Finance minister criticizes opposition's shadow budgets
Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson has dismissed the opposition's shadow budgets as scattered and ungovernable. The four opposition parties – Social Democrats, Left Party, Green Party, and Center Party – have presented their alternatives to the government's 2026 budget. Clear differences emerge within the opposition, especially on benefits and taxes.
On October 7, 2025, Sweden's opposition parties presented their shadow budgets in response to the government and Sweden Democrats' proposals for 2026. Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson quickly commented on them at a press conference, calling them a 'mess' and a 'left-wing experiment' if the Tidö parties lose the election. 'It leads Sweden in the wrong direction,' she said, pointing out that the proposals are 'very scattered.' She particularly criticized the Social Democrats' idea to abolish the deduction for the first day of sick leave, which she estimates costs tens of billions of kronor, and warned that it burdens hardworking people like nurses and bus drivers.
All opposition parties want to invest more in climate policy, healthcare, schools, infrastructure, and aid than the government. Social Democrats (S), Left Party (V), and Green Party (MP) commonly propose increases in child benefits and strengthened unemployment insurance. S also wants a 'bottom plate' for welfare through indexed state grants to municipalities and partially approves a tenth job tax cut up to 66,750 kronor per month, financed by a bank tax yielding 12 billion kronor annually. V proposes 400 kronor more in child benefits and 10 billion to healthcare, funded by higher taxes on incomes over 50,000 kronor, bank tax, abolished home service deduction, and higher ISK tax. MP aims to reduce emissions by over 15 million tons by 2030 – ten times more than the government – through higher carbon tax on gasoline and diesel (over 4 billion kronor in 2026), child benefits up by 350 kronor, and increased housing benefits, financed by flight tax and reduced job tax cut.
The Center Party (C) stands out with a bourgeois profile of 17.7 billion kronor in investments, including 10 billion to abolish employer contributions for youth, entry-level wages, long-term unemployed, and companies with up to ten employees. C wants to save on unemployment insurance, reduce child benefits from the second child, and reject lowered preschool maximum fees. They fully support the job tax cut and want even lower taxes, opposing bank tax. 'We are not a tax-raising party,' said C leader Anna-Karin Hatt. S economic policy spokesperson Mikael Damberg downplayed the divisions: 'There is quite a large consensus in the entire opposition' on the government's failures in growth and welfare.
SVT commentator Mats Knutson notes that C differs most from the other opposition parties.