2026-05-202025/26:SoU25 · p.2SoUHealth & social services
Skills supply
Ensuring the supply of assistant nurses in elder care
What's at stake: The decision affects how elder-care homes in smaller municipalities, where the shortage of assistant nurses is already severe, can meet the requirement of a fixed assistant-nurse contact, and thus staff working conditions and older people's access to continuous care.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the Riksdag should reject a motion calling on the government to return with further measures to secure the supply of assistant nurses, in light of the requirement that the fixed care contact in residential elder care must be an assistant nurse, or approve the demand for new measures.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that the Äldreomsorgslyftet (elder-care skills initiative) has enabled over 7,000 employees to train as assistant nurses or specialist assistant nurses during 2023, shares the government's view that a higher share of assistant nurses strengthens elder care and improves the work environment, and therefore considers that the motion for further competence-supply measures should be rejected.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (S, V)
The reservation (S, V) points to an acute and long-standing shortage of assistant nurses in smaller municipalities and wants the government to return with a proposal ensuring that more people train as assistant nurses, through a strengthened Äldreomsorgslyftet, better working conditions and other measures, since otherwise the requirement of an assistant nurse as fixed care contact risks being hard to meet.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by S, V.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have gone the other way
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: CCenterpartiet, KDKristdemokraterna, MPMiljöpartiet
Ja 218–131Nej 157–192
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/21/0/0 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | No 0/106/0/0 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| MP | No | Yes 18/0/0/0 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 24/0/0/0 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 16/0/0/0 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 19/0/0/0 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| M | No | Yes 66/0/0/0 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | No | Yes 70/0/0/0 | differs | confidence: high | derived |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects motion 2025/26:3860 by Nadja Awad et al. (V) proposal 1.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2025/26:3860 av Nadja Awad m.fl. (V) yrkande 1.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag agreed to the government's proposal which means that those living in special accommodation for the elderly shall be offered a fixed care contact. The person designated as fixed care contact shall be a nursing assistant. Through the elderly care initiative over 7,000 employees have been further trained as nursing assistants and specialist nurses in 2023. The committee shares the government's assessment that more nursing assistants are necessary to provide the elderly with coherent, continuous and individually adapted care. The government's proposal also means that the social board shall offer a support contact to those who care for or support a close relative. This means the individual can receive guidance to, or information about, healthcare, or about diagnoses. The committee shares the government's view that cooperation between the individual, the social board and other actors thereby becomes clearer. Furthermore, the responsibility of the social board, healthcare provider and healthcare personnel to support children when a parent or other adult in the household becomes seriously ill or unexpectedly dies is clarified. The same responsibility shall apply if a child's sibling becomes seriously ill. The legislative changes enter into force on July 1, 2026.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to return with a proposal ensuring more people train as nurse assistants through strengthened initiatives and improved working conditions. (S, V) — Reservation 1
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The election manifesto wants to invest more resources in elderly care and in staff precisely to eliminate staff shortages and strengthen conditions and working environment.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to invest more resources in elderly care and in staff precisely to eliminate staff shortages and strengthen conditions and working environment. The party programme places greater social responsibility for working conditions and wages in the female-dominated welfare professions. The counter-proposal's demands for reinforced skills development and better working conditions are exactly that commitment. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill satsa mer resurser på äldreomsorgen och på personalen just för att få bort personalbristen och stärka villkor och arbetsmiljö. Partiprogrammet lägger ett större samhällsansvar för arbetsvillkor och löner i de kvinnodominerade välfärdsyrkena. Motförslagets krav på förstärkt kompetenslyft och bättre arbetsvillkor är precis det åtagandet. Planen stöder därför motförslaget.
- invest in care staffdecisive»Därför vill Vänsterpartiet satsa mer resurser på hälso- och sjukvården och äldreomsorgen, samt satsa på personalen så att vi samtidigt får bort personalbristen och stärker personalens villkor och arbetsmiljö.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore the Left Party wants to invest more resources in healthcare and elderly care, and invest in staff so that we at the same time eliminate staff shortages and strengthen staff conditions and working environment.”
