Riksdag Parties (from left to right)

Below are several short election platform summaries for the seven political parties currently represented in the Riksdag.

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Left Party – Vänsterpartiet (v)
www.vansterpartiet.se
2 MEPs (EUL-NGL)
The Left Party calls itself a “socialist and feminist” party. It is anti-EU and wants Sweden to leave the union altogether. Nevertheless, it argues the importance of having a strong Euro-sceptic in the European Parliament in order to “use all the influence given to us by democracy” to change the winds in Brussels. Not surprisingly, it also wants Sweden to keep the krona, calling the European Central Bank “the most undemocratic central bank in the world”.

Green Party – Miljöpartiet (mp)
www.mp.se
1 MEP (Greens/EFA)
Previously an EU sceptic party, the Greens recently abandoned their anti-EU stance, although they remain wary of a more centralized EU that looks too much like a “United States of Europe”. The party has three priority issues: fisheries policy, asylum policy, and of course, climate change.

Social Democratic Party – Socialdemokraterna (s)
www.socialdemokraterna.se
6 MEPs (PES)
Not surprisingly, the Social Democrats are prioritizing employment issues in the current economic crisis. They want to phase out EU agriculture subsidies and instead see the money spent on infrastructure and education in order to create more jobs. They also want to preserve the Swedish labour model of collective wage agreement, which remains under threat following a European Court of Justice ruling in the landmark Vaxholm case. In addition, the party is calling for more EU investment in green tech, especially wind power.

The party has even taken the trouble to publish its European Parliamentary election platform in English, which can be found in PDF form by clicking here.

Liberal Party – Folkpartiet (f)
www.folkpartiet.se
3 MEPs (ALDE)
The Liberals want to see a strong, federal EU which works together on transcendent policy areas, but leaves the “everyday issues” to member states. It wants Sweden to adopt the euro, supports Turkish EU membership, is against EU agriculture subsidies, and wants NATO to manage Europe’s defence, saving EU military operations for peacekeeping missions. The Liberals also want to see increased cooperation in asylum policy, crime fighting, and sustainable energy policies.

Centre Party – Centerpartiet (c)
www.centerpartiet.se
1 MEP (ALDE)
A very much pro-EU party, the Centre Party wants to see “a smaller and more focused EU”, with an emphasis on guaranteeing peace, fighting international crime, and promoting sustainable development. It calls for stronger privacy protections and the decriminalization of abortion in all EU member states. In addition, the party wants the EU to scrap member states’ veto right on foreign policy matters to increase the chances of the EU having a single voice in foreign affairs. The Centre Party also wants a fossil-fuel free Europe, with a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020.

Moderate Party – Moderaterna (m)
www.moderat.se
5 MEPs (EPP-ED)
Reflecting a strategy employed on the national stage, the Moderates are once again hoping to poach the worker vote from the Social Democrats in the election for the European Parliament by emphasizing that they too want to defend “the Swedish labour model”. On the economic front, the party also wants to increase the intra-EU market in services, ease restrictions on labour migration, and see Sweden adopt the euro. The Moderates also wants to see the EU ditch farm subsidies, do a better job promoting climate-friendly cars, and increase cross-border police cooperation.

Christian Democratic Party – Kristdemokraterna (kd)
www.kristdemokraterna.se
2 EMP's (EPP-ED)
They view peace and freedom as driving forces behind cooperation within the EU. The party sees environmental issues as the EU’s biggest challenge, calling for a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020. They also take a stand against age discrimination on the job, and want to ban advertising directed at children. The party is also keen to see all EU members take equal responsibility for managing the EU’s flow of asylum seekers and to see an increased EU military contribution to peacekeeping missions.

Next: Other parties to watch (in no particular order)

Step by Step guide:

1. The European Parliament in 30 seconds or less

2. European Parliamentary Elections

3. Who can vote in Sweden?

4. How do I vote and how does the election work?

5. Who on earth do I vote for on June 7th?

6. But what do the parties in Sweden actually want to do?

6 a.   Riksdag Parties (from left to right)

6 b.   Other parties to watch (in no particular order)

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