Social security contributions

The plan affirms that tax levels need to increase again to meet the great societal challenges and points to tax cuts that have been carried out as the reason welfare has been hollowed out. Halving employer contributions for an entire sector is a general tax cut that hollows out the financing of social insurance and welfare. The plan certainly wants to strengthen food self-sufficiency, but not with reduced contributions as the tool.

• increased tax levelsdecisive»För att ta tag i de stora samhällsutmaningarna kommer skattenivåerna« (party programme ↗)“To tackle the great societal challenges, tax levels will”
• tax cuts hollow out welfare»De massiva skattesänkningar som genomförts av högerpartier och socialdemokrater under många år har resulterat i att det nu finns 350 miljarder mindre per år till välfärden än 1990.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The massive tax cuts implemented by right-wing parties and social democrats for many years have resulted in there now being 350 billion less per year for welfare than in 1990.”
• reforms before tax cuts»Vänsterpartiet tycker att det är viktigare med en arbetstidsförkortning som kommer alla till del än sänkta skatter för ett fåtal.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party believes that it is more important with a shortened working week that benefits everyone than tax cuts for a few.”
• food self-sufficiency as state responsibility»Staten har ett särskilt ansvar att se till« (party programme ↗)“The state has a special responsibility to ensure”

The plan prioritizes increased welfare funding over major tax cuts and wants a tax system with broad tax bases and taxation according to ability to pay. Halving employer contributions for a single sector erodes the tax base and is exactly the type of sectoral subsidy the plan views as ineffective. The plan's employment strategy is instead based on competence and high-productivity sectors.

• welfare before tax cutsdecisive»En avgörande fråga i höstens val är om vi ska fortsätta öka resurserna till välfärden, eller om stora skattesänkningar ska gå före.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A decisive question in the autumn election is whether we shall continue increasing resources to welfare, or whether major tax cuts should take priority.”
• broad tax bases»Robust, hållbart och rättvist skattesystem med breda skattebaser som ger ökat utrymme« (party programme ↗)“Robust, sustainable and fair tax system with broad tax bases that provide increased scope”
• taxation according to ability»Progressiv och utjämnande beskattning efter bärkraft.« (party programme ↗)“Progressive and equalizing taxation according to ability to pay.”
• high-productivity jobs»Satsning på kompetens och utbildning för jobb i högproduktiva sektorer.« (party programme ↗)“Investment in competence and education for jobs in high-productivity sectors.”

The plan wants to strengthen agriculture, but the support should be targeted: public resources should support farmers in the green transition and agriculture is valued for its environmental benefits. A general halving of employer contributions for the entire agriculture and food sector is unconditional, benefits even the large-scale production the plan wants to break up, and erodes the funding of welfare. Therefore the plan rejects the demand in substance.

• targeted support for green transitiondecisive»Offentliga resurser ska stödja bönder i den gröna omställningen och stärka jordbrukets klimatresiliens.« (party programme ↗)“Public resources shall support farmers in the green transition and strengthen agriculture's climate resilience.”
• support conditional on environmental benefit»ge mer stöd till lantbruket för omställning till ekologisk odling, återskapande av naturbetesmarker och andra miljöinsatser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“provide more support to agriculture for transition to organic cultivation, restoration of natural grazing lands and other environmental measures.”
• break up large-scale agriculture»Den ensidiga utvecklingen mot storskalighet måste brytas.« (party programme ↗)“The one-sided development towards large-scale operations must be stopped.”
• taxes fund welfare»Vårt skattesystem ska verka för att utjämna de ekonomiska klyftorna och säkra en långsiktigt hållbar finansiering av välfärden.« (party programme ↗)“Our tax system shall act to reduce economic inequality and secure long-term sustainable funding of welfare.”

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 explicitly demands tax cuts for agriculture to increase food production and food security, and that employer contributions should be reduced. The party programme states that Swedish agriculture's competitiveness should be strengthened both within the EU and against the rest of the world. The counter-proposal's halved employer contributions for the agricultural and food sector are a direct application of these commitments.

• tax cuts for agriculturedecisive»Sverige behöver ett ännu mer konkurrenskraftigt jordbruk. En långsiktigt hållbar livsmedelsförsörjning med ökad försörjningstrygghet och ökad matproduktion kräver regelförenklingar och skattesänkningar, inklusive ett kraftfullt jordbruksavdrag och en biodrivmedelspremie som gör det hållbara lantbruket mer lönsamt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden needs an even more competitive agriculture. Long-term sustainable food supply with increased food security and increased food production requires regulatory simplifications and tax cuts, including a powerful agricultural deduction and a biofuel premium that makes sustainable agriculture more profitable.”
• reduced employer contributions»Arbetsgivaravgiften behöver sänkas, i ett första skede för ett företags första anställda, för människor som står långt från arbetsmarknaden liksom de som har låga inkomster.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Employer contributions need to be reduced, in a first stage for a company's first employee, for people who are far from the labor market as well as those with low incomes.”
• strengthened competitiveness for agriculture»Det svenska lantbrukets konkurrenskraft, både inom EU och gentemot övriga världen, ska förstärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Swedish agriculture's competitiveness, both within the EU and against the rest of the world, must be strengthened.”
• increased food production»Matproduktionen måste öka, på kort och lång sikt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Food production must increase, in the short and long term.”

