Civil society organizations

The election manifesto undertakes to protect the position of study associations and invest in adult education, and the party programme wants to strengthen folk high schools as a particular part of the education system. A consultation requirement without funding does not address the cuts the plan points out. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's requirement for clarification on increased funding to civil society.

• protect study associationsdecisive»Därför behöver vi också värna studieförbundens ställning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore we also need to protect the position of study associations.”
• invest in adult education»Därför är det särskilt viktigt att satsa på och utveckla folkbiblioteken, folkbildningen och public services oberoende ställning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore it is particularly important to invest in and develop public libraries, adult education and public services' independent position.”
• strengthen folk high schools»Folkhögskolorna har en särskild roll i det svenska« (party programme ↗)“Folk high schools have a particular role in the Swedish”
• role of civil movements»Det är tillsammans med folkrörelser som Vänsterpartiet driver fram förändringar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is together with civil movements that the Left Party drives forward change.”

The plan commits to supporting public education and wants to see vibrant social movements and associational life that holds society together. A consultation obligation without financing gives civil society a role but not the ability to fulfill it, which is why the counter-proposal's demand for statements about increased financing follows from the plan's commitment. The plan does not explicitly address regions' consultation obligation.

• support for public educationdecisive»Stöd till folkbildning och värnande av folkhögskolorna.« (party programme ↗)“Support for public education and protection of folk high schools.”
• vibrant social movements»Livskraftiga folkrörelser för att hålla ihop samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Vibrant social movements to hold society together.”
• strong associational life»Livskraftigt föreningsliv som särskilt stöttar barn och unga.« (party programme ↗)“Vibrant associational life that especially supports children and young people.”
• public education strengthens democracy»Folkbildning ger stark demokrati och möjligheter till personlig utveckling vid sidan av den formella utbildningen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Public education provides strong democracy and opportunities for personal development alongside formal education.”

The plan stipulates that civil society shall receive support from the public and that support and conditions must be long-term and clear, and that financial support to study circles and folk high schools shall be secured. A duty to consult without financing does not fulfil that commitment. The counter-proposal's demand for notice of increased financing therefore aligns with the plan.

• long-term support for civil societydecisive»Stöd och villkor för civilsamhället måste vara långsiktiga och tydliga.« (party programme ↗)“Support and conditions for civil society must be long-term and clear.”
• secured support for public education»att det ekonomiska stödet till landets folkhögskolor och studieförbund säkerställs.« (party programme ↗)“that financial support to the country's folk high schools and study circles is secured.”
• civil society as social force»Föreningslivet är en bärande samhällskraft.« (party programme ↗)“Civil society is a pillar of social life.”

The plan states that civil society's role is invaluable, that popular education is of very great importance and that organizations doing this work shall have the long-term financing they need. The party programme explicitly says that politics can support civil society by financing its infrastructure. The counter-proposal's requirement for news of increased financing therefore aligns with the plan; the connection to just regional development is however derived.

• finance civil society's infrastructuredecisive»Politiken kan stödja civilsamhället genom att involvera det i fler processer, finansiera dess infrastruktur och« (party programme ↗)“Politics can support civil society by involving it in more processes, financing its infrastructure and”
• long-term financing of organizations»Organisationer som jobbar med flickor och pojkar, förövare och utsatta, ska ha den långsiktiga finansiering de behöver.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Organizations that work with girls and boys, perpetrators and those affected, shall have the long-term financing they need.”
• independent popular education»En fristående folkbildning har mycket stor betydelse i tider då demokratiska värden ifrågasätts.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“An independent popular education is of very great importance at times when democratic values are questioned.”
• civil society's role»Civilsamhällets roll för att binda samman människor och förbättra integrationen är ovärderlig.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Civil society's role in bringing people together and improving integration is invaluable.”

The plan explicitly wants to continue improving civil society's financing, among other things through long-term government grants, and states that civil society is a prerequisite for democracy. The counter-proposal's requirement for information about increased financing for civil society's participation in regional development is directly in line with that commitment. The plan also points to study circles as important educational forms.

