Facts: Ten proposals that are important to M
Create the conditions for new nuclear power in Sweden
High cost protection against high electricity prices
Contribution ceiling – so that it always pays to work
New arrivals must qualify for welfare
Volume target for reduced immigration
Reduced tax for low and middle income earners
Double punishment for gang criminals
Anonymous witnesses
Make it a criminal offense to be part of a criminal gang
Remove the penalty discounts
Source: The moderates
Kristersson aims to form a government with, above all, the Christian Democrats (KD). It must cooperate with the Liberals (L) and the Sweden Democrats (SD)
In opinion polls, M remains at the same level as the last election result in 2018, close to 20 percent.
— We are at our historical average and are quite good at election campaigns. Our side has a very good chance of winning this election, so I think it looks very good, says Kristersson in an election interview with TT.
He has said no to including SD in his government.
TT: But what happens if SD becomes greater than M?
– We are bigger in almost all measurements and we intend to be bigger now too, says Kristersson.
In any case, he adds:
— It is the Moderates who can gather parties into majorities. That is our unique role in Swedish politics and it applies.
TT: So if SD gets bigger, it won’t change your intended government (with M and KD)?
— No, it will not change the government.
had a “dip”
The Liberals hope to be part of M’s and KD’s eventual government. Kristersson keeps that question open.
He points out that there was “a dip in our relationship” when L voted in an S-led government and entered into the January 2019 agreement.
“It’s clear that then we grew apart quite a bit,” says Kristersson.
However, he welcomes that L has taken a clear position in favor of a bourgeois government and that the party is objective.
— I like the Liberals and it’s fun that L is bigger than C in several measurements.
But Kristersson points out that there is an ongoing discussion within L about how much can be negotiated with SD.
“I intend to form a bourgeois government that can cooperate respectfully with other parties,” he says.
That cooperation is supposed to be based on an agreement with SD and L about the political orientation of Kristersson’s government. The agreement must be completed before the government can take office.
“No cow trading”
Kristersson compares to the previous red-green government’s January agreement with C and L. He describes that agreement as 73 disparate points that point in different directions.
— That’s not how we will work. We will start from what the major factual problems are that we want to solve, says Kristersson.
— This is not cow trading, but compromising in a clear direction.
TT: Do you see any proposal that SD has that crosses any red line?
– Different parties have lots of different proposals. I absolutely do not intend to take responsibility for SD’s politics, says Kristersson.
— There are lots of things I absolutely don’t want to do and I don’t put much thought into them. I put effort into what we want to accomplish.
Kristersson sees a collaboration with SD in budget matters ahead. But the budget must first be negotiated between the governing parties.
— Then we negotiate separately with SD on budget issues.
When asked if SD can have civil servants in the government office to facilitate cooperation, Kristersson answers:
— I see no need for this. We will cooperate well in the Riksdag.
High rate of reform
Kristersson expects a high rate of reform if he is allowed to form a government.
“Absolutely,” he says.
According to him, there will be a large workload for the Ministry of Justice with many changes to the law, including a completely new criminal code. Fighting the gangs becomes one of the right-wing government’s most important priorities.
Migration policy will also be an area where, according to Kristersson, there will be a clear difference with an M-led government.
“There will be a reduction in immigration and not an increase,” he says.
Kristersson envisions a volume target for asylum reception. The party has previously spoken of 5,900 people, of which 1,900 are quota refugees.
“If you’re going for a Nordic cut, you’re somewhere there,” says Kristersson.
Among other things, he wants to tighten the maintenance requirements for family immigration.
Energy policy is another area where things will happen, according to Kristersson. The four right-wing parties agree, among other things, to create the conditions for new nuclear power.
Tough about health insurance
Protecting the line of work also becomes a priority for a possible M-led government. M wants to cut taxes for low- and middle-income earners and introduce a job premium for the long-term unemployed who take a job.
At the same time, M wants to tighten the coffers and reintroduce an upper limit in the health insurance. But the SD is against it and the negotiations can therefore be tough.
M’s agenda also includes a cap on how much a person can receive in total in grants. That proposal must be investigated, but M has mentioned a limit of SEK 16,000–17,000.
— We are talking about quite a few people who have a level of SEK 20,000–30,000. It depends on how many children you have, says Kristersson.
M also wants new arrivals, non-EU citizens, to have to qualify for the allowance and compensation system.
“It is not obvious that anyone who moves to Sweden should automatically have access to all the welfare benefits available here,” says Kristersson.