- responsibility for welfare working conditions»Vi vill att samhället tar ett större ansvar för att arbetsplatserna i« (party programme ↗)“We want society to take greater responsibility for workplaces in”
- higher quality in elderly care»Vi vill investera i högre kvalitet i omsorgen för äldre och personer med« (party programme ↗)“We want to invest in higher quality in care for elderly and people with”
- care even in smaller municipalities»Äldreomsorg, förskola, skola och matbutik behöver finnas på fler mindre orter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Elderly care, pre-school, school and grocery stores need to exist in more small places.”
The plan explicitly promises that more shall be trained and employed in elderly care and that investment in training during working hours shall continue.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly promises that more shall be trained and employed in elderly care and that investment in training during working hours shall continue. The counter-proposal's requirement for enhanced skills development and better working conditions to secure nursing assistants as fixed care contacts is thus the same commitment. The plan also places responsibility for skills supply in healthcare and care with the state.
Original (Swedish)
Planen lovar uttryckligen att fler ska utbildas och anställas inom äldreomsorgen och att satsningen på utbildning på arbetstid ska fortsätta. Motförslagets krav på ett förstärkt kompetenslyft och bättre arbetsvillkor för att säkra undersköterskor som fast omsorgskontakt är därmed samma åtagande. Planen lägger också ansvaret för kompetensförsörjningen i vård och omsorg på staten.
- more staff in elderly caredecisive»Fler ska utbildas och anställas inom äldreomsorgen och tillsynen av personalens arbetsmiljö ska förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More shall be trained and employed in elderly care and oversight of staff working conditions shall be improved.”
- training during working hours»Vi vill fortsätta satsningen på att anställda inom äldreomsorgen ska kunna utbildas på arbetstid.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to continue the investment in employees in elderly care being able to be trained during working hours.”
- assured skills supply»God kompetensförsörjning inom skola, vård och omsorg.« (party programme ↗)“Good skills supply in education, healthcare and care.”
- better working conditions in care»Goda förutsättningar och villkor för anställda i vård och omsorg.« (party programme ↗)“Good conditions and terms for employees in healthcare and care.”
The plan commits to raising wages and securing a good working environment in healthcare and improving care for the elderly, and asserts that elderly care should be needs-driven and publicly financed with sufficient staff density.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits to raising wages and securing a good working environment in healthcare and improving care for the elderly, and asserts that elderly care should be needs-driven and publicly financed with sufficient staff density. The shortage of nursing aides in smaller municipalities is precisely what continued skills development and better working conditions should address. The counter-proposal's requirement for additional measures therefore follows directly from the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig att höja lönerna och säkra en god arbetsmiljö i vården samt att förbättra vård och omsorg för äldre, och slår fast att äldreomsorgen ska vara behovsstyrd och offentligt finansierad med tillräcklig personaltäthet. Bristen på undersköterskor i mindre kommuner är precis det som ett fortsatt kompetenslyft och bättre arbetsvillkor ska åtgärda. Motförslagets krav på ytterligare åtgärder följer därför direkt av planen.
- better conditions in healthcaredecisive»höja lönerna och säkra en god arbetsmiljö i vården.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“raise wages and secure a good working environment in healthcare.”
- needs-driven elderly care»Äldreomsorgen ska vara behovsstyrd och offentligt finansierad.« (party programme ↗)“Elderly care shall be needs-driven and publicly financed.”
- strengthened elderly care»förbättra vård och omsorg för äldre och stärka resurserna till hemsjukvården.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“improve care for the elderly and strengthen resources for home care.”
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 requires that all nursing assistants and nurses have the right to skills development and that working conditions in care and services improve, which is precisely what the counter-proposal demands.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires that all nursing assistants and nurses have the right to skills development and that working conditions in care and services improve, which is precisely what the counter-proposal demands. The plan also requires equivalent and reliable welfare regardless of where one lives, which addresses shortfalls in smaller municipalities. Additional measures for competence supply thus align with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen att alla undersköterskor och sjuksköterskor ska få rätt till kompetensutveckling och att arbetsvillkoren inom vård och omsorg förbättras, vilket är precis vad motförslaget efterfrågar. Planen kräver dessutom en likvärdig och pålitlig välfärd oavsett var man bor, vilket träffar bristen i mindre kommuner. Ytterligare åtgärder för kompetensförsörjning ligger därmed i linje med planen.
