Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Sweden’s incoming prime minister shifts right

Sweden’s incoming prime minister shifts right

Ulf Kristersson will head a three-party government with additional support from the far-right Sweden Democrats.

Sweden’s incoming prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, on Friday presented his plan for a three-party government with a clear underlying message: Sweden first.

The number of asylum seekers allowed to enter Sweden will be reduced, the amount of international aid the country will provide will be cut and its aspirations to be a trailblazer in the global shift to renewable energy will be tempered, Kristersson told reporters in parliament.

Kristersson, the narrow victor at a general election on September 11, said his new government will be made up of his Moderate Party and two other center-right parties, the Christian Democrats and the Liberals.

The far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) were shut out of the government, but will provide the parliamentary support Kristersson will need to become prime minister and to make his policy and spending plans a reality.

The cost of shutting out SD, which has roots in 1990s neo-Nazi groups, while securing its parliamentary support was high in policy terms.

The new government’s plan — dubbed “An agreement for Sweden” — was heavily influenced by SD’s election promises in areas from welfare to law and order to energy.

Punishments for serious and organized crime are to be increased, more nuclear power stations are to be built and social security payments to those made redundant will not be cut.

But it was arguably when it comes to Sweden’s role on the international stage that the views of SD can be most keenly felt: The number of asylum seekers the Nordic country will accept is to be cut to the EU minimum and a previous goal to allot 1 percent of gross national income to international aid is set to be scrapped.

In essence, Sweden’s days of aspiring to be a “humanitarian superpower” are over.

Kristersson said that compromise with SD and his other allies had been necessary in order to create the new government he believed Sweden needed.

“We have done what we said during the election campaign,” Kristersson said. “We have reached an agreement which we believe is good for Sweden.”

Parliament will vote on Kristersson’s candidacy to be prime minister on Monday, with Friday’s deal paving the way for him to win that vote 176 to 173. He is expected to announce his ministerial team on Tuesday and his budget for 2023 within the following weeks.


Challenges ahead


Once installed, the new government will face a series of domestic challenges from spiking energy prices to rising gang crime.

On the international stage, Sweden takes over the presidency of the Council of the EU in January from the Czech Republic and the government will need to reconcile the anti-EU tendencies of SD with the pro-Europe leanings of the wider government before then.

Sweden is also in the late stages of negotiating its entry into NATO alongside Finland. Kristersson has left the outgoing Social Democratic government’s key negotiator Oscar Stenström in place to smooth that process.

Critics were quick to suggest that the inbuilt tensions within the new government and its support party SD will make maintaining government stability difficult over the course of a four-year mandate.

Analysts note that, at any point, SD can team up with the Social Democrats and create a majority on any policy in parliament, giving SD powerful leverage over the new coalition.

However, if SD pushes too hard, the government may fold, allowing the Social Democrats back into power and robbing SD of its current influence.

On Friday, Kristersson, a former minister of social affairs who became Moderate Party leader in 2017, was positive about the task ahead and the agreement the new government had struck.

“I am not saying this is going to be easy, but the shared values we have in important questions is a strong foundation to stand on,” he said.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×