“Destiny path choice” in politics awaits 2025

Security policy and nuclear power continue to be the focus of politics this year.

And a party “faces a fatal choice”, according to political scientist Jonas Hinnfors.

Security policy looks set to be at the center of politics in 2025 as well.

On January 20, Donald Trump is sworn in as President of the United States. There will be many summits where Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) and other EU and NATO countries’ leaders will consider how Europe’s security can be strengthened and Ukraine supported if the US reduces its involvement.

At home, the government is busy delivering promised bills. The goal is for as many as possible to have entered into force before the election in order to be able to show results to the voters.

Several completed investigations, for example reduced sentence discounts for young people, indefinite security sentences and secret coercive measures against children, are now to be turned into legislative proposals.

And further heavy investigations will be completed in the spring, for example on double punishment for gang crimes, stricter requirements for citizenship and deportation due to vandalism.

Big question

Ulf Kristersson has also promised that new nuclear power will begin to be built before the next election. Then a bill on financing new nuclear power must be ready this spring in order to come into force on July 1.

Political science professor Jonas Hinnfors expects the debate around new nuclear power to continue to be heated. Both the opposition and the government think they can win points by debating that issue.

The political year 2025 will, according to Hinnfors, also be marked by the parties’ preparations for the election in 2026. All, except the Left Party, have congresses where new main political lines are determined.

A really big question is whether the Liberals will announce whether they can participate in a government that includes the Sweden Democrats (SD), in case the Tidö parties win the election.

– They are faced with a fateful choice of path, says Hinnfors.

Thinking of quitting

If L says no to SD, leaves the Tidö collaboration and becomes blocless, they risk losing moderate support votes that could save L in the Riksdag.

– The Liberals are a party that will need support votes, says Hinnfors.

It is not certain that L will make any announcement on the matter in 2025, but the pressure will increase before the party has its national meeting at the end of November, the same weekend as SD has its national days.

SD is also facing a choice, according to Hinnfors. To continue to be against the “lament”, i.e. the liberal establishment, including the media, or to become more like a regular, more governable bourgeois party.

Hinnfors believes that there are quite strong tensions in the party, which may come to the surface the day Jimmie Åkesson leaves. Åkesson celebrates 20 years as party leader this year.

– Humanly speaking, he is on his way out. If he quits, what SD will we get? says Hinnfors

However, Jonas Hinnfors has not seen any signs that Åkesson has started training a possible successor.

FACTSImportant political events in 2025

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