- right to skills developmentdecisive»Den som jobbar i vård och omsorg ska kunna växa och vidareutvecklas i sitt yrke. Vi vill ge alla undersköterskor och sjuksköterskor rätt till kompetensutveckling.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Those working in care and services shall be able to grow and develop in their profession. We want to give all nursing assistants and nurses the right to skills development.”
- better working conditions in care»Vi vill uppvärdera statusen för kvinnodominerande yrken och förbättra arbetsvillkoren inom offentlig sektor, bland annat genom karriärtjänster och rätt till kompetensutveckling.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to upgrade the status of female-dominated professions and improve working conditions in the public sector, including through career positions and the right to skills development.”
- equivalent welfare across the country»Alla invånare ska ha tillgång till en likvärdig och pålitlig välfärd oavsett var de bor, och den offentliga servicen ska finnas där när man behöver den.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“All residents shall have access to equivalent and reliable welfare regardless of where they live, and public services shall be available where needed.”
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 requires that those who work in healthcare and elderly care meet good working conditions, more colleagues and good wage development, and that shortage occupations become dream jobs.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that those who work in healthcare and elderly care meet good working conditions, more colleagues and good wage development, and that shortage occupations become dream jobs. The counter-proposal's demands for reinforced competence development and better working conditions to manage the care assistant shortage is precisely this. The plan also wants to strengthen national steering of elderly care quality, which addresses differences between smaller and larger municipalities.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att de som arbetar i vård och omsorg möts av goda arbetsvillkor, fler kollegor och bra löneutveckling, och att bristyrken ska bli drömjobb. Motförslagets krav på ett förstärkt kompetenslyft och bättre arbetsvillkor för att klara undersköterskebristen är just detta. Planen vill dessutom stärka den nationella styrningen av äldreomsorgens kvalitet, vilket träffar skillnaderna mellan mindre och större kommuner.
- better working conditions in healthcaredecisive»För att klara det måste de som arbetar inom vården mötas av goda arbetsvillkor, fler kollegor och bra löneutveckling. Bristyrken ska bli drömjobb.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To manage this, those who work in healthcare must meet good working conditions, more colleagues and good wage development. Shortage occupations shall become dream jobs.”
- more colleagues in healthcare»Anställda i svensk hälso- och sjukvård måste få bättre arbetsvillkor och fler kollegor.« (party programme ↗)“Employees in Swedish healthcare must receive better working conditions and more colleagues.”
- strengthened steering of elderly care»Den nationella styrningen av äldreomsorgens kvalitet behöver stärkas.« (party programme ↗)“National steering of elderly care quality needs to be strengthened.”
- adult education for competence development»Den som saknar fullständig grundskole- eller gymnasieutbildning ska ha rätt att när som helst komplettera sina kunskaper genom vuxenutbildning.« (party programme ↗)“Those who lack complete primary or upper secondary education shall have the right to supplement their knowledge at any time through adult education.”
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 promises to ensure continuous competence development for staff within home care and elderly care facilities, improved conditions for staff and increased medical expertise in elderly care.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly promises to ensure continuous competence development for staff within home care and elderly care facilities, improved conditions for staff and increased medical expertise in elderly care. The counter-proposal's demand for a strengthened competence initiative and better working conditions to meet the requirement of nursing assistant as a fixed care contact is precisely these commitments. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet lovar uttryckligen att säkerställa kontinuerlig kompetensutveckling för personal inom hemtjänst och äldreboenden, förbättrade villkor för personalen och ökad medicinsk kompetens i äldreomsorgen. Motförslagets krav på ett förstärkt kompetenslyft och bättre arbetsvillkor för att klara kravet på undersköterska som fast omsorgskontakt är precis dessa åtaganden. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- continuous competence developmentdecisive»Säkerställ att personal inom hemtjänst och äldreboenden har möjlighet till kontinuerlig kompetensutveckling.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ensure that staff within home care and elderly care facilities have the opportunity for continuous competence development.”
- better conditions in elderly care»Förbättrade villkor för personalen i äldreomsorgen - bort med delade turer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Improved conditions for staff in elderly care - away with split shifts.”
- increased medical expertise»Ökad medicinsk kompetens inom äldreomsorgen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increased medical expertise within elderly care.”