• improved financing of civil societydecisive»Vi vill fortsätta förbättra civilsamhällets finansiering genom både bredare skatteavdrag för gåvor och långsiktiga statsbidrag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to continue improving civil society's financing through both broader tax deductions for donations and long-term government grants.”
• civil society underpins democracy»Samhället byggs underifrån – civilsamhället är inte ett komplement till utan en förutsättning för demokratin.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Society is built from below—civil society is not a complement to but a prerequisite for democracy.”
• good conditions for civil society»Politiken ska bidra till att det civila samhället ges goda förutsättningar.« (party programme ↗)“Policy shall contribute to civil society being given good conditions.”
• study circles are important»Såväl folkhögskolan som studieförbunden är viktiga utbildningsformer som breddar människors möjligheter att lära nytt hela livet.« (party programme ↗)“Both folk high schools and study circles are important educational forms that broaden people's opportunities to learn something new throughout life.”

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 requires the state and municipalities to promote engagement in associations and popular movements and establishes that study associations must be given opportunities to develop. The counter-proposal's requirement for confirmation of increased financing for civil society's participation in regional development is in line with this. The plan does not, however, specify financing as the only path, but also raises other forms of support.

• promote the voluntary sectordecisive»Därför måste stat och kommun främja det engagemang som finns i föreningar och folkrörelser, i religiösa samfund och i andra sociala rörelser.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore the state and municipalities must promote the engagement that exists in associations and popular movements, in religious congregations and in other social movements.”
• safeguard study associations»Folkhögskolorna och studieförbunden representerar en egen och mycket värdefull utbildningstradition som måste ges frihet och möjligheter att utvecklas på egna villkor.« (party programme ↗)“Folk high schools and study associations represent their own and very valuable educational tradition that must be given freedom and opportunities to develop on their own terms.”
• voluntary before commercial»Ideell verksamhet ska prioriteras framför kommersiella intressen vid utformningen av statens och kommunernas fritidspolitik.« (party programme ↗)“Voluntary activity shall be prioritised above commercial interests in the design of the state's and municipalities' leisure policy.”
• tax-exempt donations»Gåvor till ideella organisationer bör vara skattebefriade.« (party programme ↗)“Donations to voluntary organisations should be tax-exempt.”

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 state spending to decrease and politics to prioritise its core tasks over new commitments, with the warning that a large state makes for a weaker society. Increased state funding of civil society organisations in regional development is such an expanded commitment. The plan therefore argues against the counter-proposal's demand for a statement on increased funding.

• prioritise core tasksdecisive»Politiken har en viktig uppgift att prioritera och välja bort,« (party programme ↗)“Politics has an important task to prioritise and choose not to,”
• reduced state spending»Statens utgifter ska minska – vi ska stoppa slöseriet med skattepengar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“State spending shall decrease – we shall stop wasting tax money”
• limited state commitment»En stor stat leder till ett svagare samhälle.« (party programme ↗)“A large state leads to a weaker society.”

The plan requires clear results for every public investment, wants to scale back unnecessary public spending, and reduce public economic control of the culture sector. A general statement about increased financing for civil society organizations without a link to results falls outside this, which is why the counter-proposal's demands are rejected. The idea that the state and municipalities should promote and support the volunteer sector points somewhat in another direction.

• results before more moneydecisive»Begära tydliga resultat för varje offentlig satsning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Demand clear results for every public investment”
• eliminate unnecessary spending»Skala bort onödiga utgifter i det offentliga« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Scale back unnecessary public spending”
• less public control»Minska det offentligas ekonomiska kontroll över samtidskulturen och mediesfären« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce public economic control over contemporary culture and the media sphere”
• support for the volunteer sector»att lyfta fram och stödja den ideella sektorn« (party programme ↗)“to promote and support the volunteer sector”