The Arctic and certain questions about climate and demilitarization

The party programme establishes that the party opposes militarisation and arms races and that the world needs to move towards peace and disarmament. The election manifesto states that Sweden should be a voice for peace, not for increased militarisation. An initiative for a convention that demilitarises the Arctic is therefore precisely what the plan demands, as opposed to an expanded military presence in the region.

• against militarisationdecisive»Vi vänder oss emot militarisering och kapprustning.« (party programme ↗)“We oppose militarisation and arms races.”
• Sweden as voice for peace»Vänsterpartiet anser att Sverige ska vara en röst för fred och rättvisa, inte för ökad militarisering.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party believes Sweden should be a voice for peace and justice, not for increased militarisation.”
• disarmament»Världen behöver gå mot fred, nedrustning« (party programme ↗)“The world needs to move towards peace, disarmament”
• exit from NATO»med sikte på att lämna Nato.« (party programme ↗)“with a view to leaving NATO.”

The election manifesto's security policy line is NATO membership, defense spending at two percent of GDP and enhanced military presence throughout the country. An initiative for a convention on demilitarization of the Arctic goes in the opposite direction from that build-up in the neighborhood. The party programme's disarmament goals speak somewhat to the other side, but the election manifesto is the fresher and more binding expression.

• increased defense spendingdecisive»Anslagen till det militära försvaret ska öka till motsvarande två procent av BNP.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Appropriations for military defense shall increase to the equivalent of two percent of GDP.”
• NATO membership»Sverige ska gå med i Nato. Ett svenskt medlemskap i Nato är den bästa vägen för vårt lands säkerhet och Sverige har därför lämnat in sin medlemsansökan.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall join NATO. Swedish membership in NATO is the best path for our country's security and Sweden has therefore submitted its membership application.”
• military presence throughout the country»Vi vill att ökningen ska omsättas i bland annat fler värnpliktiga, modern materiel samt förstärkt militär närvaro över hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want the increase to be implemented partly through more conscripts, modern equipment and enhanced military presence throughout the country.”
• disarmament as a long-term goal»Militär nedrustning är en fundamental uppgift för det internationella samarbetet.« (party programme ↗)“Military disarmament is a fundamental task for international cooperation.”

The party programme commits that Sweden shall actively participate in international cooperation on disarmament, non-violence agreements and demilitarized zones, and that Sweden shall take initiatives for international disarmament. A convention that demilitarizes the Arctic is precisely such a zone. The plan furthermore places human security before territorial security, which strengthens support for the counter-proposal.

• demilitarized zonesdecisive»demilitariserade zoner« (party programme ↗)“demilitarized zones”
• initiatives for disarmament»Sverige ska ta initiativ till internationell nedrustning och bör gå före och nedrusta« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall take initiatives for international disarmament and should lead and disarm”
• human security before territorial»Vi vill se en politik som sätter mänsklig säkerhet« (party programme ↗)“We want to see a policy that places human security”
• disarmament treaties»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”

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 we cannot assume that relaxation and demilitarization shall characterize our world and that Sweden must be able to defend its own territory. The election manifesto sharpens this to that defence shall be strengthened quickly and powerfully to two per cent of GDP and that Sweden shall join NATO. A Swedish initiative for a convention on demilitarization of the Arctic goes directly against these commitments.

• no assumed demilitarizationdecisive»Vi kan inte förutsätta att avspänning och demilitarisering ska prägla vår värld.« (party programme ↗)“We cannot assume that relaxation and demilitarization shall characterize our world.”
• strengthen defence and join NATO»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 strengthen the military defence quickly, powerfully and long-term. Sweden needs to invest two per cent of GDP in defence as soon as practically possible and join NATO.”
• defend own territory»Sverige måste därför kunna försvara sitt eget territorium.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden must therefore be able to defend its own territory.”
• raised defence capability»Kommande mandatperiod kommer på många sätt att präglas av att föra Sverige in i Nato och höja vår försvarsförmåga« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The coming term of office will in many ways be characterized by bringing Sweden into NATO and raising our defence capability”

The plan is based on security being created through alliances and that Sweden needs a significantly stronger military defence, with particular Swedish contributions to the defence of Finland and the Baltics. An initiative for a convention that demilitarizes the Arctic goes directly against that line. The counter-proposal's requirements are thus rejected.

