests. The plan also holds onto military non-alignment and wants to prioritize civil defence and civil preparedness, which lies close to the counter-proposal's dissenting view of Nato. The committee's emphasis on Nordic cooperation is touched on by the plan.

• politically anchored threat picturesdecisive»utifrån aktuella och politiskt förankrade hotbildsbedömningar.« (party programme ↗)“based on current and politically anchored threat assessments.”
• military non-alignment»Samtidigt vill vi att Sverige behåller sin militära alliansfrihet för att kunna fortsätta arbeta mot kärnvapen, för nedrustning och kunna bedriva en självständig utrikespolitik där vi står upp för mänskliga rättigheter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time we want Sweden to retain its military non-alignment so we can continue working against nuclear weapons, for disarmament and be able to conduct an independent foreign policy where we stand up for human rights.”
• civil defence is prioritized»satsa en större andel av försvarets pengar på det civila försvaret, och öka anslagen till krisberedskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“allocate a larger share of defence funds to civil defence, and increase appropriations for civil preparedness.”
• Nordic cooperation»Vi vill värna det unika samarbetet i vårt närområde, mellan de nordiska staterna.« (party programme ↗)“We want to value the unique cooperation in our neighbourhood, between the Nordic states.”

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 counter-proposal is based on a different view of NATO membership, whereas the plan is unambiguous: the defence shall be built up quickly, two percent of GDP is invested and entry into NATO is completed. That part of the counter-proposal's position is directly contradicted by the plan. The plan's commitment to protect the opposition's position in the Riksdag gives some support for the requirement that the Riksdag determines vital security interests, but that weighs less than the explicit NATO and defence build-up commitment.

• complete NATO membershipdecisive»Centerpartiet vill rusta försvaret, stärka Sveriges civila beredskap och fullfölja inträdet i Nato.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Centre Party wants to build up the defence, strengthen Sweden's civil preparedness and complete entry into NATO.”
• two percent of GDP for defence»Sverige ska försvaras. Vi vill rusta det militära försvaret snabbt, kraftfullt och långsiktigt. Sverige behöver satsa två procent av BNP på försvaret så snart det är praktiskt möjligt och gå med i Nato.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall be defended. We want to build up the military defence quickly, powerfully and for the long term. Sweden needs to invest two percent of GDP in defence as soon as it is practically possible and join NATO.”
• Riksdag and opposition position»Våra demokratiska institutioner behöver skydd. Vi vill göra det svårare att ändra grundlagen, skydda oppositionens ställning i riksdagen och stärka domstolarnas oberoende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Our democratic institutions need protection. We want to make it harder to change the constitution, protect the opposition's position in the Riksdag and strengthen the courts' independence.”
• Nordic security cooperation»Det nordiska samarbetet, som överbryggar många europeiska konstellationer, spelar en viktig roll.« (party programme ↗)“Nordic cooperation, which bridges many European constellations, plays an important role.”

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 plan makes NATO membership and cooperation with other democracies the foundation for Swedish security policy and at the same time wants to substantially strengthen the police and the justice system. A counter-proposal that deviates precisely on these issues thus stands in conflict with the plan's overarching commitments, even though the strengthening of military and civil defense is shared. The question of who shall determine the vital security interests is not addressed in the plan.

• NATO membershipdecisive»Därför ska Sverige gå med i Nato och tillsammans med USA, Kanada och våra europeiska grannar försvara både Sverige och vår del av världen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore Sweden shall join NATO and together with the USA, Canada, and our European neighbors defend both Sweden and our part of the world.”
• cooperation with democracies»Grunden för Sveriges säkerhetspolitik ska vara samarbete med andra demokratier.« (party programme ↗)“The foundation for Sweden's security policy shall be cooperation with other democracies.”
• substantial police investment»Därför vill vi på sikt nå 33 000 poliser så att polistätheten blir minst lika hög som i övriga Europa.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore we want in the long term to reach 33,000 police officers so that police density becomes at least as high as in the rest of Europe.”
• increased defense allocations»Vi vill därför redan 2025 se ett försvarsanslag om 2 procent av BNP och därmed skapa tillräckliga förutsättningar att stärka både armen, marinen och flygvapnet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We therefore want already in 2025 to see a defense allocation of 2 percent of GDP and thereby create sufficient conditions to strengthen the army, navy, and air force.”

