Swedish participation in international operations

The party programme stipulates that the Armed Forces need the capacity to participate in UN-mandated peace-keeping operations and that international law shall be defended and deepened. The counter-proposal's requirement for continued peace engagement with clear international law mandate for each operation responds directly to this, as does the desire to strengthen the UN's role. That the requirement also mentions NATO does not change that the content aligns with the plan's direction.

• operations with UN mandatedecisive»insatser med FN-mandat.« (party programme ↗)“operations with UN mandate.”
• peace-keeping capacity»Sveriges försvarsmakt behöver kapacitet att delta i fredsbevarande« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's Armed Forces need the capacity to participate in peace-keeping”
• international law as condition»Folkrätten behöver försvaras och« (party programme ↗)“International law needs to be defended and”
• strengthened UN role»Vi vill därför att Sverige verkar för att FN ska spela en större roll« (party programme ↗)“We therefore want Sweden to work for the UN to play a greater 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 party programme establishes that Sweden participates in UN-supported peacekeeping operations, supports the obligation to protect vulnerable populations and requires that the UN Charter govern all use of military force. This is exactly what the counter-proposal wants to establish: continued contribution with troops, police and civilian personnel and a clear international-law mandate for each operation. The election manifesto continues to protect the UN's role for international law.

• participation in UN operationsdecisive»Vi deltar i FN-stödda fredsbevarande operationer och« (party programme ↗)“We participate in UN-supported peacekeeping operations and”
• international-law mandate required»FN och FN-stadgan bli styrande för allt« (party programme ↗)“UN and UN Charter become governing for everything”
• strengthened UN peacekeeping»Förenta Nationernas möjligheter att ingripa i fredsbevarande syfte måste stärkas.« (party programme ↗)“The United Nations' ability to intervene for peacekeeping purposes must be strengthened.”
• protect the UN's role»Vi kommer att fortsätta värna FN:s roll i arbetet för folkrätten och det internationella samarbetet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We will continue to protect the UN's role in working for international law and international cooperation.”

The plan states that military preparedness should aim to be able to conduct international operations and that military operations require self-defence or UN mandate. The counter-proposal's requirement for continued contributions of troops, police and civilian personnel to peace-keeping operations with clear international legal mandate follows directly from these commitments, as does the view of the UN as a central actor for peace. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal.

• requirement for international legal mandatedecisive»En förutsättning är att det sker i självförsvar eller med FN-mandat.« (party programme ↗)“A prerequisite is that it occurs in self-defence or with UN mandate.”
• preparedness for international operations»Vår militära beredskap ska syfta till att kunna genomföra internationella insatser« (party programme ↗)“Our military preparedness should aim to be able to conduct international operations”
• UN central for peace»Miljöpartiet de gröna vill se ett starkt internationellt samarbete med FN som central aktör för fred och mänskliga rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“the Greens wants to see strong international cooperation with the UN as a central actor for peace and human rights.”
• peace-promoting measures»Vi ska satsa på att investera i förebyggande och fredsfrämjande insatser, samt aktörer som arbetar med fredlig konflikthantering.« (party programme ↗)“We should invest in preventive and peace-promoting measures, as well as actors working with peaceful conflict resolution.”

The party programme explicitly states that the Centre Party wants Sweden to assist in international peace operations, preferably in increased scope under direct UN leadership, and that foreign policy ultimately shall safeguard universal freedom and rights. The counter-proposal's requirement for continued contributions with troops, police and civilian staff within the UN, EU, NATO and OSCE with a mandate under international law follows directly from this commitment. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal.

• participate in international peace operationsdecisive»Centerpartiet vill att Sverige ska bistå i internationella fredsinsatser, gärna i ökad utsträckning under direkt FN-ledning.« (party programme ↗)“The Centre Party wants Sweden to assist in international peace operations, preferably in increased scope under direct UN leadership.”
• safeguard human rights globally»Utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiken syftar ytterst till att värna universella mänskliga fri- och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Foreign and security policy ultimately aims to safeguard universal human freedom and rights.”
• peace operations and cooperation»Dagens internationella ekonomiska beroende ökar betydelsen av fredsinsatser, samarbete och dialog.« (party programme ↗)“Today's international economic interdependence increases the importance of peace operations, cooperation and dialogue.”
• global responsibility for peace»Fred, skyddet av mänskliga rättigheter och hållbar utveckling är hela världens ansvar.« (party programme ↗)“Peace, the protection of human rights and sustainable development are the responsibility of the whole world.”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The plan establishes that more civilian and military peace operations are needed and that more Swedes should be made available for operations under the UN's, EU's or NATO's auspices. That is exactly what the counter-proposal wants to establish. The plan's value-driven foreign policy points in the same direction; the requirement for an international legal mandate is addressed more indirectly.