- well-developed elderly care»Denna samhälleliga skyldighet innebär att äldreomsorgen måste vara väl utbyggd med hemtjänst och hemsjukvård, olika former av dagverksamhet samt ett varierat utbud av boendeformer.« (party programme ↗)“This societal obligation means that elderly care must be well developed with home care and home healthcare, various forms of day activities as well as a varied range of housing forms.”
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 establishes that medical competence and continuity must be strengthened in elderly care and promises to strengthen care workers through better working conditions and opportunities for further training.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that medical competence and continuity must be strengthened in elderly care and promises to strengthen care workers through better working conditions and opportunities for further training. The counter-proposal's requirement for a reinforced competence initiative and better working conditions to meet the requirement for a care assistant as a fixed care contact is the same thing in substance. The plan also wants to reduce split shifts, which is a concrete working conditions commitment.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att den medicinska kompetensen och kontinuiteten måste stärkas inom äldreomsorgen och lovar att stärka vårdens medarbetare genom bättre arbetsmiljö och möjligheter till vidareutbildning. Motförslagets krav på ett förstärkt kompetenslyft och bättre arbetsvillkor för att klara kravet på undersköterska som fast omsorgskontakt är samma sak i sak. Planen vill dessutom minska delade turer, vilket är ett konkret arbetsvillkorsåtagande.
- competence and working conditions in caredecisive»Stärka vårdens medarbetare, bland annat genom att förbättra arbetsmiljön och möjligheterna till vidareutbildning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen care workers, among other things by improving working conditions and opportunities for further training”
- strengthened competence in elderly care»Den medicinska kompetensen och kontinuiteten måste stärkas inom äldreomsorgen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Medical competence and continuity must be strengthened in elderly care.”
- better working conditions in care»Minska förekomsten av delade turer i offentlig vård och omsorg« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce the occurrence of split shifts in public care and elderly services”
- quality requirements for care staff»Införa språkkrav för personal inom vård och äldreomsorg« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce language requirements for staff in healthcare and elderly care”
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 commits to improving status and working conditions in female-dominated professions, strengthening status through career paths and wage development and phasing out split shifts in care and elderly care, while high staffing levels are a prerequisite for elderly care.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits to improving status and working conditions in female-dominated professions, strengthening status through career paths and wage development and phasing out split shifts in care and elderly care, while high staffing levels are a prerequisite for elderly care. The counter-proposal's demand for a strengthened skills boost and better working conditions for assistant nurses follows from these commitments. The shortage in smaller municipalities also aligns with the plan's requirement for good care throughout the country.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig att förbättra status och arbetsvillkor i kvinnodominerade yrken, att stärka statusen genom karriärvägar och löneutveckling och att slopa delade turer inom vård och omsorg, samtidigt som hög personaltäthet är en grundförutsättning för äldreomsorgen. Motförslagets krav på ett förstärkt kompetenslyft och bättre arbetsvillkor för undersköterskor följer av dessa åtaganden. Bristen i mindre kommuner rimmar också med planens krav på god omsorg i hela landet.
- better conditions in care professionsdecisive»Förbättra status, arbetsvillkor samt öka företagshälsovård i kvinnodominerade yrken« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Improve status, working conditions and increase occupational health services in female-dominated professions”
- career paths and wage development»Vidare behöver statusen i dessa yrkesgrupper stärkas, exempelvis genom karriärvägar och förbättrad löneutveckling.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Furthermore, status in these professional groups needs to be strengthened, for example through career paths and improved wage development.”
- better working hours»Delade turer ska slopas och skiftarbete, främst inom vår vård och omsorg, behöver ses över.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Split shifts shall be phased out and shift work, primarily within our care and elderly care, needs to be reviewed.”
- high staffing levels»grundförutsättning för att detta skall vara möjligt är en hög personaltäthet« (party programme ↗)“prerequisite for this to be possible is high staffing levels”
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.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:SoU25)
- Committee report full text (HD01SoU25)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:3860 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:60 Stärkta insatser för äldre och för de som vårdar eller stöder närstående av Nadja Awad m.fl. (V)
- Proposition 2025/26:60 — Stärkta insatser för äldre och för de som vårdar eller stöder närstående
Source: The Swedish Parliament