Magdalena Andersson (S) proposes that a commission be appointed to investigate the Swedish economy. During a press meeting on site in Brussels, she says she wants to see a Swedish Draghi report, which should be similar to the one added to measure European competitiveness, to investigate and improve the Swedish economy.
– The EU is not stronger than each individual member state together, that is the EU’s strength. There, Sweden is currently at a disadvantage. We have among the worst growth in the EU, we have a declining employment rate, we have rising unemployment, and youth unemployment at 25 percent, she says.
According to Andersson, “development is going backwards” in Sweden, and she thinks that stronger leadership is needed to steer the Swedish economy back in the right direction.
– We see how some of the development in Sweden is backing off a little. Unfortunately, there are leading politicians in the Riksdag who almost seem happy when it happens. Here we see, I think, a far too weak leadership in Sweden, and that they are not making the active efforts that should be needed.
Shall analyze strengths and challenges
The Draghi report was submitted by former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi on September 9 this year. The report examines European competitiveness vis-à-vis the US and China, and the EU’s future. In the report, Draghi presents three major changes that the European economy must tackle, and proposes measures to successfully meet them.
Andersson’s proposal is now that the government should take the initiative for a Swedish version of the Draghi report, in order to analyze the strengths and areas of development for Swedish business life through a broad approach.
“Important to bring our country together”
She wants, among other things, to investigate what is required in terms of trained workforce, research, infrastructure and regulatory changes to strengthen the Swedish economy, and to take in perspectives from actors from areas such as business, the trade union movement and research.
– It is something that we believe would be important to bring our country together, so that we flex our muscles together and take a big leap forward to reverse the development that we are currently seeing in the Swedish economy, she says and believes that Sweden also has an important mission to contribute to strengthening the EU’s competitiveness.
She says that she is open to discussing who should lead a possible Swedish Draghi investigation, but believes that it is positive if he has political experience.
– It is probably good if you have worked in a political organisation, perhaps preferably the government office, she says.