• Swedish participation in peace operationsdecisive»svenskar bör ställas till förfogande för internationella insatser i FN:s, EU:s eller Natos regi.« (party programme ↗)“Swedes should be made available for international operations under the UN's, EU's or NATO's auspices.”
• need for crisis management capability»Det finns ett stort behov av internationella kris- och konflikthanteringsförmågor.« (party programme ↗)“There is a great need for international crisis and conflict management capabilities.”
• value-driven foreign policy»Därför vill vi att Sverige gör mycket mer, både som enskilt land och inom internationella samarbeten, för fri- och rättigheter, frihandel, fria val och samarbete i den fria världen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore we want Sweden to do much more, both as a single nation and within international cooperation, for freedom and rights, free trade, free choice and cooperation in the free world.”
• increased national defense capability»Sveriges nationella försvarsförmåga måste öka.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's national defense capability must increase.”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The party programme explicitly states that Sweden should be able to participate following a decision in the UN Security Council or on the basis of internationally law-compliant criteria, even outside Europe, and that Sweden should, to the extent of its capability, be involved in solving security problems. This is precisely the counter-proposal's requirement for continued support within the UN, EU, NATO, and OSCE with clear international law mandate. The plan also states an obligation to stand up for disadvantaged fellow humans when states fail.

• participation with international law mandatedecisive»Dessutom bör Sverige kunna delta, efter beslut i FN:s säkerhetsråd eller utifrån folkrättsligt godtagbara kriterier, även utanför Europa.« (party programme ↗)“Furthermore, Sweden should be able to participate, following a decision in the UN Security Council or on the basis of internationally law-compliant criteria, even outside Europe.”
• global peace engagement to the extent of capability»i att lösa säkerhetsproblem i Europa och närområdet, och efter förmåga även i övriga delar av världen« (party programme ↗)“in solving security problems in Europe and our nearby area, and to the extent of its capability also in other parts of the world”
• international law as condition»för all sådan samverkan är att folkrätten och de mänskliga fri- och rättigheterna respekteras« (party programme ↗)“for all such cooperation is that international law and human rights and freedoms are respected”
• duty to protect vulnerable»människors säkerhet, eller systematiskt bryter mot mänskliga rättigheter finns det en förpliktelse att ställa upp för utsatta medmänniskor« (party programme ↗)“people's security, or systematically violates human rights there is an obligation to stand up for disadvantaged fellow humans”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The plan's emphasis is on territorial defense, the surrounding region and NATO membership: defense should be strengthened to defend the country and assert territorial integrity, and Sweden should be a security producer in its surrounding region. No commitment to continuous contributions of troops, police and civilian personnel to operations within the UN, EU and OSCE exists; the plan instead wants to see a reformed UN. The counter-proposal's demand therefore does not receive support.

• national defense firstdecisive»Försvaret måste stärkas för att vi bättre ska kunna försvara vårt land, hävda vår territoriella integritet och värna svenska intressen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Defense must be strengthened so that we can better defend our country, assert our territorial integrity and protect Swedish interests.”
• the region prioritized»Sverige ska som medlem i Nato vara en säkerhetsproducent i vårt närområde och även få ut mesta möjliga effekt av medlemskapet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden as a NATO member should be a security producer in our surrounding region and also get the maximum possible benefit from membership.”
• reformed UN»Verka för ett reformerat FN« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for a reformed UN”

The plan establishes that defence should be equipped for war and that total defence should be restored, and the only expanded task that is pointed out is to assist the police in domestic operations. A commitment to continuous contributions of troops, police and civilian personnel to peacekeeping and peace-enforcement operations within the UN, EU, NATO and OSCE lacks support in the plan and ties up resources away from national capability. In foreign policy, the plan states that Swedish interests should be protected.

• defence equipped for wardecisive»Försvaret ska vara rustat för krig.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Defence should be equipped for war.”
• defence supports police»Öka kapaciteten och behörigheten för försvaret att bistå polisen i insatser, bevakning och ordningsuppdrag« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase the capacity and authority for defence to assist the police in operations, surveillance and order assignments”
• national capability first»Sverigedemokraterna vill återupprätta totalförsvaret och att Sverige ska ha förmåga att möta potentiella angripare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to restore total defence and for Sweden to have the capability to meet potential attackers.”
• Swedish interests first»Värna svenska intressen i internationella sammanhang« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect Swedish interests in international contexts”