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 wants to phase out sector-specific support to agriculture and builds business policy on general measures and a simple, transparent tax system. A halving of employer contributions for only the agriculture and food sector is the opposite: a targeted special solution for one industry. The plan certainly wants to lower employer contributions, but broadly for small businesses and young people.

• phased out sector support for agriculturedecisive»Samtliga direktstöd och marknadsstörande regleringar ska fasas ut så snart som möjligt« (party programme ↗)“All direct support and market-distorting regulations must be phased out as soon as possible”
• general measures over targeted support»Viktigast är generella åtgärder för att förbättra företagsklimatet och infrastrukturen, samt en fungerande offentlig service.« (party programme ↗)“Most important are general measures to improve the business climate and infrastructure, plus a functioning public service.”
• simple and unified tax system»Skattepolitiken ska gynna de välståndsbildande krafterna, vara så enkel och transparent som möjligt och främja ett hållbart klimat och en god miljö.« (party programme ↗)“Tax policy must favor the wealth-creating forces, be as simple and transparent as possible and promote a sustainable climate and good environment.”
• broad lowered employer contributions»Därför vill vi att det ska bli enklare och billigare att anställa genom att arbetsgivaravgifterna sänks för både småföretagare och för dem som vill anställa unga.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore we want it to become simpler and cheaper to employ by lowering employer contributions for both small businesses and for those who want to employ young people.”

The election manifesto explicitly promises rule changes and cost reductions for Swedish agriculture to increase self-sufficiency and strengthen competitiveness, and lifts agriculture as a prioritized area. The party programme requires that these industries be given equal competitive conditions compared to other countries. Halved employer contributions for the agricultural and food sector are such a cost reduction and are therefore supported by the plan.

• cost reductions for agriculturedecisive»Regeländringar och kostnadslättnader för svenskt lantbruk för att öka Sveriges självförsörjning och stärka lantbrukets konkurrenskraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Rule changes and cost reductions for Swedish agriculture to increase Sweden's self-sufficiency and strengthen agriculture's competitiveness.”
• equal competitive conditions»dessa näringar ges likvärdiga konkurrensvillkor gentemot andra länder.« (party programme ↗)“these industries are given equal competitive conditions compared to other countries.”
• agriculture is prioritised»Vi prioriterar lantbruket, det som sällan syns i media men som producerar vår mat.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We prioritise agriculture, the sector that is rarely seen in media but that produces our food.”
• food production as a basic industry»Produktionen av livsmedel är en basnäring som måste vårdas och« (party programme ↗)“The production of food is a basic industry that must be cared for and”

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 explicitly promises to improve conditions for running farming by lowering taxes and reducing bureaucracy, and to strengthen agriculture for increased domestic food production. Halved employer contributions for the agricultural and food sector is a direct application of that commitment. The plan also links self-sufficiency to the new security situation.

• lowered taxes for farmingdecisive»Moderaterna vill förbättra förutsättningarna att driva lantbruk genom att sänka skatterna, vilket vi redan börjat göra på drivmedel, och minska regelkrånglet så att kostnaderna för administration går ner.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Moderate Party wants to improve conditions for running farming by lowering taxes, which we have already started doing on fuel, and reduce bureaucracy so that administrative costs go down.”
• increased food production»Stärka jordbruket för att öka den inhemska produktionen av livsmedel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen agriculture to increase domestic food production”
• lowered fees in food chain»Sänka slakteriavgifterna« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower slaughterhouse fees”
• increased self-sufficiency»Det nya säkerhetsläget i Europa gör att vi som land måste minska vår sårbarhet och öka vår självförsörjningsgrad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The new security situation in Europe means that we as a nation must reduce our vulnerability and increase our self-sufficiency.”

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 explicitly requires lowered taxes and charges for agriculture, including general payroll tax, to increase competitiveness and food self-sufficiency. The counter-proposal's requirement for halved employer contributions for the agricultural and food sector is the same commitment. The plan also generally wants to lower employer contributions for smaller businesses.

• lowered charges for agriculturedecisive»Sänka skatten på diesel för jord- och skogsbruket och den allmänna löneavgiften« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower the tax on diesel for agriculture and forestry and the general payroll tax”
• lower taxes and charges in farming»Sverigedemokraterna vill sänka skatter och avgifter samt höja den nationella finansieringen inom stödsystemet till jordbruket.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to lower taxes and charges and raise national funding within the support system for agriculture.”
• self-sufficiency and competitiveness»Öka det svenska jordbrukets konkurrenskraft och Sveriges självförsörjning av livsmedel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase Swedish agriculture's competitiveness and Sweden's self-sufficiency of food”
• lowered employer contributions»Sänka arbetsgivaravgiften och sjuklönekostnaderna för småföretag« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower employer contributions and sick-leave costs for small businesses”

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.