Nuclear weapons and foreign troops on Swedish soil

The election manifesto requires that Sweden signs the nuclear weapons convention and that the country is a voice for peace rather than increased militarization. The party programme works for the dissolution of military alliances and a total ban on all weapons of mass destruction. That Sweden acts to never use nuclear weapons first and keeps out of the alliance's nuclear planning is the smallest possible application of these commitments.

• sign the nuclear weapons conventiondecisive»Sverige ska öka biståndet, stärka FN och skriva under kärnvapenkonventionen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall increase aid, strengthen the UN and sign the nuclear weapons convention.”
• ban on weapons of mass destruction»förbud mot alla former av massförstörelsevapen« (party programme ↗)“ban on all forms of weapons of mass destruction”
• peace before militarization»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.”
• opposition to NATO integration»Därför är Vänsterpartiet motståndare till Sveriges allt djupare militära samarbete med NATO och EU, och vi är det enda riksdagspartiet som konsekvent värnar och vill återupprätta svensk alliansfrihet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore the Left Party opposes Sweden's deepening military cooperation with NATO and EU, and we are the only Riksdag party that consistently protects and wants to restore Swedish non-alignment.”

The plan condemns all threats of nuclear weapons use and maintains the goal of a world free from nuclear weapons, and the programme makes military disarmament a fundamental task and wants to see a convention that prohibits nuclear weapons. This speaks in favour of the counter-proposal's demand for a line of never using nuclear weapons first and on standing outside the alliance's nuclear weapons planning. At the same time, the election manifesto advocates full NATO membership without such reservations, which is why the confidence is low.

• world free from nuclear weaponsdecisive»Vi fördömer allt hot om användning av kärnvapen och fortsätter verka för det enda rimliga slutmålet: en värld fri från kärnvapen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We condemn all threats of nuclear weapons use and continue to work for the only reasonable end goal: a world free from nuclear weapons.”
• disarmament as fundamental principle»Militär nedrustning är en fundamental uppgift för det internationella samarbetet.« (party programme ↗)“Military disarmament is a fundamental task for international cooperation.”
• convention against nuclear weapons»vill vi verka för en konvention som förbjuder« (party programme ↗)“we want to work for a convention that prohibits”
• full NATO membership»Ett svenskt medlemskap i Nato är den bästa vägen för vårt lands säkerhet och Sverige har därför lämnat in sin medlemsansökan.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish NATO membership is the best path for our country's security and Sweden has therefore submitted its membership application.”

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 demands a law that prohibits nuclear weapons on Swedish territory and for Sweden to ratify the nuclear weapons prohibition convention, and the party programme wants to see a phasing out of nuclear weapons and for Sweden to contribute to military disarmament. To work for never using nuclear weapons first and to stand outside the alliance's nuclear weapons planning is the line that follows from these commitments. The counter-proposal's demands are therefore supported.

• ban on nuclear weapons in Swedendecisive»införa en lag som förbjuder kärnvapen på svensk mark.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“introduce a law that prohibits nuclear weapons on Swedish territory.”
• ratify the nuclear weapons prohibition»ratificera konventionen om kärnvapenförbud och arbeta för ett totalförbud mot att använda autonoma vapensystem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“ratify the nuclear weapons prohibition convention and work for a complete ban on the use of autonomous weapons systems.”
• phasing out of nuclear weapons»av kärnvapen och andra massförstörelsevapen.« (party programme ↗)“of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.”
• driving force for disarmament»Sverige ska bidra till militär nedrustning i världen.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall contribute to military disarmament in the world.”

The plan does not take a position on nuclear weapons doctrine or participation in the alliance's nuclear planning. The nearest commitment is that NATO membership shall be completed and that defence capability shall be raised powerfully, which argues against Sweden binding itself in advance to unilateral limitations on its participation in the alliance. The party programme also stresses that military means are sometimes the only way to secure peace and freedom. The conclusion is therefore derived and uncertain.

• full NATO membershipdecisive»Centerpartiet vill rusta försvaret, stärka Sveriges civila beredskap och fullfölja inträdet i Nato.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Centre Party wants to strengthen defence, reinforce Sweden's civil preparedness and complete NATO membership.”
• defence of its own territory»Sverige måste därför kunna försvara sitt eget territorium.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden must therefore be able to defend its own territory.”
• no presumed relaxation»Vi kan inte förutsätta att avspänning och demilitarisering ska prägla vår värld.« (party programme ↗)“We cannot presume that relaxation and demilitarization will characterize our world.”

