Predator management

The plan demands protection of biological diversity and conscious work for rich ecosystems, with environmental goals followed up by strict legislation. It also states that policy should be based on solid research rather than arbitrary ideas. The counter-proposal's demands that licensed hunting ceases, that research determines population sizes and that preventive work is strengthened follow from these commitments.

• protect biological diversitydecisive»Vi måste lösa klimatkrisen och skydda den biologiska mångfalden – omställningen går alldeles för sakta.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We must solve the climate crisis and protect biological diversity — the transition is moving far too slowly.”
• research determines»behöver bygga på stabil forskning och« (party programme ↗)“need to be based on solid research and”
• ambitious environmental goals»miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och praktiskt arbete.« (party programme ↗)“environmental goals followed up with sharp legislation and practical work.”
• conditions for rich ecosystems»Sverige behöver också ett medvetet och heltäckande arbete med att« (party programme ↗)“Sweden also needs conscious and comprehensive work to”

The plan does not take a position on licensed hunting of wolves or on how the size of large predator populations shall be determined. The closest commitments combine protection of biological diversity with vibrant food production and countryside policy for prosperity throughout the country. To completely abolish licensed hunting goes further than what these commitments bear, which is why the closest principle argues against the counter-proposal's requirement.

• vibrant food productiondecisive»Livskraftig svensk livsmedelsproduktion som stärker landets självförsörjningsförmåga.« (party programme ↗)“Vibrant Swedish food production that strengthens the country's self-sufficiency.”
• countryside prosperity»Landsbygdspolitik för utveckling och välstånd i hela landet.« (party programme ↗)“Countryside policy for development and prosperity throughout the country.”
• protection of biological diversity»Värn av biologisk mångfald och Sveriges värdefulla natur och vattenmiljöer.« (party programme ↗)“Protection of biological diversity and Sweden's valuable nature and water environments.”

The party programme explicitly states that Sweden shall have viable populations of, among others, wolves and that poaching shall be actively combated, which is precisely what the counter-proposal requires when hunting licences are to cease and measures against illegal hunting are strengthened. The programme also wants solutions that improve coexistence between people and large carnivores, that is, preventative measures rather than harvesting of the population. That research shall determine conservation status follows from the party's scientific approach.

• viable large carnivore populationsdecisive»Vi ska ha livskraftiga stammar av bland annat varg, lo, björn« (party programme ↗)“We shall have viable populations of, among others, wolves, lynx, bears”
• combat illegal hunting»Sverige ska arbeta aktivt för att bekämpa tjuvjakt och handel« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall actively work to combat poaching and trafficking”
• preventative coexistence solutions»Miljöpartiet arbetar för lösningar som förbättrar samexistensen och« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party works for solutions that improve coexistence and”
• scientific approach»Vetenskapen och det vetenskapliga förhållningssättet till kunskap är ett uttryck för« (party programme ↗)“Science and the scientific approach to knowledge is an expression of”

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 establishes that responsibility for animals and nature shall be combined with active management of predators and strong property rights, and that rural populations shall be able to conduct activities without risking loss of animals and property. Abolishing licensed hunting and letting only protective hunting remain goes against that active management. Preservation of biodiversity is at the same time a commitment, but the plan rejects the counter-proposal's demands.

• active predator managementdecisive»ska kombineras med en aktiv förvaltning av rovdjur och klövvilt« (party programme ↗)“shall be combined with active management of predators and hoofed game”
• protection against predator attacks»möjligheter att leva och bedriva verksamheter utan att riskera förlust av djur och annan egendom« (party programme ↗)“opportunities to live and conduct activities without risking loss of animals and other property”
• property rights foundation for conservation»då frivillighet och äganderätt är grunden för en bättre naturvård« (2022 manifesto ↗)“as voluntarism and property rights are the foundation for better nature conservation”
• preserved biodiversity»Att skydda den biologiska mångfalden är nödvändigt för att ekosystemen ska kunna fortleva.« (party programme ↗)“Protecting biodiversity is necessary for ecosystems to be able to continue.”

