Application of the regulations

The plan explicitly demands a ban on arms exports to states that wage wars of aggression and to regimes that commit human rights violations, which is precisely what the counter-proposal demands regarding states accused of violations of the genocide convention. The plan also states that international law must be defended and that the world needs to move toward fewer weapons. The committee's reasons—that human rights and the recipient state's democratic status are already central conditions—concern the same criteria, but the plan demands that they actually take effect.

• ban on export for human rights violationsdecisive»förbjuda vapenexport till diktaturer, stater som för angreppskrig och« (party programme ↗)“ban arms exports to dictatorships, states that wage wars of aggression and”
• defend international law»Folkrätten behöver försvaras och« (party programme ↗)“International law needs to be defended and”
• disarmament and fewer weapons»Världen behöver gå mot fred, nedrustning« (party programme ↗)“The world needs to move toward peace, disarmament”
• voice for peace and justice»Vänsterpartiet anser att Sverige ska vara en röst för fred och rättvisa, inte för ökad militarisering.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party believes that Sweden should be a voice for peace and justice, not for increased militarization.”

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 commitment that there shall be no impunity for genocide and war crimes, and about defending international law, bears the position. Not exporting war materiel to states that do not live up to the genocide convention follows from Sweden standing up for international law in all circumstances. The plan values Swedish exports and defence industry, but not at the expense of international law commitments.

• no impunity for genocidedecisive»Ingen straffrihet för folkmord, krigsförbrytelser och brott mot mänskligheten.« (party programme ↗)“No impunity for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
• international law as foundation»Försvar för folkrätten och en regelbaserad världsordning.« (party programme ↗)“Defence for international law and a rules-based world order.”
• international law tradition»Vi har en lång historia av att stå upp för folkrätten, solidaritet, nedrustning, demokrati och jämställdhet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We have a long history of standing up for international law, solidarity, disarmament, democracy and equality.”
• UN Charter's prohibition on force»Våldsförbudet i FN-stadgan respekteras i världspolitiken.« (party programme ↗)“The prohibition on force in the UN Charter is respected in world politics.”

The plan explicitly states that Sweden shall not export weapons to countries where serious violations of human rights occur and that Sweden shall follow the genocide convention and protect populations subjected to genocide and war crimes. The counter-proposal's requirement that weapons exports shall not occur to states that violate the genocide convention is the same commitment in substance.

• no export with human rights violationsdecisive»Sverige ska inte exportera vapen till diktaturer eller länder där allvarliga kränkningar av mänskliga rättigheter förekommer.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall not export weapons to dictatorships or countries where serious violations of human rights occur.”
• follow the genocide convention»Sverige ska följa den folkmordskonvention som Sverige ratificerat samt skydda befolkningar som i sina länder utsätts för folkmord, krigsbrott, etnisk rensning och brott mot mänskligheten.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall follow the genocide convention that Sweden has ratified and protect populations in their countries subjected to genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.”
• exports must not undermine peace work»Den svenska vapenindustrin, importen och exporten av vapen, får aldrig urholka arbetet för fred, demokratisering och mänskliga rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“The Swedish weapons industry, the import and export of weapons, must never undermine the work for peace, democratization and human rights.”
• act against genocide»Omvärldens oförmåga att ingripa mot Israels folkmord i Gaza har allvarligt skadat förtroendet för arbetet för mänskliga rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“The world's inability to intervene against Israel's genocide in Gaza has seriously damaged confidence in the work for human rights.”

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 binds foreign policy to universal human rights and freedoms and explicitly requires that ethical considerations be taken in trade and that stricter requirements be placed in trade agreements. Not exporting war material to states that violate the genocide convention follows directly from that principle. The plan gives no support for economic export interests to outweigh international law.

• human rights guide foreign policydecisive»Utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiken syftar ytterst till att värna universella mänskliga fri- och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Foreign and security policy ultimately aims to protect universal human rights and freedoms.”
• ethical consideration in trade»Hänsyn måste tas till etiska och miljömässiga perspektiv.« (party programme ↗)“Ethical and environmental perspectives must be taken into account.”
• stricter requirements in trade agreements»Ställ hårdare krav på arbetsvillkor, miljö och klimat i handelsavtal.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Set stricter requirements for working conditions, environment and climate in trade agreements.”
• shared responsibility for international law»Fred, skyddet av mänskliga rättigheter och hållbar utveckling är hela världens ansvar.« (party programme ↗)“Peace, protection of human rights and sustainable development are the responsibility of the whole world.”