• stronger military defencedecisive»Sverige behöver ett betydligt starkare militärt försvar än i dag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden needs a significantly stronger military defence than today.”
• security through alliances»I dag skapas trygghet i allianser, inte i allianslöshet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Today security is created through alliances, not through non-alignment.”
• Swedish strategic depth in the north»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 be able to contribute the infrastructure needed to create necessary and strategic depth for the defence of Finland and the Baltics.”
• increased defence capability»Sveriges nationella försvarsförmåga måste öka.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's national defence capability must increase.”

The party programme requires defence with such strength and preparedness that it can serve as a war deterrent during security policy crises in the surrounding region, and that territorial integrity and border protection are safeguarded. Close cooperation with NATO shall be a natural part of security policy. A convention on demilitarization of the Arctic goes against these commitments.

• war-deterrent defence capabilitydecisive»kan verka krigsavhållande vid säkerhetspolitiska kriser« (party programme ↗)“can serve as a war deterrent during security policy crises”
• safeguard territorial integrity»Det sker i regel bäst genom att värna territoriell integritet och utöva gränsskydd« (party programme ↗)“This is best achieved by safeguarding territorial integrity and exercising border protection”
• close NATO cooperation»vara en naturlig del av svensk säkerhetspolitik.« (party programme ↗)“be a natural part of Swedish security policy.”

The plan bases security on a strong, war-deterrent defence, defence spending at two per cent of GDP and deepened cooperation in northern Europe within NATO. A convention that demilitarizes the Arctic runs counter to that line and would restrict precisely the military presence the plan wants to build up in the north. The Arctic is not explicitly mentioned, but the conclusion follows directly from the defence commitments.

• raised defence spendingdecisive»Verka för att försvarsanslagen uppgår till motsvarande 2 procent av BNP redan år 2025« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for defence spending to amount to the equivalent of 2 per cent of GDP by 2025”
• war-deterrent defence»Målet är att det svenska försvaret ska vara krigsavhållande och avskräcka en eventuell motståndare från att angripa Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The goal is for Swedish defence to be war-deterrent and deter any potential opponent from attacking Sweden.”
• deepened cooperation in the north»Verka för ett fördjupat samarbete i norra Europa« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for deepened cooperation in northern Europe”
• strong national defence»Sverige ska ha ett starkt försvar och förmåga att freda våra« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall have strong defence and the capacity to protect our”

The plan's Arctic policy is aimed at preventing Russian and Chinese advances, not at demilitarizing the region. It states that the deteriorated security situation requires increased Nordic coordination and preparedness and wants to deepen Nordic defence cooperation. A convention on demilitarization of the Arctic goes directly against these commitments.

• Arctic policy against Russian advancesdecisive»En tydlig Arktispolitik ska tas fram som hindrar ryska och kinesiska framflyttningar och bejakar svenska ekonomiska intressen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A clear Arctic policy should be developed that prevents Russian and Chinese advances and affirms Swedish economic interests.”
• tightened security situation»Det försämrade säkerhetspolitiska läget i vårt närområde kräver ökad nordisk samordning och beredskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The deteriorated security situation in our region requires increased Nordic coordination and preparedness.”
• Nordic defence cooperation»Fördjupa det nordiska försvars- och säkerhetssamarbetet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Deepen Nordic defence and security cooperation”
• armament in the region»Rusta Sverige inför en ny säkerhetspolitisk situation i vårt närområde« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Arm Sweden for a new security situation in our region”