The plan is based on the view that a functioning democracy requires a clear separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches and that there must be effective means against power concentration. That the Riksdag, and not only the government, establishes which are Sweden's vital national security interests follows from that principle. The plan also shares the view that defence shall be deterrent, but unlike the counter-proposal advocates close cooperation with NATO.

• separation of powersdecisive»är ofullkomliga. Därför kräver en fungerande demokrati en klar maktdelning mellan den lagstiftande, den« (party programme ↗)“are incomplete. Therefore a functioning democracy requires a clear separation between the legislative,”
• counter power concentration»Det måste finnas effektiva medel mot maktmiss« (party programme ↗)“There must be effective means against power”
• deterrent defence»kan verka krigsavhållande vid säkerhetspolitiska kriser« (party programme ↗)“can be deterrent in security policy crises”
• close cooperation with NATO»med NATO bör, givet nämnda kriterier, vara en naturlig del av svensk säkerhetspolitik.« (party programme ↗)“with NATO should, given the aforementioned criteria, be a natural part of Swedish security policy.”

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 counter-proposal wants parliament itself, not the government, to determine Sweden's vital security interests, and also differs from the plan on the issue of NATO membership and on measures for police and the judiciary. The plan places overall security governance with the government through a national security council at the Prime Minister's Office, drives NATO membership as a central line, and demands 10,000 more police. The plan therefore rejects the demand, with parliamentarism as a counterweight.

• government-led security governancedecisive»Inrätta ett nationellt säkerhetsråd på Statsrådsberedningen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Establish a national security council at the Prime Minister's Office”
• NATO membership»Vi välkomnar därför att Sverige ska gå med i Nato, en fråga vi drivit under 20 års tid.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We therefore welcome Sweden joining NATO, a question we have driven for 20 years.”
• more police»Arbeta efter målet om 10 000 fler poliser till år 2028 med fokus på fler poliser i yttre tjänst« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work towards the goal of 10,000 more police by 2028 with focus on more police in operational duty”
• parliamentarism»Vi ska ha ett parlamentariskt styrelseskick där regeringen är beroende av stöd i riksdagen« (party programme ↗)“We shall have a parliamentary system of government where the government is dependent on support in parliament”

The plan wants to strengthen the Swedish democracy's independence and rule-of-law principles through increased separation of powers, transparency and possibility for political accountability. That the Riksdag — not just the government — determines what Sweden's vital national security interests are aligns with that separation of powers principle, as does the plan's requirement that Sweden be equipped for the new security situation. The plan therefore supports the demand.

• democracy's standingdecisive»Bejaka och stärka det svenska folkstyrets oberoende« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Embrace and strengthen Swedish democracy's independence”
• increased separation of powers»Sverigedemokraterna vill stärka de rättsstatliga principerna i den svenska förvaltningsmodellen genom ökade inslag av maktdelning och ett stärkt oberoende av domstolsväsendet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats wants to strengthen rule-of-law principles in the Swedish administrative model through increased separation of powers and a strengthened independence of the judiciary.”
• accountability»Tjänstemannaansvar ska införas och åtgärder ska genomföras för att öka transparensen och möjligheten att utkräva politiskt ansvarsutkrävande.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Civil servant responsibility should be introduced and measures should be taken to increase transparency and the possibility of demanding political accountability.”
• rearmament for the new situation»Rusta Sverige inför en ny säkerhetspolitisk situation i vårt närområde« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Equip Sweden for a new security policy situation in our near region”

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.