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NATO

Sweden’s Social Democrats kick off ‘marathon meeting’ on Nato membership

Sweden's Social Democrats are holding a "marathon meeting" this Friday on whether to join the Nato security alliance. The party's parliamentary group is joining its main leadership committee to thrash out the contentious issue.

Published: 22 April 2022 11:02 CEST
Sweden's Social Democrats kick off 'marathon meeting' on Nato membership
Social Democrat party secretary Tobias Baudin arrives at the "marathon meeting" on Nato on Friday. Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT

“The is the first big discussion in the party,” a source told the Aftonbladet newspaper, which was the first to report on the meeting on Thursday.  

The meeting, which will run from 9am to 3pm, marks the official start of a process many commentators see as designed to build support within the party ahead of a shift in policy in favour of a Nato application.

READ ALSO: The likely timetable for how Sweden could join Nato

Ahead of the meeting, climate minister Annika Strandhäll, who chairs the party’s women’s organisation, Social Democratic Women in Sweden, said that the party needed to reexamine its long-held policy of non-alignment in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“Social Democratic Women in Sweden has a long history of working for peace and disarmament,” she told TT. “We have a decision of the Social Democrat’s annual conference which states clearly that we in Sweden should be non-aligned and not apply to join Nato.

But when the security situation changes, as has happened with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, she said, it was the Social Democratic Women in Sweden’s responsibility to once again debate the membership issue. 

Social Democratic Women in Sweden, known in Sweden as S-Kvinnor, is seen by party watchers as one of the likely pockets of resistance to Nato membership. 

READ ALSO: Why isn’t Sweden part of the Nato security alliance?

At the same time, the party has appointed some of its most heavyweight figures, including the former foreign minister, Margot Wallström, the current foreign minister, Ann Linde, and Sweden’s defence minister, Peter Hultqvist, to take leading roles in the discussion within the party over joining Nato. 

The Social Democrats’ Secretary-General, Tobias Baudin, told TT that leading ministers and former ministers would lead a series of digital meetings with party members on May 9th, May 10th, and May 12th. 

“We have now decided on a number of speakers, people who will hold discussions with each of our party districts,” he told TT. 

Among those meeting party districts will be Foreign Minister Ann Linde, Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist, Justice Minister Morgan Johansson, Aid Minister Mathilda Ernkrans, and EU Minister Hans Dahlgren.

Margot Wallström, Sweden’s former foreign minister, will also lead discussions. 

“They have been selected because they are central representatives of the party who have a strong legitimacy, respect and confidence within our party, but also because they have good knowledge on this issue,” Baudin told the newswire.

He said that the discussions would lead off with a broad analysis of security and foreign policy issues, and would also cover both the advantages and disadvantages of Nato membership. 

“Most of all, they need to make sure that we have a good dialogue with the local boards of each of our party districts because these are the discussions that need to be there as a strong foundation if we need to take a decision later,” he said. 

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MILITARY

EXPLAINED: What you need to know about Sweden’s new military spending report

Sweden's parliamentary defence commission on Friday recommended adding 52.8 billion kronor to the national defence budget by 2030, taking defence spending to 2.6 percent of GDP.

Published: 27 April 2024 13:18 CEST
EXPLAINED: What you need to know about Sweden's new military spending report

What is the Swedish Defence Commision? 

The Swedish Defence Commission is a cross-party forum which seeks to ensure broad political agreement around Sweden’s defence requirements. It brings together representatives of all eight parties in the Swedish parliament, with two each from the Moderates, Sweden Democrats and Social Democrats and one each for the other parties.

There are also advisers and experts from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Finance, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. Members of the committee are supported by a secretariat comprising one principal secretary and five secretaries.

What is the report they have delivered? 

The committee on Friday delivered its final, report, “Strengthened defence capability, Sweden as an Ally“, meeting the deadline given by the country’s defence minister Pål Jonson when he ordered the committee to develop proposals for a new defence bill in December 2022, with a total of four reports, the first three of which were delivered in April 2023, June 2023, December 2023. 

What have they recommended? 

The committee have recommended that Sweden’s budget is increased from 119 billion kronor a year in 2024 to 185 billion kronor in 2030, which would bring total spending to 2.6 percent of Sweden’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 

The committee said it agreed with the recommendations given by Micael Byden, Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces in November 2023, which were that Sweden should increase or improve: 

  • air defence and in particular its cooperation within NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD)
  • its ability to combat air, land and sea drones 
  • its integration with NATO’s command system
  • its logistics, so that it can provide Host Nation Support and serve as a base for other units from other Nato countries. 
  • its capacity to operate with military units outside Sweden’s borders 

But the committee also made additional recommendations beyong those given by the armed forces, calling for: 

  • two new army brigades, so that Sweden would have three mechanised brigades and one infantry brigade by 2030
  • a new Norrland Infantry Regiment,
  • an increase in the number of conscripts trained a year from the current level of 8,000 to 10,000 in 2030 and 12,000 in 2032, and possibly to 14,000 in 2035
  • a boost in Sweden’s air defence capability, particularly to counter drone attacks 
  • stocking up on additional ammunition, including air-to-air and cruise missiles, and spare parts 
  • 20 new companies and platoons dedicated to defending Sweden’s territories 
  • increased refresher courses for conscripts, extra funding of voluntary defence organisations, and expansion of the officer education programme

How will the cost of funding this military expansion be met? 

While they were agreed on what needed to be done, party representatives on the committee did not agree on how much needed to be spent or how ti should be financed. 

The Centre Party representative said that spending should be higher, comprising 3 percent of GDP. 

The representatives from the Social Democrats, Left Party, and Green Party, added a statement to the report when they called for a section on how the extra spending should be financed.  

Peter Hultqvist, who served as defence minister under the former Social Democrat government, called for a new beredskapsskatt, or “Readiness Tax” to fund the increase, saying it was disappointing that the committee had not been able to agree on financing. 

“This demand is so big that it risks pushing other pressing requirements out of government spending plans,” he said. “There is a risk that healthcare, education and elderly care will be hit.” 

But Ulf Kristersson, Sweden’s prime minister, rejected the idea of a new tax. 

“It’s no secret that the parties on the left always see reasons to raise taxes, and that’s the case this time as well, I assume. But that is not our way forward,” he said. “We must be able to prioritise Swedish defense, and I understand that there is now complete agreement that it is an important political task.” 

Anna Starbrink, a defence spokesperson for the Liberals, the smallest party in the government, said that the Swedish Defence Commission had not in the past been tasked with developing funding proposals. 

“This is a new idea from the opposition and from the Social Democrats’ side is about nothing more than forcing through a new tax hike through the defence commission, and that’s something the rest of us don’t want to go along with,” she said. 

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