Fateful Crossroads in Politics Await 2025

Security policy appears to be at the center of politics in 2025 as well.

On January 20, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the President of the United States. Top-level meetings will likely be numerous, where Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) and other EU and NATO leaders ponder how to strengthen European security and support Ukraine if the US reduces its engagement.

At home, the government has its hands full delivering on promised legislative proposals. The goal is to have as many as possible in place before the election to demonstrate results to voters.

Several completed investigations, such as reduced sentence reductions for young people, indeterminate security sentences, and secret coercive measures against children, will now be turned into legislative proposals.

And even more weighty investigations will be completed during the spring, such as doubling sentences for gang crimes, stricter requirements for citizenship, and deportation due to misconduct.

The Big Question

Ulf Kristersson has also promised that new nuclear power plants will begin construction before the next election. Then, a proposal for financing new nuclear power must be ready in the spring to come into effect on July 1.

Professor of Political Science Jonas Hinnfors expects the debate on new nuclear power to remain heated. Both the opposition and the government believe they can score points by debating the issue.

The political year 2025 will, according to Hinnfors, also be characterized by the parties' preparations for the 2026 election. All, except the Left Party, have congresses where new political guidelines are established.

A really big question is whether The Liberals will provide an answer on whether they can participate in a government that includes the Sweden Democrats (SD), in the event that the Tidö parties win the election.

They are facing a fateful choice, says Hinnfors.

Thinking of Quitting

If L says no to SD, leaves the Tidö cooperation, and becomes a non-aligned party, they risk losing moderate support votes that could save L from being ousted from parliament.

The Liberals are a party that will need support votes, says Hinnfors.

It is not certain that L will provide an answer to this question in 2025, but the pressure will increase ahead of the party's national meeting in late November, the same weekend as SD's national days.

The Sweden Democrats are also facing a choice, according to Hinnfors. To continue being against the "establishment", i.e., the liberal establishment, including the media, or to become more like a regular, more governable bourgeois party.

Hinnfors believes that there are quite strong tensions within the party that could come to the surface the day Jimmie Åkesson quits. Åkesson is celebrating 20 years as party leader this spring.