The Moderate Party conference in Västerås has decided on an updated integration policy.
The party sees integration as one of the major challenges during the next term of office and states in the party board's integration proposal that it is not enough to be able to speak Swedish and have a job.
What we are presenting now is a new "take" on this, says Johan Forssell.
The Moderate Party wants to see a new measure of integration: In Sweden, you accept and comply with Swedish values.
"Medieval values"
Forssell believes that too many children have been affected by the shortcomings in integration policy and have grown up in overcrowding and exclusion.
Sometimes even in parallel societies with values that have more in common with the Middle Ages than how we moderates want Sweden to be, he says.
The Moderate Party also decides at the conference that new arrivals should sign a Sweden contract to live according to Sweden's fundamental values, follow Swedish law, learn Swedish, acquire knowledge about Swedish society, and actively seek employment.
The contract will be linked to the residence permit.
If you think you will continue to discriminate between men and women, continue to uphold an honor culture at home, then you should not, with our policy, get an extended residence permit, says Forssell.
A basis will be developed where values that are important in Sweden are exemplified.
When asked what distinguishes the Moderate Party from the Christian Democrats and the Sweden Democrats, Forssell points to concrete proposals from the Moderate Party that aim at a goal.
We want you to become a citizen and we want you to become part of our community.
Stricter to minimal
The Moderate Party also wants to move from a stricter migration policy to a minimal asylum immigration.
In order to achieve this, however, one must start looking at changing international conventions, such as the EU's family reunification directive and the UN's Refugee Convention. This is not something that Sweden can do on its own, but Forssell believes that more people in Europe are interested in the issue.
We see that it has very disturbing consequences, he says, taking as an example that a serious rape today is not enough for the perpetrator's refugee status to be withdrawn.
The proposal received broad support at the conference. The few critical voices that were heard mainly concerned the proposal for integration zones. These are zones that will be established in vulnerable areas and where residents, among other things, will pay lower taxes.
Even if the intention is good, the principle must be clear: We should not have tax cuts on work for certain geographical areas - we should have tax cuts for everyone, said Wilhelm Warborn, representative for Västra Götaland, in a critical contribution.
Peter Wallberg/TT
Anja Haglund/TT
Facts: The Moderate Party conference's decision on integration policy
TT
New measure of integration: In Sweden, you accept and comply with Swedish values.
Asylum immigration to Sweden should be minimal.
New arrivals should sign a Sweden contract that clarifies rights and obligations.
Compliance with the Sweden contract should be a prerequisite for economic support and Swedish citizenship.
Failure to comply with the Sweden contract may be grounds for revocation of a residence permit.
Introduce mandatory honor screening for new arrivals.
Introduce integration zones in vulnerable areas.
Interpreters should not, as a general rule, be paid for by the public after three years, and the possibility for minors to act as interpreters for their parents should be prohibited.
The Discrimination Act should be reviewed so that it does not counteract Swedish values.
A basis will be developed where important values in Sweden are exemplified.
Introduce employment requirements to obtain an extended residence permit as an immigrant relative.
Fewer people should pay state income tax
State income tax should be introduced gradually
Reduce tax on young people's first income
Reform the basic allowance into a job allowance
Reform the sickness insurance
Phase out the green state credit guarantees
Investigate the pros and cons of euro membership
Reform the rent-setting system
Make the regions liable if they do not meet the care guarantee
Allow more than three free IVF attempts to have children
Introduce a national, free vaccination program for the elderly
Remove the upper age limit for breast cancer screening
Raise the age for child and adolescent psychiatric care from 18 to 21 years
Conduct earlier and more knowledge screenings in preschool and elementary school
Allow "no excuses" schools in Sweden
Make it possible to introduce school uniforms for schools that want to
Introduce a new type of municipal security guards
Extend the training of security guards and provide the right to study grants
Introduce a new crime, extremely serious rape, with life imprisonment
Restraining orders should be able to be issued for preventive purposes
Extend the maximum time for restraining orders
Asylum immigration should be minimal
Change the UN Convention so that the possibility of withdrawing refugee status increases
New arrivals should sign a Sweden contract with rights and obligations
Introduce integration zones in vulnerable areas, where special measures are allowed
Introduce employment requirements for extended residence permits for immigrant relatives
Establish a Nordic air defense shield
Landowners who create new natural values are guaranteed the right to decide over their land
Reduce the wolf population to 170 individuals
Free hunting of cormorants all year round
Stop large-scale trawling in the Baltic Sea
Make it easier to seize land when the owner is linked to a foreign power and a security risk exists
