Earned income tax credit, tax reduction for sick leave and activity compensation, regional tax reduction, etc.

The plan establishes that ill and unemployed people obviously shall have the same right as working people to have good lives, and attacks the notion that ill people should be pressured by receiving less. It wants to see a humane sickness insurance and an end to people being taken off insurance. Removing the difference in taxation between sickness and activity compensation and work income is therefore precisely the plan's line.

• equal rights for the illdecisive»Barn, sjuka och arbetslösa måste självklart ha samma rätt som arbetande människor att ha goda liv« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Children, ill and unemployed people obviously must have the same right as working people to have good lives”
• rejects punitive logic»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, ill and unemployed people are lazy and if we get less then we are forced to perform better”
• humane sickness insurance»Vänsterpartiet vill se en mänsklig sjukförsäkring och ett slut på utförsäkrandet av sjuka« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party wants to see a humane sickness insurance and an end to people being taken off insurance”
• tax according to capacity»Vänsterpartiet har en skattepolitik som ser till vilka behov som finns och där de med stora kapitaltillgångar eller höga löner får bidra mer till välfärden än de gör idag« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party has a tax policy that addresses what needs exist and where those with large capital assets or high incomes contribute more to welfare than they do today”

The plan wants to continue work on proposals to improve sickness benefits and stands up for the security pension against forces from the right. The party programme's principle is that all earned income and benefits shall be taxed equally, which speaks directly for removing the difference in taxation between sickness and activity benefits and work income. The plan also promises targeted support to those hardest hit by price increases.

• improved sickness benefitsdecisive»arbeta vidare med förslagen om att förbättra sjukersättningen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“continue work on proposals to improve sickness benefits”
• equal taxation of benefits»alla förvärvsinkomster och ersättningar« (party programme ↗)“all earned income and benefits”
• protect the security pension»Vi står upp för trygghetspensionen, som utmanas av krafter från höger« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We stand up for the security pension, which is challenged by forces from the right”
• targeted support for inflation»Stöd till de som drabbas hårdast av prisökningarna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Support for those hardest hit by price increases.”

Worldstate weighed in: Inflation 11.7 percent annual rate — makes a reintroduced tax increase particularly burdensome for those with sickness and activity benefits

The plan wants to raise the minimum level of sickness and activity benefits and that those with fewest resources shall receive lower taxes, while no one shall be forced to work despite illness. That the difference in taxation between sickness and activity benefits and work income is completely eliminated follows from these commitments and from the right to basic economic security. The tax wedge is not mentioned explicitly, so the conclusion is derived.

• raised sickness and activity benefitsdecisive»höja den lägsta nivån i sjuk- och aktivitetsersättningarna« (2022 manifesto ↗)“raise the minimum level of sickness and activity benefits”
• lower taxes for those with least»De med minst resurser ska få mer samhällsservice, lägre skatt och mer stöd i omställningen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Those with fewest resources shall receive more public services, lower taxes and more support in the transition”
• no one shall be forced to work ill»ingen tvingas jobba trots att man är sjuk« (2022 manifesto ↗)“no one is forced to work despite being ill”
• basic economic security»Alla har rätt till grundläggande ekonomisk« (party programme ↗)“Everyone has the right to basic economic”

Worldstate weighed in: Inflation 11.7 per cent year-on-year — makes a tax increase for sickness and activity benefits particularly heavy for those with least margins

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's central commitment is the work ethic: it should pay more to move from allowances to employment, and the plan notes that the step from allowances to employment today does not pay sufficiently. Completely removing the difference in taxation between sick leave and activity compensation and work income eliminates precisely that incentive. The plan wants to reduce taxes for those with low incomes, but not by abolishing the work incentive.

• the work ethic firstdecisive»Vi vill att det ska löna sig mer att gå från bidrag till arbete, och att fler med kortare utbildning och erfarenhet ska ha möjlighet att få enkla jobb.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want it to pay more to move from allowances to employment, and for more people with shorter education and experience to have the opportunity to get simple jobs.”
• greater difference allowances–employment»Det lönar sig inte heller tillräckligt att ta klivet från bidrag till arbete.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It does not pay sufficiently to take the step from allowances to employment.”
• less to allowances»Mer pengar ska läggas på välfärdens kärna, mindre på bidrag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More money shall be invested in the core of welfare, less in allowances.”
• reduced taxes for low incomes»Därför vill vi sänka skatten, särskilt för dem med lägre inkomster och för de viktiga småföretagen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore we want to reduce taxes, especially for those with lower incomes and for the important small companies.”

