• Sweden edition
Politics

Löfven won’t block profits in care sector

Published: 3 Feb 12 16:12 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/38912/20120203/

New Social Democrat leader Stefan Löfven has ruled out the possibility of forbidding companies from making profits in the care sector.

Despite a string of recent scandals in privately run heatlh orgnaisations, the new leader doesn’t think it is possible to implement a ban on such profiteering. However he made it clear that he is not happy about where the money ends up going.

”We do not believe in prohibiting such actions, but it is unjustifiably wrong that tax money made from the care sector goes to tax havens. We must find a way to handle it without saying that we do not want freedom of choice,” Löfven told TT.

Löfven believes that the areas his party needs to target first are large cities where the Social Democrats have been losing ground in the opinion polls, especially to the environmental parties in Stockholm.

”It is crucial that there is good care, good care for the elderly, and good schooling. We must be more specific over what we demand of health care practitioners, which could for example, be a question of staffing,” he added.

Löfven has already started the process of winning back lost voters as he looks to improves ratings in the polls. He hinted that he will take a close look at the current party policies before deciding on a course of action and there is still a large question mark over possible coalition partners.

Löfven refused to rule out either going it alone or forming a new red-green coalition.

”You should never just stick to a single solution. If you are going to take responsibility for the country you must ensure that there is a government that is supported in Parliament and that people feel safe,” said the new leader.

TT/The Local/gm (news@thelocal.se)

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17:07 February 3, 2012 by Prestonrobsun
He wants to go down the route the Tories are doing in the UK.

They will destroy the NHS by creeping privatisation and the same will happen in Sweden.

Only the wealthy will be able to afford anything but the most basic treatment.
20:41 February 3, 2012 by Mb 65
Another dictator to join the rest.
20:46 February 3, 2012 by HYBRED
I think today's politician's and they're party's have to remember what government policies and freedom's were in place when they grew up. They had good healthcare, education, and a host of other benefit's, now they are trying to gut a lot of these, thus making people's lives more difficult and stressed. They should remember their roots and what got them where they are and let others have the same.
13:16 February 4, 2012 by Abe L
You can never forbid any sector from making a profit as it simply takes away all motivation and innovation. It is far more important that they take measures which ensures that profit made in care remains in Sweden and gets reinvested in the Swedish economy and does not get funneled to foreign shareholders of random investment companies.

Sweden just needs to accept that their extremely luxurious situation with free healthcare and free education isn't realistic and that the rest of the world is slowly catching up on the country. A system where your employer and not the taxpayer is picking up the bill for healthcare is much more realistic. It doesn't only require people to contribute to society through a job but it also greatly reduces government expenses in that area which should lead to relieved tax pressure, which is good for everyone.
20:06 February 4, 2012 by strixy
It will destroy your health care like it has destroyed it in the UK. In search for profit private companies hire anyone including illegal immigrants and convicted criminals. Abuse is so common that onlt truely gruesome cases make the headlines. Learn from others' mistakes instead of insisiting on making your own!
20:40 February 4, 2012 by Rey Stockholm
Another politician willing to sell his soul for a few vote

How can a socialist allow this to happen and even support it
09:36 February 9, 2012 by expatjourno
They could start by prohibiting electronic transfers to and from banks in tax havens. That would include banning Swedish ATM/Bankomat machines from contacting banks in offshore tax havens. And the IP addresses of banks in offshore tax havens could be blocken in Sweden.

There are plenty of ways to make it difficult to use offshore tax havens. But for some unknown reason, the politicians don't do any of them...
11:59 February 11, 2012 by philster61
How much kickback is he taking?
13:47 March 9, 2012 by karex
#4 agree. The middle ground, and in this case "shared responsibility" is the only way to go. The problem is Jante Law: if everyone cannot work for a large company and receive benefits, no one else can. It's this law in my opinion that is slowly deteriorating the country. Instead of promoting equality (which I suspect was the original intention) it only breeds envy. The envy is dragging down the entire country in the hole.
22:29 March 16, 2012 by libertarianism
After my experiences in Sweden, I will fight to my dying day against state socialism.
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