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 clearest commitment in this area is that Sweden shall not export weapons to dictatorships and that business relations with undemocratic regimes shall be conditional. Not supplying materiel to a state considered to be in breach of the Genocide Convention follows from the same principle, reinforced by the plan wanting to strengthen the International Criminal Court's role in prosecuting crimes against human rights. However, the plan does not mention the Genocide Convention as an export criterion.

• no weapons export to dictatorshipsdecisive»Sverige ska inte exportera vapen till diktaturer.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall not export weapons to dictatorships.”
• accountability for violations of international law»Internationella brottmålsdomstolens roll för att lagföra brott mot mänskliga rättigheter ska stärkas.« (party programme ↗)“The International Criminal Court's role in prosecuting crimes against human rights shall be strengthened.”
• conditional business relations»I företag som helt eller delvis ägs av den svenska staten ska det finnas kriterier gällande affärsrelationer med odemokratiska regimer.« (party programme ↗)“In companies wholly or partly owned by the Swedish state there shall be criteria regarding business relations with undemocratic regimes.”
• freedom as a foreign policy goal»Målet med vår utrikespolitik är en friare värld för alla.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The goal of our foreign policy is a freer world for everyone.”

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 is explicit: weapons exports shall be limited to democratic states and may not go to countries waging offensive warfare or to states where systematic violations of human rights occur. The counter-proposal's demand to not export to states that violate the genocide convention is a direct application of that commitment. The plan also wants to strengthen international courts and compliance with international law.

• export ban on human rights violationsdecisive»eller till stater där det förekommer systematiska kränkningar av mänskliga rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“or to states where systematic violations of human rights occur.”
• no export to warring parties»stater och omgärdas av noggrann kontroll. Export ska ej gå till offensivt krigförande länder« (party programme ↗)“states and surrounded by careful control. Exports shall not go to countries waging offensive warfare”
• export only to democracies»förutsätter en inhemsk försvarsindustri. Vapenexporten ska begränsas till demokratiska« (party programme ↗)“presupposes a domestic defence industry. Weapons exports shall be limited to democratic”
• strengthened international courts»internationella domstolar och rättssystem inom FN-systemet.« (party programme ↗)“international courts and justice systems within the UN system.”

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 clearest commitment on military materiel is continued arms supplies and that Swedish defence industry shall serve all of NATO. A general political restriction on exports based on the genocide convention cuts into that line and into the administrative scrutiny the plan does not question. The plan establishes that foreign policy shall protect Swedish interests, even though it protects international law and human rights. The demand is rejected.

• continued arms suppliesdecisive»Sverige ska helhjärtat stå upp för Ukraina, även med fortsatta vapenleveranser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall wholehearted stand up for Ukraine, including with continued arms supplies.”
• defence industry serving NATO»Verka för att Sveriges teknologiska kunnande och kompetenta försvarsindustri kommer hela Nato till del« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ensure that Sweden's technological expertise and competent defence industry serve all of NATO”
• Swedish interests guide foreign policyweak support»Svensk utrikespolitik ska värna svenska intressen.« (party programme ↗)“Swedish foreign policy shall protect Swedish interests.”
• international law is protected»Genom FN-systemet är vi del av den folkrätt som värnar vår« (party programme ↗)“Through the UN system we are part of the international law that protects our”

flags: citat_svagt

The plan establishes that the relationship with Israel, as the only democracy in its region, shall be restored and maintained, which speaks against Sweden driving a more forceful line against export recipients in the current conflict. The plan also wants to strengthen Swedish defense industry and improve Sweden's position in trade. The counter-proposal's requirement for tightened export restrictions therefore goes against the plan's commitments.

• maintained relation to Israeldecisive»Relationen till Israel, som den enda demokratin i sin region, bör återupprättas och vårdas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The relationship with Israel, as the only democracy in its region, should be restored and maintained.”
• strengthened defense industry»Svensk försvarsindustri ska också stärkas genom att fortsatt satsa på inhemsk försvarsteknologi och att tydligare värdera det strategiska intresset av svenska leverantörer vid inköp av försvarsmateriel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish defense industry shall also be strengthened by continuing to invest in domestic defense technology and by more clearly valuing the strategic interest of Swedish suppliers in purchases of defense material.”
• export and trade»Förbättra Sveriges ställning på den internationella marknaden och i handel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Improve Sweden's position on the international market and in trade”
• Swedish interests first»Värna svenska intressen i internationella sammanhang« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect Swedish interests in international contexts”