Residence time in certain cases

The plan states that public exercise of authority should be guided by the equal value of all people and explicitly opposes the logic that the top tier should be rewarded with privileges for contributing most. Allowing paid taxes to shorten the path to citizenship makes citizenship a class question and pits people against each other. The plan wants to shorten the path into society for everyone, not just high-income earners.

• equal value of all peopledecisive»Den offentliga maktutövningen ska vägledas av alla människors lika värde.« (party programme ↗)“The exercise of public authority should be guided by the equal value of all people.”
• against rewarding the top tier»Samtidigt har de en idé om att det absoluta toppskiktet måste få det bättre, genom sänkta skatter, bonusar och andra morötter, för att de ska prestera mer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time they have an idea that the absolute top tier must get better, through tax cuts, bonuses and other carrots, for them to perform better.”
• against layering rights»Ett tryggt samhälle ställer inte människor mot varandra.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A secure society does not pit people against each other.”
• open path into society»Sverige är ett land med goda förutsättningar att låta fler människor bygga goda liv här.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden is a country with good conditions to let more people build good lives here.”

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 builds citizenship on the basis that it shall be inclusive and give all citizens equal rights and duties, and on the basis that everyone contributes according to ability – not according to amount paid in. A tax-linked exception that gives those with high incomes a shorter path to citizenship creates different strengths of citizenship and conflicts with that principle. The plan moreover holds fast to a strict and unified migration policy.

• equivalent citizenshipdecisive»Inkluderande och starkt medborgarskap som skapar känsla av tillhörighet.« (party programme ↗)“Inclusive and strong citizenship that creates sense of belonging.”
• equal rights and duties»Lika rättigheter och skyldigheter för alla medborgare« (party programme ↗)“Equal rights and duties for all citizens”
• contribute according to ability»välstånd fördelas efter behov, och där ska alla bidra efter förmåga.« (party programme ↗)“prosperity is distributed according to need, and where everyone shall contribute according to ability.”
• strict and unified migration policy»Långsiktigt hållbar svensk migrationspolitik« (party programme ↗)“Sustainable long-term Swedish migration policy”

The plan establishes that all forms of discrimination shall be abolished, explicitly also on grounds of class, and that the tax system shall counter a class society. An exception that provides faster citizenship to those who have paid in sufficient tax makes a central right depend on economic status. The plan certainly wants people to be able to establish themselves quickly and be met with openness, but the conditions shall apply equally to all.

• no discrimination based on classdecisive»Därför arbetar vi för att avskaffa alla former av diskriminering,« (party programme ↗)“Therefore we work to abolish all forms of discrimination,”
• tax shall not create a class society»Skattesystemet ska motverka ett klassamhälle« (party programme ↗)“The tax system shall counter a class society”
• security to establish oneself»Därför ska permanenta uppehållstillstånd vara huvudregel.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore permanent residence permits shall be the main rule.”
• open reception»Människor som kommer till Sverige ska mötas med öppenhet« (party programme ↗)“People who come to Sweden shall be met with openness”

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 says nothing about residence time for citizenship, but its closest commitments are to protect labour migration, shorten the path for those who work and contribute, and that newly arrived should qualify into systems through their own work. A shorter path to citizenship for those who have worked and paid tax aligns more closely with that line than a generally extended residence time. The conclusion is derived and uncertain, since the plan simultaneously emphasizes everyone's equal rights and value.

• protect labour migrationdecisive»Värna arbetskraftsinvandringen. För att svenska företag ska kunna konkurrera måste de ha möjlighet att snabbt hitta, rekrytera och anställa rätt kompetens.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect labour migration. For Swedish companies to compete, they must have the opportunity to quickly find, recruit and hire the right competence.”
• qualifying through own work»Nyanlända bör kvalificera sig in i trygghetssystemen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Newly arrived should qualify into the security systems.”
• openness and free movement»Centerpartiet strävar efter öppna gränser, fri rörlighet samt en generös och human flykting- och invandringspolitik.« (party programme ↗)“The Centre Party seeks open borders, free movement and a generous and humane refugee and immigration policy.”

The plan ties the path to citizenship to language, social knowledge and self-sufficiency, and the only shortcut the plan offers is that those who learn Swedish can apply earlier. No tax-linked exemption exists in the plan, which conversely wants integration policy to be general and applied equally to all. The counter-proposal's demand for shorter residency for those who paid much tax therefore lacks support in the plan.

