Recruitment and personnel provision at the Swedish Armed Forces

The counter-proposal assumes significant growth in defence spending, which the plan opposes when it requires that Sweden be a voice for peace and not increased militarization. Moreover, the proposal is based on fixed-term employment and extended retirement age, while the plan wants to restore permanent employment as the norm and that everyone should be able to work until retirement. The demand is therefore rejected.

• against increased militarizationdecisive»Vänsterpartiet anser att Sverige ska vara en röst för fred och rättvisa, inte för ökad militarisering.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party believes Sweden should be a voice for peace and justice, not for increased militarization.”
• no to fixed-term employment»Tillsvidareanställningen som faktisk norm på arbetsmarknaden« (party programme ↗)“Permanent employment as actual norm in the labor market”
• no to extended working life»Trygghet på arbetsmarknaden är också att alla ska orka jobba hela vägen fram till pensionen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Security in the labor market is also that everyone should be able to work all the way to retirement.”
• military service before professional defence»En grundbult i en sådan kontroll är den allmänna« (party programme ↗)“A cornerstone in such control is universal”

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 wants to strongly strengthen military capability, accelerate the pace of rearmament further and translate the increased appropriations into more conscripts and strengthened presence across the country, which requires that personnel supply functions. The party programme opens for those who want to and are able to continue working after retirement age. Measures such as longer employment contracts, leave of absence for reserve officers and directives on personnel supply therefore lie in the plan's direction.

• strengthened military capabilitydecisive»Kraftfullt stärka Sveriges militära förmåga.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strongly strengthen Sweden's military capability.”
• growth requires personnel»Vi vill att ökningen ska omsättas i bland annat fler värnpliktiga, modern materiel samt förstärkt militär närvaro över hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want the increase to be translated into, among other things, more conscripts, modern equipment and strengthened military presence across the country.”
• faster rearmament»Takten i upprustningen ska öka ytterligare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The pace of rearmament shall accelerate further.”
• longer working life is possible»Och det innebär att de människor som vill och orkar får möjlighet att fortsätta sitt arbete« (party programme ↗)“And that means that people who want to and are able to get the opportunity to continue their work”

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 to invest a larger share of defence spending in civil defence and takes initiatives towards international disarmament, which argues against measures whose purpose is substantial military growth. The plan also wants to protect secure forms of employment, whereas the counter-proposal relies on fixed-term contracts. That the plan supports voluntarism in defence provides partial support, therefore the conclusion is uncertain.

• civil defence before military growthdecisive»satsa en större andel av försvarets pengar på det civila försvaret, och öka anslagen till krisberedskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“invest a larger share of defence spending in civil defence and increase allocations to emergency preparedness.”
• initiatives for disarmament»Sverige ska ta initiativ till internationell nedrustning« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall take initiatives towards international disarmament”
• secure employment forms»åstadkomma rimliga arbetsvillkor och trygga« (party programme ↗)“achieve reasonable working conditions and secure”
• voluntarism in defence»verksamheter ska bygga på frivillighet.« (party programme ↗)“activities shall be based on voluntarism.”

The plan requires that defence be strengthened quickly, powerfully and long-term up to two per cent of GDP, which presupposes that staffing keeps pace. Measures such as fixed-term employment, longer employment periods and reserve officers' right to leave of absence are means for that growth. The plan also favours a labour market with greater flexibility, which supports new employment forms within the authority.

• rapid defence build-updecisive»Vi vill rusta det militära försvaret snabbt, kraftfullt och långsiktigt. Sverige behöver satsa två procent av BNP på försvaret så snart det är praktiskt möjligt och gå med i Nato.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to strengthen military defence quickly, powerfully and long-term. Sweden needs to spend two per cent of GDP on defence as soon as practically possible and join Nato.”
• flexible employment forms»Svensk arbetsmarknad behöver både mer flexibilitet och mer trygghet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Swedish labour market needs both more flexibility and more security.”
• strengthened defence capability»Centerpartiet vill rusta försvaret, stärka Sveriges civila beredskap och fullfölja inträdet i Nato.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Centre Party wants to strengthen defence, strengthen Sweden's civil preparedness and complete Nato membership.”

The plan requires that the number of employees and conscripts in the war-time organization increase and that Sweden's defence capability be strengthened, which presupposes that personnel supply be solved. The plan also supports that older people be given greater opportunity to continue working and a broader right to leave of absence, which are precisely the tools the counter-proposal requests. The plan does not take a position on directives for a defence review.

