The government has decided to change the rules for the democracy support that is distributed by party-linked aid organizations – something requested by the Sweden Democrats, among others.
– All parties’ organizations will be guaranteed support, says Aid Minister Johan Forssell (M).
The Swedish aid agency Sida distributes money every year to party-affiliated organizations (PAOs) for democracy-supporting work in other countries.
In recent years, the organizations have competed with applications to Sida. But when the government now changes the strategy for the so-called PAO support, the money will instead be distributed based on the allocation of mandates in the Riksdag. In addition, there will be a basic grant of two million kroner per year and organization.
– We want to switch up the democracy work. It is a stated priority in the government’s aid policy. Unfortunately, things are going in the wrong direction when it comes to democracy in the world. We are now allocating significantly more resources to the political parties’ democracy work, says Johan Forssell.
SD foundation has been denied
In general, it is a return to how it looked until 2018. According to Johan Forssell, the current system has been unfair.
– It has benefited the Social Democrats, while, for example, the Moderates got very little and the Sweden Democrats nothing at all. You can think about how democratic it is, especially in a system whose purpose is to work for democracy, he says.
The Sweden Democrats’ aid foundation Hepatica has been denied twice by Sida and is the only party-affiliated organization that has received no support at all, as reported by Göteborgs-Posten and Dagens Nyheter.
– Our priority has been equal treatment between the parties and that the election result should be important, says Forssell.
How driving has SD been to bring about this change?
– This has been important for the Sweden Democrats. But it is a joint government decision and it has been a joint negotiation between four parties. There has been a large consensus that we should have a system based on equal treatment.
Strict requirements
The new strategy applies to 2024–2027. Ongoing efforts will be completed according to already agreed terms.
Johan Forssell says that the budget in practice increases by close to 60 percent per year. He also emphasizes that control will be tightened.
– It must be associated with strict requirements for reporting and transparency.
FAKTAPAO support in 2023
A total of SEK 95 million has been paid out from Sida in 2023 based on the “Strategy for special democracy support through Swedish party-affiliated organisations”.
Olof Palme International Center (Social Democrats): 35.9 million
Christian Democratic International Center (Christian Democrats): 20.9 million
Swedish International Liberal Center (The Liberals): 10.6 million
The Center Party’s International Foundation: 8.6 million
Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation (the Moderates): 8 million
Green Forum (Green Party): 5.9 million
The International Forum of the Left (Left Party): 5.2 million
Hepatica (Sweden Democrats): 0
Source: Page
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