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's explicit commitment is that Sweden shall have viable populations of all five large predators, including wolf, and that international cooperation against illegal hunting shall be deepened. That lies closer to the counter-proposal's requirement for scientifically determined populations and strengthened work against illegal hunting than a politically decided sharp reduction. The plan simultaneously emphasises dialogue with local populations, which makes the assessment uncertain.

• viable predator populationsdecisive»Sverige ska ha livskraftiga stammar av alla de fem stora rovdjuren: björn, järv, lo, varg och« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall have viable populations of all five large predators: bear, wolverine, lynx, wolf and”
• against illegal hunting»Det internationella samarbetet mot smuggling och olovlig jakt« (party programme ↗)“International cooperation against smuggling and illegal hunting”
• strengthened nature conservation»Naturvården måste få en renässans.« (party programme ↗)“Nature conservation must have a renaissance.”
• dialogue in predator management»Dialog med lokalbefolkningen i berörda områden är en viktig del av« (party programme ↗)“Dialogue with local populations in affected areas is an important part of”

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 contains an explicit commitment that the Swedish wolf population shall be reduced to 170 individuals, which presupposes continued licensed hunting. The party programme indeed wants viable populations of the four large predators, but they should be managed so that coexistence with other interests is possible and policy is formed in consultation with the rural population. Abolishing licensed hunting and letting research alone determine population sizes goes against this.

• reduced wolf populationdecisive»Den svenska vargstammen ska minskas till 170 individer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Swedish wolf population shall be reduced to 170 individuals.”
• coexistence with other interests»förvaltas så att samexistens med andra intressen är möjlig« (party programme ↗)“managed so that coexistence with other interests is possible”
• local anchorage in predator policy»utformas i samråd med den berörda landsbygdsbefolkningen« (party programme ↗)“formed in consultation with the affected rural population”
• viable predator populations»Det ska finnas livskraftiga stammar av våra fyra stora rovdjur: björn, lo, järv och varg.« (party programme ↗)“There shall be viable populations of our four large predators: bear, lynx, wolverine and wolf.”

The plan explicitly commits to reduce the wolf population to 170 wolves through increased hunting. The counter-proposal's demand that licensed hunting shall cease completely and only protective hunting be allowed is the direct opposite of that commitment. The plan also emphasizes that the person who owns livestock shall not suffer damage from predator attacks and wants to raise compensation levels, not replace hunting with only preventive measures.

• reduced wolf population through huntingdecisive»• Verka för att minska vargstammen i Sverige till 170 vargar – genom ökad jakt« (2022 manifesto ↗)“• Work to reduce the wolf population in Sweden to 170 wolves – through increased hunting”
• protection for livestock»Samtidigt ska du som äger tamboskap inte lida ekonomisk skada på grund av rovdjursangrepp som du inte haft möjlighet att förhindra.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time, you who own livestock shall not suffer economic damage due to predator attacks that you have not been able to prevent.”
• full compensation for attacks»• Höja ersättningsnivåerna för rovdjursangrepp så att de ligger i nivå med de faktiska kostnaderna« (2022 manifesto ↗)“• Raise compensation levels for predator attacks so they are at the level of actual costs”
• protected hunting tradition»• Värna den svenska löshundsjakten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“• Protect Swedish dog hunting”

The plan states that large predator pressure must be kept at reasonable levels throughout the country and that greater local influence should govern predator policy. The counter-proposal's demands that licensed hunting of wolves be completely stopped and that population sizes be determined without political considerations go directly against this. The plan also protects hunting and wants to reduce EU influence over Swedish wildlife management.

• limited predator pressuredecisive»De stora rovdjuren måste förvaltas på ett ansvarsfullt sätt och det sammantagna rovdjurstrycket måste hållas på rimliga nivåer i alla delar av landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Large predators must be managed in a responsible manner and the combined large predator pressure must be kept at reasonable levels in all parts of the country.”
• local influence over predators»Ett större lokalt inflytande bör råda över rovdjurspolitiken.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Greater local influence should govern predator policy.”
• protect hunting»Möjligheten att äga jaktvapen och att ägna sig åt jakt ska värnas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The ability to own hunting weapons and to engage in hunting shall be protected.”
• national wildlife management policy»Sverigedemokraterna vill minska EU:s inflytande över svensk jakt och viltvård.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to reduce EU influence over Swedish hunting and wildlife management.”