หัวหน้าพรรคฝ่ายขวาจะทำให้ผู้คนสวีเดนยากจนลง Kristersson lets welfare starve

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Peter Gustavsson

Kristersson lets welfare starve

Big tax cuts more important than school and healthcare

PUBLISHED: TODAY 06.00

UPDATED: TODAY 09.38

Aftonbladet's editorial page is independent social democratic.

LEADER

Prices break new records. In the grocery store, on the utility bill, at the gas pump.

During the election campaign, there was a lot of talk about the rising electricity and petrol prices. But according to a recent survey, we are most concerned about the rising prices of food, which worries three out of four Swedes.

Most people understand why everything has become more expensive, all over the world. A pandemic-closed economy opened up, in jerks and with many bottlenecks. And then Putin started a war and cut off the gas flow.

Ulf Kristersson (M) demands new job tax deductions and lower capital taxes, while schools and health care are threatened by inflation.

Ulf Kristersson (M) demands new job tax deductions and lower capital taxes, while schools and health care are threatened by inflation.

Photo: Claudio Bresciani/TT

School and healthcare will also become more expensive

It is not only households that are affected by the rising prices. Other things that become more expensive are school meals, home care transport and healthcare medicines, to take just a few examples.

Sweden's Municipalities and Regions (SKR) expects rising tax revenues, but also sharply rising costs. And in the coming years, the proportion of elderly people will increase, which increases the challenge of financing welfare.

The question of how welfare is to cope with rising prices has not taken up much space in the election campaign. Perhaps because the problem in many places is still that the mostly bourgeois-ruled regions have piled up money instead of using the pandemic support to reduce care queues.

Can quickly become a deficit

But that situation can quickly reverse. And SKR already warned last spring that inflation could cause deficits in municipalities and regions. The rising prices municipalities and regions will see increased costs for their contractual pensions by 40 billion in 2023.

If the Riksbank's interest rate increases have the intended effect and the economy slows down, then unemployment will start to rise. In such a situation, it does not matter how great the needs are for good welfare. Principals, activity managers and chief doctors around the country will still be tasked with cutting back.

And local politicians will be forced to shut down entire businesses. Municipalities and regions are prohibited by law from running a deficit.

Welfare or tax cuts?

If such a crisis is to be avoided, the government must be prepared to put more money into welfare. It will be difficult if you make large tax cuts at the same time.

The moderates are going to the polls on a new job tax deduction and reduced capital taxes. It withdraws tens of billions from the financing of the common welfare. Just when the money will be needed the most.

Of:

Peter Gustavsson