• growing war-time organizationdecisive»Antalet anställda och värnpliktiga i krigsorganisationen ska öka, ny materiel tillföras och det civila försvaret stärkas i samma takt som det militära.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The number of employees and conscripts in the war-time organization shall increase, new materiel be supplied and civil defence be strengthened at the same pace as military defence.”
• increased defence capability»Sveriges nationella försvarsförmåga måste öka.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's national defence capability must increase.”
• extended working life»Att äldre ges större möjlighet att fortsätta arbeta ökar den enskildes valfrihet och förbättrar samhällsekonomin.« (party programme ↗)“That older people be given greater opportunity to continue working increases individual choice and improves the public economy.”
• broader right to leave of absence»Den som vill starta företag ska ha större rätt till tjänstledighet än i« (party programme ↗)“The one who wishes to start a business shall have greater right to leave of absence than [currently]”

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 to make it possible to work longer and more flexibly and has a flexible retirement age as principle, which carries the requirements for extended retirement age and longer employment terms for soldiers. The armed forces shall simultaneously have such strength and preparedness that it acts as a deterrent, which presupposes that personnel supply is secured also short-term. Good employment security is a commitment that supports reserve officers' right to leave of absence.

• longer working life made possibledecisive»Gör det möjligt att arbeta längre och mer flexibelt för den som kan genom att förlänga rätten att arbeta (LAS-åldern) i två steg till 75 års ålder« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Make it possible to work longer and more flexibly for those who can by extending the right to work (LAS age) in two steps to 75 years of age”
• flexible retirement age»Pensionsåldern ska vara flexibel och utgå« (party programme ↗)“Retirement age shall be flexible and be based”
• deterrent capability»kan verka krigsavhållande vid säkerhetspolitiska kriser« (party programme ↗)“can act as a deterrent in security policy crises”
• secure employment»God anställningstrygghet för alla arbetstagare ska« (party programme ↗)“Good employment security for all employees shall”

Worldstate weighed in: Finland officially becomes a NATO member — rapid defence growth in the neighbouring region sharpens the need for action on personnel supply

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 requires that defence spending reaches two percent of GDP already in 2025, that the army, air force and navy are strengthened in capacity and equipment and that defence is prepared for NATO membership. Such growth is impossible without solving personnel supply, which is the counter-proposal's substantive requirement on fixed-term contracts, longer employment periods and reserve officers' leave. Individual employment terms are not specifically addressed in the documents.

• significantly increased defence spendingdecisive»Verka för att försvarsanslagen uppgår till motsvarande 2 procent av BNP redan år 2025« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for defence spending to be equivalent to 2 percent of GDP already in 2025”
• growth in all defence branches(2022 manifesto)
• adaptation to NATO»Förbereda försvaret för svenskt Natomedlemskap« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prepare defence for Swedish NATO membership”
• war-deterrent defence»Målet är att det svenska försvaret ska vara krigsavhållande och avskräcka en eventuell motståndare från att angripa Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The goal is that Swedish defence shall be war-deterrent and deter a potential adversary from attacking Sweden.”

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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 personnel is the most important component in the Armed Forces and wants to retain and recruit back personnel through competitive conditions, with personnel supply built on both professional soldiers and conscripts. Measures such as fixed-term employment, increased retirement age, leave of absence for reserve officers and longer employment terms serve precisely this. The plan also requires long-term financing of a strong defense.

• retain and recruit back personneldecisive»Sverigedemokraterna vill satsa på att behålla personal och rekrytera tillbaka de som slutat genom konkurrenskraftiga villkor för specialist- och yrkesofficerare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to invest in retaining personnel and recruiting back those who have left through competitive conditions for specialist and professional officers.”
• personnel most important»Utöver högteknologisk materiel är personalen den viktigaste komponenten i Försvarsmakten.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Besides high-technology equipment, personnel is the most important component in the Armed Forces.”
• secured personnel supply»Personalförsörjningen inom försvaret behöver säkerställas genom en blandning av yrkessoldater och värnpliktiga.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Personnel supply within defense needs to be ensured through a mix of professional soldiers and conscripts.”
• long-term defense financing»Garantera den långsiktiga finansieringen av ett starkt försvar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Guarantee the long-term financing of a strong defense”

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.