The plan's core commitment is full Swedish participation in NATO, where Sweden actively shall contribute to the alliance's joint defence of the Nordic region and the Baltic region and where security is created in alliance rather than in own exceptions. To in advance bind Sweden to stand outside the alliance's nuclear weapons planning goes against that line. The plan, however, says nothing at all about nuclear weapons doctrines, which is why the position is inferred.

• full contribution within NATOdecisive»Sverige ska inom Nato särskilt kunna bidra med den infrastruktur som behövs för att skapa ett nödvändigt och strategiskt djup för försvaret av Finland och Baltikum.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall within NATO particularly be able to contribute with the infrastructure needed to create a necessary and strategic depth for the defence of Finland and the Baltic region.”
• joint defence in the alliance»Därför ska Sverige gå med i Nato och tillsammans med USA, Kanada och våra europeiska grannar försvara både Sverige och vår del av världen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore Sweden shall join NATO and together with the USA, Canada and our European neighbours defend both Sweden and our part of the world.”
• security through cooperation»Grunden för Sveriges säkerhetspolitik ska vara samarbete med andra demokratier.« (party programme ↗)“The foundation for Sweden's security policy shall be cooperation with other democracies.”
• security in alliance»Ensam är inte stark utan bara ensam.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Alone is not strong but only alone.”

The plan does not address nuclear weapons doctrine. Its central commitment is open and close cooperation within the security policy community and a defence that can act as a deterrent, while nuclear weapons are mentioned as a threat Sweden must be able to meet. Refraining from the alliance's nuclear weapons planning would limit this cooperation. The plan's requirements for proportionality and prohibition against aggression against civilians, however, speak for restraint.

• close cooperation with NATOdecisive»med NATO bör, givet nämnda kriterier, vara en naturlig del av svensk säkerhetspolitik.« (party programme ↗)“with NATO should, given the criteria mentioned, be a natural part of Swedish security policy.”
• deterrent capability»kan verka krigsavhållande vid säkerhetspolitiska kriser« (party programme ↗)“can act as a deterrent in security policy crises”
• capability against broad threats»möta angrepp från internationell kriminalitet, terrorism, cyberkrigföring, biologiska vapen, kemiska vapen« (party programme ↗)“meet attacks from international crime, terrorism, cyber warfare, biological weapons, chemical weapons”
• no aggression against civilians»Aggression riktad mot civila« (party programme ↗)“Aggression directed against civilians”

The plan sets a high ambition level for Sweden as a NATO member and wants to get the most possible benefit from membership as a full member. To exclude participation in advance in the alliance's nuclear weapons planning would mean a self-imposed exemption from the membership's duties and thereby counteract that ambition. The plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal's demands.

• high ambition as a NATO memberdecisive»Moderaterna vill sätta en hög ambitionsnivå för Sverige som blivande Natomedlem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Moderate Party wants to set a high ambition level for Sweden as a future NATO member.”
• full benefit from membership»Sverige ska som medlem i Nato vara en säkerhetsproducent i vårt närområde och även få ut mesta möjliga effekt av medlemskapet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden should as a member of NATO be a security producer in our region and also get the most possible benefit from membership.”
• full membership»Vi ska vara en fullvärdig medlem i Nato« (party programme ↗)“We should be a full member of NATO”
• deterrence protects freedom»Det land som inte kan försvara sig, kan vilken dag som helst förlora sin frihet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The country that cannot defend itself can any day lose its freedom.”

The documents say nothing about nuclear weapons doctrine or participation in an alliance nuclear weapons planning. The nearest principle is the goal of a war-deterrent defence capability and rearmament in a new security situation; binding Sweden in advance to abstain from parts of the deterrent and from the planning work pulls rather away from that capability. The requirement is therefore rejected on weak grounds.

• war-deterrent capabilitydecisive»Målet är en krigsavhållande försvarsförmåga med kapacitet att möta främmande aggressioner, men som också kan bistå samhället i kris eller oro.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The goal is a war-deterrent defence capability with capacity to meet foreign aggression, but which can also assist society in crisis or unrest.”
• rearmament in new security situation»Rusta Sverige inför en ny säkerhetspolitisk situation i vårt närområde« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prepare Sweden for a new security policy situation in our region”
• strong defence»Garantera den långsiktiga finansieringen av ett starkt försvar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Guarantee long-term financing of a strong defence”