Democracy issues and disarmament within NATO

The party programme demands a ban on nuclear weapons on Swedish soil, works towards a world completely free of nuclear weapons and establishes that Sweden should be free from foreign military bases on its own territory. The counter-proposal's demands for no permanent NATO bases, no increased nuclear proliferation and mutual disarmament are thus the same as what the plan requires. The requirement for unconditional respect for international law is also found in the plan.

• nuclear weapons-free Swedish soildecisive»Vi vill se ett förbud mot kärnvapen på svensk mark och arbetar för en« (party programme ↗)“We want to see a ban on nuclear weapons on Swedish soil and work towards a”
• no foreign bases»militärbaser på eget territorium.« (party programme ↗)“military bases on its own territory.”
• mutual disarmament»Världen behöver gå mot fred, nedrustning« (party programme ↗)“The world needs to move towards peace, disarmament”
• respect for international law»Folkrätten behöver försvaras och« (party programme ↗)“International law needs to be defended and”

The plan gives disarmament and non-proliferation an independent and prominent place: Sweden shall once again take a leading role for détente and non-proliferation and work for a world free from nuclear weapons. The counter-proposal's requirements for mutual nuclear disarmament, no permanent bases and unconditional respect for international law lie in line with this. The requirement for own authority over the defence's design also supports the stance on bases.

• leading role for non-proliferationdecisive»I kampen mot massförstörelsevapen ska Sverige åter ta en« (party programme ↗)“In the struggle against weapons of mass destruction Sweden shall once again take a”
• nuclear-free world»Vi fördömer allt hot om användning av kärnvapen och fortsätter verka för det enda rimliga slutmålet: en värld fri från kärnvapen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We condemn all threats to use nuclear weapons and continue to work for the only realistic goal: a world free from nuclear weapons.”
• military disarmament»Militär nedrustning är en fundamental uppgift för det internationella samarbetet.« (party programme ↗)“Military disarmament is a fundamental task for international cooperation.”
• national authority over defence»Den ger oss rätten att utforma storlek och inriktning på vårt försvar,« (party programme ↗)“It gives us the right to shape the size and direction of our defence,”

The election manifesto explicitly requires a law prohibiting nuclear weapons on Swedish territory and that Sweden ratifies the nuclear weapons prohibition treaty, which is exactly what the counter-proposal wants to secure: that membership does not contribute to nuclear weapons proliferation. The party programme also states that leasing Swedish territory to NATO shall cease, which supports the requirement not to allow permanent NATO bases. The demand for unconditional respect for international law directly responds to the party putting international law at the centre.

• nuclear weapon-free Swedish territorydecisive»införa en lag som förbjuder kärnvapen på svensk mark.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“introduce a law that prohibits nuclear weapons on Swedish territory.”
• no foreign military on Swedish territory»Uthyrningen av svensk mark till NATO och andra utländska militärstyrkor för krigsövningar ska också upphöra.« (party programme ↗)“The leasing of Swedish territory to NATO and other foreign military forces for military exercises shall also cease.”
• nuclear weapons prohibition and disarmament»ratificera konventionen om kärnvapenförbud och arbeta för ett totalförbud mot att använda autonoma vapensystem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“ratify the nuclear weapons prohibition treaty and work for a total ban on the use of autonomous weapons systems.”
• international law at the centre»Miljöpartiet de gröna sätter folkrätten och de mänskliga rättigheterna i centrum.« (party programme ↗)“The Greens put international law and human rights at the centre.”

The election manifesto commits to arming military defence quickly and powerfully, to invest two per cent of GDP and to complete NATO entry, and the party programme rejects assuming disarmament and demilitarization. To establish a ban on permanent bases and condition membership limits this commitment. The plan's rule-of-law and rights-based foreign policy pulls partially in the opposite direction, but the rearmament and NATO commitment weighs most.

• powerful rearmamentdecisive»Sverige ska försvaras. Vi vill rusta det militära försvaret snabbt, kraftfullt och långsiktigt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden should be defended. We want to arm military defence quickly, powerfully and long-term.”
• full NATO membership»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.”
• no naive demilitarization»Vi kan inte förutsätta att avspänning och demilitarisering ska prägla vår värld.« (party programme ↗)“We cannot assume that disarmament and demilitarization should characterize our world.”
• law and rights»Utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiken syftar ytterst till att värna universella mänskliga fri- och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Foreign and security policy ultimately aims to protect universal human freedoms and rights.”

The election manifesto states that Sweden within NATO shall particularly contribute the infrastructure needed for strategic depth in the defence of Finland and the Baltics, which is difficult to reconcile with a ban on permanent NATO bases on Swedish territory. The plan consistently builds on security being created through alliances and membership to be carried out without reservation. Nuclear disarmament is not addressed, but the reservations the counter-proposal demands go against the plan's line on full and solidary NATO participation.