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's decisive commitment is the work ethic: a new broad earned income tax credit and that it shall always pay to work. Completely removing the difference in taxation between sickness and activity benefits and work income levels that difference which the earned income tax credit is intended to create. The plan therefore does not support the counter-proposal's demands, even though it establishes that social insurance shall provide general security for those who cannot support themselves.

• work ethic via 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.”
• work shall pay»Det ska alltid löna sig att arbeta.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It shall always pay to work.”
• general social insurance»Socialförsäkringarna ska därför vara generella och obligatoriska.« (party programme ↗)“Social insurance shall therefore be general and mandatory.”

The plan does not address taxation of sickness and activity-related benefits, but it promises security compensation for those who have worn out their bodies and reduced taxes for those who have left working life, and that the individual shall retain as much as possible of their own income. That supports removing the extra tax burden. At the same time, the plan maintains that taxation shall benefit work, which makes the basis weak.

• security for worn outdecisive»Inför trygghetsersättning, för dem som har ett fåtal år kvar till pensionen men som slitit ut kroppen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce security compensation for those who have a few years left until retirement but have worn out their bodies.”
• retain own income»Skattesystemet ska vara utformat så att den enskilde i största möjliga utsträckning får behålla sin egen« (party programme ↗)“The tax system shall be designed so that the individual to the greatest possible extent retains his or her own”
• reduced tax outside working life»Sänkt skatt på pension.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduced tax on pension.”
• work shall be favored tax-wise»Beskattningen ska utformas så att arbete gynnas« (party programme ↗)“Taxation shall be designed so that work is favored”

Worldstate weighed in: Inflation 11.7 percent — strengthens the plan's requirement that the individual retains more of his or her income

flags: motstridiga åtaganden i planen

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's central commitment is to lower taxes on work so that effort pays off better and tax and benefit systems should be based on the work line. To completely equalize taxation between sick leave and activity allowance and work income reduces precisely the difference the plan wants to widen, and would also need to fit within the surplus target. The plan therefore argues against the counter-proposal's demands.

• lower taxes on workdecisive»Sänka skatten på arbete så att din ansträngning lönar sig bättre« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower taxes on work so that your effort pays off better”
• the work line governs taxes»Skatter och bidragssystem ska utgå från arbetslinjen.« (party programme ↗)“Taxes and benefit systems shall be based on the work line.”
• work should always pay»De samlade bidragen ska aldrig bli så höga att det inte lönar sig att jobba.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The total benefits should never become so high that it does not pay to work.”
• financed reforms»behöver finansieras eller rymmas inom överskottsmålet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“need to be financed or fit within the surplus target”

The plan commits to increased support for those who due to illness or disability have not been able to work to full capacity, and requires a safe and legally certain sickness insurance with adequate living standards even for those with limitations. Taxing sick and activity benefits more heavily than work income points in the opposite direction. The requirement to remove the difference is therefore supported, even though the plan simultaneously wants work to be profitable.

• support for sick and people with disabilitiesdecisive»Samtidigt behövs ett ökat stöd till de mest utsatta, som på grund av sjukdom eller funktionsnedsättning inte har kunnat arbeta i full utsträckning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Meanwhile, increased support is needed for the most vulnerable, who due to illness or disability have not been able to work to their full extent.”
• adequate living standard with disability»Alla medborgare ska ha rätt till ett gott liv och en fullgod levnadsstandard, även om man är född med eller råkar ut för något som gjort att man har fysiska eller kognitiva begränsningar eller variationer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“All citizens should have the right to a good life and adequate living standards, even if born with or experiencing something that has meant physical or cognitive limitations or variations.”
• safe sickness insurance»Verka för en trygg och rättssäker sjukförsäkring« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for a safe and legally certain sickness insurance”
• work shall be profitable»Göra det mer lönsamt att arbeta« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Make work more profitable”

Worldstate weighed in: Inflation 11.7 per cent — erodes low benefits and sharpens the plan's commitment to support for the most vulnerable

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.