Unemployment is the highest in ten years, except for the pandemic, according to the government. And it continues to rise.
Some might therefore say that this budget allocation of around one and a half billion kronor to the labour market is meagre. For comparison, the government is expected to allocate around 60 billion kronor in unfunded budget proposals.
I do not share that view, the best labour market policy is a functional, effective education policy that leads to real jobs, says Minister for Labour Market Johan Pehrson.
If that is not enough, our policy creates increased demand in the economy, which generates jobs, he continues.
The new funds, 900 million, will provide 11,000 more places in vocational training for adults, calculated as annual study places, including study support. This means a total of around 72,000 places next year at a cost of six billion kronor, according to the Tidö parties' budget proposal.
This is by far the largest part of the government's and the Sweden Democrats' package to address the increasingly high unemployment.
The rest is smaller adjustments. The Employment Service receives an additional 79 million kronor to support long-term unemployed. Jobbsprånget, assistance to foreign-born academics, receives an additional ten million kronor.
Furthermore, the job package includes smaller tax cuts for small business owners.