There is too little discussion of preschool in Sweden, says M leader Ulf Kristersson at a press conference in Mariefred together with party colleague and Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson.
Preschool should be free of charge, he says.
Kristersson believes that preschool plays an important role in integration.
We know that preschool gives children a better start in regular school, and we know that it supports language development in children who do not speak Swedish at home, he says.
Good location
Ulf Kristersson also highlights the role of preschool in getting more people into work.
It provides a good basis for both mothers and fathers to take responsibility for both family life and work life. It is good in itself. So there is no natural reason why preschool should be subject to fees when the rest of the school is not.
According to the Moderates, now is a good time to abolish the fee, with declining birth rates and an economy that is on its way out of recession. Ulf Kristersson does not think the proposal should be seen as a stimulus.
This is a long-term reform that strengthens the role of preschool, but also strengthens the economy for those who are starting to work or who are working a little more, he says.
He describes the current fee as “in practice” a tax on working, as it rises with income up to a ceiling. According to M, the fee particularly affects single parents, foreign-born women and families with lower incomes.
“More people in employment”
Elisabeth Svantesson says that a typical family with two children can save up to SEK 2,100 per month with the fee abolished. This is part of the Moderates' election promise to give households an extra SEK 5,000 in their wallets.
The reform is estimated to cost 10 billion a year, which according to M will be financed by reduced bureaucracy, reduced subsidy fraud and redistributed aid. The municipalities will be fully compensated by the state for the lost revenue.
M expects that free preschool could become a reality during the next term if they win the election. However, this requires that they can get the proposal through in negotiations with other parties.
M wants to remove the fee for preschool and after-school care.
According to the party, this could mean up to 2,100 kronor more per month for a family with two children.
The proposal is part of M's promise that a family will be able to keep an additional 5,000 kronor a month.
The cost is estimated at SEK 10 billion per year.
M claims that it has funding for its election promises totaling 70 billion kronor. That is how much the party believes can be saved by a stricter work policy, reduced bureaucracy and less subsidy fraud. In addition, the party wants to reprioritize aid.