• language gives earlier citizenshipdecisive»Den som lär sig grundläggande kunskaper i svenska ska kunna ansöka om medborgarskap tidigare.« (party programme ↗)“Those who learn basic knowledge of Swedish shall be able to apply for citizenship earlier.”
• high requirements for citizenship»Nästa mandatperiod ska inte bara ett språktest äntligen komma på plats, utan också villkoret att du förstår hur det svenska demokratiska samhället fungerar och har förutsättningar att försörja dig.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Next term shall not only a language test finally be in place, but also the requirement that you understand how Swedish democratic society functions and have the means to support yourself.”
• general rules applied equally to all»Huvudprincipen för integrationspolitiken är att den ska vara generell. Den ska bygga på lagar och regler som tillämpas lika för alla.« (party programme ↗)“The main principle for integration policy is that it shall be general. It shall be based on laws and rules applied equally to all.”
• language and social knowledge requirements»Grundläggande svenskkunskaper och grundläggande kunskaper om det svenska samhället ska vara ett villkor för medborgarskap.« (party programme ↗)“Basic Swedish skills and basic knowledge of Swedish society shall be a requirement for citizenship.”

The plan ties citizenship to continuous residence, shared basic values and willingness to participate in the national community – not to paid taxes. The Constitution shall also ensure that no one is discriminated against on the grounds of economic or social position. A tax-linked exception that shortens the residence requirement for high earners therefore contradicts the plan's view of what citizenship should be based on.

• requirement for national community participationdecisive»För att medborgarskapet ska ha det värde det förtjänar bör det ställas krav på vilja att ingå i samhällsgemenskapen med de rättigheter och skyldigheter som följer av att bli medborgare.« (party programme ↗)“For citizenship to have the value it deserves, it should be required to show willingness to participate in the national community with the rights and obligations that follow from becoming a citizen.”
• residence time and values»Den som stadigvarande har vistats i Sverige en längre tid och delar våra gemensamma grundläggande värderingar bör i princip kunna bli svensk medborgare.« (party programme ↗)“Anyone who has permanently resided in Sweden for a longer period and shares our common fundamental values should in principle be able to become a Swedish citizen.”
• no discrimination based on economic status»Grundlagen ska även säkerställa att ingen diskrimineras på grund av kön, ålder, funktionsvariationer, etniskt ursprung, religion, sexuell identitet, politisk eller annan åskådning, nationellt eller socialt ursprung, ekonomisk eller social ställning.« (party programme ↗)“The Constitution shall also ensure that no one is discriminated against on the grounds of sex, age, functional variations, ethnic origin, religion, sexual identity, political or other opinion, national or social origin, economic or social position.”
• strict migration policy»Stram migrationspolitik krävs för att ta itu med integrationsproblem och utanförskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strict migration policy is required to address integration problems and social exclusion.”

The plan's line is that citizenship should be the last step on an integration journey and reached only after fulfilled requirements for Swedish and approved civic orientation, not through a shortcut tied to paid taxes. A special fast track for high-income earners would lower the threshold to citizenship for one group without testing the requirements the plan sets. The plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal's requirement.

• citizenship as last stepdecisive»Medborgarskapet ska vara sista steget« (party programme ↗)“Citizenship should be the last step”
• language requirement for citizenship»Kräva grundläggande kunskaper i svenska för permanent uppehållstillstånd och medborgarskap« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Require basic knowledge of Swedish for permanent residence permit and citizenship”
• passed test for citizenship»Införa obligatorisk samhällsorientering med prov, där godkänt ska vara ett krav för medborgarskap« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce mandatory civic orientation with a test, where passing shall be a requirement for citizenship”
• strict immigration legislation»Anpassa asyllagstiftningen efter den rättsliga miniminivån enligt EU-rätten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Adapt asylum legislation to the legal minimum level under EU law”

The plan demands that conditions for citizenship are tightened and that citizenship is tied to strict conditions, with long residence time, language skills and loyalty as the basis. Shortening the residence period from eight to five years for someone who has paid sufficient tax instead eases the requirements and makes paid tax a shortcut to citizenship. The counter-proposal's demands thus go directly against the plan's commitment.

• tightened citizenship conditionsdecisive»Skärpa villkoren för medborgarskap och höja tröskeln för att ta del av skattefinansierad välfärd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tighten conditions for citizenship and raise the threshold for accessing tax-financed welfare”
• strict conditions for citizenship»Kraven på invandrare att integreras i den svenska kulturen och samhället ska skärpas och medborgarskapet ska knytas till strikta villkor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Requirements for immigrants to integrate into Swedish culture and society shall be tightened and citizenship shall be tied to strict conditions.”
• long residence time»varit bosatt i landet under en längre tid och att man under denna tid visat att man är« (party programme ↗)“been resident in the country for a longer period and that during this time one has shown that one is”
• hard line against security threats»Införa hårda restriktioner och förvar för säkerhetshot som befinner sig i Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce harsh restrictions and detention for security threats present in Sweden.”