• Swedish infrastructure within NATOdecisive»Sverige ska inom Nato särskilt kunna bidra med den infrastruktur som behövs för att skapa ett nödvändigt och strategiskt djup för försvaret av Finland och Baltikum.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall within NATO particularly be able to contribute the infrastructure needed to create a necessary and strategic depth for the defence of Finland and the Baltics.”
• full NATO membership»Vi har arbetat för ett svenskt Natomedlemskap i årtionden och tänker inte låta rödgröna Natomotståndare stoppa ett svenskt medlemskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We have worked for Swedish NATO membership for decades and do not intend to let red-green NATO opponents stop Swedish membership.”
• security through alliances»I dag skapas trygghet i allianser, inte i allianslöshet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Today security is created through alliances, not through non-alignment.”
• increased defence capacity»Sveriges nationella försvarsförmåga måste öka.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's national defence capacity must increase.”

The party programme makes open and close cooperation with NATO a natural part of Swedish security policy and bases security on cooperation with other countries and a deterrent defense capacity. The counter-proposal's requirement for bans on permanent NATO bases and limitations of the nuclear weapon coupling would restrict precisely that cooperation the plan is built on. That international law must be respected is however a self-evident prerequisite in the plan, but it does not bear the requirement in itself.

• close NATO cooperationdecisive»med NATO bör, givet nämnda kriterier, vara en naturlig del av svensk säkerhetspolitik.« (party programme ↗)“with NATO should, given mentioned criteria, be a natural part of Swedish security policy.”
• security through cooperation»Sveriges säkerhetspolitik ska präglas av samarbete, förutseende och helhetslösningar« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's security policy must be characterized by cooperation, foresight and comprehensive solutions”
• deterrent defense capacity»kan verka krigsavhållande vid säkerhetspolitiska kriser« (party programme ↗)“can act as a deterrent in security policy crises”
• meet broadened threats»möta angrepp från internationell kriminalitet, terrorism, cyberkrigföring, biologiska vapen, kemiska vapen« (party programme ↗)“meet attacks from international crime, terrorism, cyber warfare, biological weapons, chemical weapons”

The plan binds Sweden to a full membership with high ambition level and makes deterrence the goal of defense: defense shall be war-preventing. Reservations against permanent bases and a line conditioning membership on nuclear disarmament do not exist in the plan, which instead emphasizes strength against authoritarian states. The counter-proposal's demand is therefore rejected.

• full membershipdecisive»Vi ska vara en fullvärdig medlem i Nato« (party programme ↗)“We shall be a full member of NATO”
• war-preventing deterrence»Målet är att det svenska försvaret ska vara krigsavhållande och avskräcka en eventuell motståndare från att angripa Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The goal is that Swedish defense shall be war-preventing and deter a potential adversary from attacking Sweden.”
• high ambition in NATO»Moderaterna vill sätta en hög ambitionsnivå för Sverige som blivande Natomedlem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Moderates want to set a high ambition level for Sweden as becoming NATO member.”
• strength against authoritarian states»Stora auktoritära länder ska inte kunna spela ut enskilda små västerländska demokratier mot varandra.« (party programme ↗)“Large authoritarian countries should not be able to play individual small Western democracies against each other.”

The plan binds Sweden to a war-deterring defensive capability and long-term funding of at least two per cent of GDP, and to a hard line against Russia through clear sanctions. Requirements to reject permanent bases and drive mutual nuclear disarmament have no support in the plan and limit the deterrence the plan seeks. The plan speaks clearly for democracy and human freedom and rights, which only partially meets the counter-proposal.

• war-deterring capabilitydecisive»Målet är en krigsavhållande försvarsförmåga med kapacitet att möta främmande aggressioner, men som också kan bistå samhället i kris eller oro.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The goal is a war-deterring defensive capability with capacity to meet foreign aggression, but which can also assist society in crisis or unrest.”
• two per cent of GDP»Sverigedemokraterna vill säkerställa långsiktig finansiering av försvaret om minst två procent av BNP inom en tioårsperiod.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“the Sweden Democrats want to secure long-term defence funding of at least two per cent of GDP over a ten-year period.”
• hard line against Russia»Sverige bör verka för tydliga sanktioner mot Turkiet, Belarus, Ryssland och andra länder med en negativ utveckling.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden should work for clear sanctions against Turkey, Belarus, Russia and other countries with negative developments.”
• voice for democracy»Vara en tydlig röst för den västerländska demokratimodellen och mänskliga fri- och rättigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Be a clear voice for the Western democratic model and human freedom and rights”