Guidelines for economic and budget policy

The plan's decisive commitment is to redistribute from the rich to the poor and to finance strengthened welfare through harder taxation of capital and the financial sector, not by households bearing the price increases. The counter-proposal's reliefs targeted to low and middle-income earners, extra child benefits and reinforced maintenance support plus more for healthcare respond to the plan's redistribution policy, and the bank tax to its demands on the financial sector. The fuel discount stands in some tension with the climate commitment, but the plan emphasizes at the same time that sustainable alternatives are lacking in rural areas.

• redistribution from rich to poordecisive»det kräver en annan politik och att vi omfördelar resurserna från rika till fattiga människor« (2022 manifesto ↗)“it requires different politics and that we redistribute resources from the rich to poor people”
• harder tax on banks»Vi vill beskatta finanssektorn« (party programme ↗)“We want to tax the financial sector”
• more resources to healthcare»Därför vill Vänsterpartiet satsa mer resurser på hälso- och sjukvården och äldreomsorgen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore the Left Party wants to invest more resources in healthcare and elderly care”
• rejects stricter work drivers»Högerns idé är att invandrade, sjuka och arbetslösa är lata och om vi får det sämre så tvingas vi prestera bättre.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The right's idea is that immigrants, sick people and the unemployed are lazy and if we get worse off we will be forced to perform better.”

Worldstate weighed in: Inflation 6.5 per cent and falling real wages — Sharpens the plan's demands for support to low-income households instead of the state abstaining from compensation; Policy rate 4.0 per cent gives large bank profits — Makes the plan's commitment to harder taxation of the financial sector directly applicable

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 promises targeted and smart support to those hit hardest by price increases and that the party is ready to strengthen the finances of Sweden's child families. The counter-proposal's extra child benefit, reinforced maintenance support and tax reduction targeted at low and middle-income earners directly answer this commitment and the party programme's requirement for progressive taxes according to ability to pay. To abolish the disability tax is consistent with the commitment to improve sickness benefit, and a temporary tax on banks' excess profits follows the same logic as the preparedness tax for the very richest.

• targeted support for the hardest hitdecisive»Stöd till de som drabbas hårdast av prisökningarna. Med riktade och smarta stöd kan vi stötta människor utan att driva på inflationen. Vi är beredda att stärka ekonomin för Sveriges barnfamiljer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Support for those hit hardest by price increases. With targeted and smart support we can support people without driving up inflation. We are ready to strengthen the finances of Sweden's child families.”
• progressive taxation according to ability to pay»Skatterna ska vara progressiva och tas ut efter bärkraft« (party programme ↗)“Taxes shall be progressive and levied according to ability to pay”
• improved sickness benefit»Vi ska säkra rätten till personlig assistans och arbeta vidare med förslagen om att förbättra sjukersättningen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall secure the right to personal assistance and continue work on proposals to improve sickness benefit.”
• targeted tax on the richest»Vi vill införa en beredskapsskatt för de allra rikaste.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to introduce a preparedness tax for the very richest.”

The plan's decisive commitment is that those with the least resources shall receive lower tax and more support while those with the most money contribute more, which supports the counter-proposal's graduated tax cut for low and middle-income earners, extra child allowance, strengthened maintenance support and financing through a tax on banks' excess profits. Eliminating the so-called disability tax aligns with the requirement for increased levels in sickness and activity benefits. The plan also shares the committee's view on targeted support, but wants to go further than an increased housing allowance. The fuel rebate, however, conflicts with the commitment to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, which reduces certainty.

• lower tax for low-income earnersdecisive»att de med mest pengar, som också orsakar större utsläpp, ska bidra mer till omställningen och välfärden genom en progressiv beskattning av kapital. De med minst resurser ska få mer samhällsservice, lägre skatt och mer stöd i omställningen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that those with the most money, who also cause greater emissions, shall contribute more to the transition and welfare through progressive taxation of capital. Those with the least resources shall receive more public services, lower tax and more support in the transition.”
• raised sickness and activity benefits»höja den lägsta nivån i sjuk- och aktivitetsersättningarna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“raise the lowest level in sickness and activity benefits.”
• targeted support for families with children»höja bostadsbidraget för barnfamiljer och bostadstillägget för pensionärer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“raise housing allowances for families with children and housing supplements for pensioners.”
• no fossil fuel subsidies»fasa ut fossila subventioner.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“phase out fossil fuel subsidies.”

Worldstate weighed in: Inflation 6.5 per cent per annum — The real wage decline makes the plan's commitment to support for those with the least margins acute and justifies temporary targeted relief.; Policy rate 4.0 per cent — Raised housing costs reinforce the reasons for strengthened housing and family support in the plan.

flags: motforslagets tankrabatt strider mot planens utfasning av fossila subventioner

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 states that the overall tax burden should be reduced and that the party will not participate in tax increases that damage jobs or personal savings, while the counter-proposal finances its reliefs with a temporary tax on banks' excess profits. The plan also prioritizes the core of welfare over allowances and a valued work ethic, which speaks against extra child allowances and enhanced maintenance support as general transfers. While the plan shares the desire for lower taxes for those with lower incomes and lower costs on reflection, this does not outweigh the package's tax increases and benefit increases.

• no harmful tax increasesdecisive»Det totala skattetrycket måste ner nästa mandatperiod. Vi kommer inte att medverka till några skattehöjningar som skadar jobben, det egna sparandet eller gör det dyrare att bo.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The overall tax burden must be reduced during the next term. We will not participate in any tax increases that damage jobs, personal savings or make housing more expensive.”
• core of welfare over allowances»Politiken ska hushålla med skattebetalarnas pengar. Mer pengar ska läggas på välfärdens kärna, mindre på bidrag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Policy shall be economical with taxpayers' money. More money shall be invested in the core of welfare, less in allowances.”
• no to arbitrary taxation»Brott mot äganderätten, med konfiskatoriska och godtyckliga beskattningar och ingrepp, underminerar förtroendet och långsiktigheten i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Violations of property rights, through confiscatory and arbitrary taxation and intervention, undermine confidence and long-term thinking in society.”
• protected work ethic»Arbetslinjen måste värnas, och den som kan jobba ska inte leva på skattebetalarnas pengar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The work ethic must be protected, and those who can work shall not live on taxpayers' money.”

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's line is a broad earned income tax credit and lower marginal taxes for all, not a tax cut that phases out at high incomes, and criticism of new tax increases on work, enterprise and savings. A temporary tax on banks' excess profits and a fuel discount are contrary to the commitments on real climate taxes and the principle that the polluter pays. Even extra child benefit conflicts with the plan's benefit cap and work ethic.

• broad earned income tax creditdecisive»För att stärka arbetslinjen och hushållens ekonomi i ett oroligt ekonomiskt läge vill vi skyndsamt genomföra ett nytt brett jobbskatteavdrag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To strengthen the work ethic and households' finances in an uncertain economic situation, we want to quickly implement a new broad earned income tax credit.”
• no to new tax increases»Högre skatter på att jobba, högre skatter på att erbjuda ett arbete och högre skatter på att spara.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Higher taxes on work, higher taxes on offering employment and higher taxes on saving.”
• real climate taxes, not rebates»Därför är vi för riktiga klimatskatter i stället för att göra klimatpolitiken till en tävling i högst bidrag och flest symbolskatter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore we are in favour of real climate taxes instead of making climate policy into a competition for the highest subsidies and most symbolic taxes.”
• benefit cap and work ethic»Därför vill vi modernisera bidragssystemet genom ett bidragstak – de samlade bidragen ska inte kunna vara högre än de lägsta kollektivavtalade lönerna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore we want to modernize the benefit system through a benefit cap – the combined benefits shall not be able to exceed the lowest collectively bargained wages.”

Worldstate weighed in: Inflation 6.5 percent and policy rate 4.0 percent — The plan's demand to counter inflationary pressure speaks against broad unfunded reliefs; Unemployment 7.9 percent — Reinforces the plan's prioritization of incentives to work ahead of increased benefits

The counter-proposal finances broad benefit increases with a temporary tax on banks' excess profits, which goes against the plan's requirement for taxation according to ability to pay and equal treatment, competitive capital taxes and long-term rules. The plan also requires restraint in public expenditure. The fact that the counter-proposal wishes to lower fuel costs coincides with the plan, but does not carry the whole.

• equal treatment in taxationdecisive»skatt efter bärkraft och likabehandling« (party programme ↗)“taxation according to ability to pay and equal treatment”
• competitive capital taxes»Kapitalskatterna måste därför vara konkurrenskraftiga.« (party programme ↗)“Capital taxes must therefore be competitive.”
• expenditure restraint»återhållsamhet i de offentliga utgifterna.« (party programme ↗)“restraint in public expenditure.”
• lower fuel prices»Sänk bensin- och dieselpriserna rejält för alla, främst genom minskad inblandningen av dyrt biobränsle.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower petrol and diesel prices significantly for everyone, mainly by reducing the addition of expensive biofuel.”

The counter-proposal is based on increased benefits and a new temporary tax on banks to finance the reliefs, whilst the plan promises a tax increase freeze and a major benefits reform where combined benefits shall never become so high that it does not pay to work. The plan also requires that new reforms are financed within the surplus target. The counter-proposal's direction thereby contradicts the plan's work-line and tax commitments.

• no new taxesdecisive»Införa ett skattehöjarstopp under den kommande mandatperioden som innebär att de samlade skatterna inte höjs« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce a tax increase freeze during the coming term of office that means the combined taxes are not raised”
• work-line before benefits»De samlade bidragen ska aldrig bli så höga att det inte lönar sig att jobba.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Combined benefits shall never become so high that it does not pay to work.”
• benefits reform, not increased benefits»Genomföra en stor bidragsreform för att bryta utanförskapet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Carry out a major benefits reform to break exclusion”
• financed reforms»Alla nya löften och reformer – som till exempel våra inkomstskattesänkningar – behöver finansieras eller rymmas inom överskottsmålet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“All new promises and reforms – such as our income tax cuts – need to be financed or fit within the surplus target.”

The counter-proposal is based on extra child benefits, strengthened maintenance support and a temporary tax on banks' excessive profits. The plan wants instead to convert benefits to tax reduction for working parents, make it more profitable to work and keep taxes at a level that does not hinder companies. Even though the plan shares the desire for lower fuel prices, the package's benefits and tax increase line is opposite to the plan's.

• deduction before benefitsdecisive»Omvandla flerbarnstillägget till ett skattereducerande flerbarnsavdrag för arbetande föräldrar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Convert the multi-child allowance into a tax-reducing multi-child deduction for working parents”
• work line»Göra det lönsamt att arbeta och bidra till samhället« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Make it profitable to work and contribute to society”
• competitive company taxes»Ha skatter på en nivå som inte hämmar svenska företag i den internationella konkurrensen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Have taxes at a level that does not hinder Swedish companies in international competition”
• tax must not dampen incentives»undanröjer incitamenten för att vilja bidra till den ekonomiska tillväxten« (party programme ↗)“removes the incentives to want to contribute to economic growth”

Worldstate weighed in: Inflation 6.5 per cent and policy rate 4.0 per cent — presses households and makes targeted relief urgent, but according to the plan motivates lower taxes on work and fuel rather than new benefits and new taxes; Business Tendency Survey 86.6 (below normal level) — sharpens the plan's requirement that taxes must not hinder companies' competitiveness