It's getting brighter in Sweden, says Kristersson in Wednesday's party leadership debate, the first of the election year.
It is being held in the Riksdag, and for the first time, in the evening. The move comes after a chaotic SVT debate last fall, where V leader Nooshi Dadgostar was criticized for interrupting other party leaders.
The debate is also taking place in the shadow of a meeting between Denmark and the United States over Greenland.
However, Ulf Kristersson sees signs of improvement at home, both in terms of combating gangs and in the economy.
Swedish companies are starting to invest again. Exports are increasing. We are not claiming any victories in advance, but it's clear that more and more people dare to believe in the future again, he says.
KD leader Ebba Busch also sees more signs of a brighter economy.
An ordinary family will receive SEK 5,000 more each month compared to 2022. That's delivery, she says.
The KD leader also does a little dance, in front of a laughing Ulf Kristersson, when she talks about how the regulatory hassle for companies has decreased.
It's worth an anti-bureaucracy dance, she says.
“Ordinary people's luck”
S leader Magdalena Andersson criticizes the government for widening the gaps and favoring the richest, and says that her message is "crystal clear".
Now it's ordinary people's turn.
"The Swedish people deserve a policy that puts them first. This should be noticeable both in everyday life and in their wallets," she says.
V-leader Nooshi Dadgostar is also focusing on the economy and proposing a new billionaire tax.
Five people today own as much as five million Swedes. While patients die in healthcare queues, others buy jets and luxury yachts.
Center leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist addresses the high unemployment rate:
It's not just people with poor Swedish skills who are out of work. It's also recent graduates and experienced middle-aged managers.
Both the Center leader and MP spokesperson Amanda Lind say that the government lacks climate ambitions.
"While other countries have free rein to rush ahead with the green transition, Sweden is hesitating. It is incomprehensible because we have everything to gain from making the transition," says Lind.
"Not close to clear"
SD leader Jimmie Åkesson's broad message ahead of the election is that the "juice and bun politics" has been addressed and that Sweden is moving in a positive direction.
Sweden is becoming more and more Swedish with each passing day. But we are nowhere near finished, says Åkesson.
Liberal Party leader Simona Mohamsson is under pressure ahead of the debate due to low opinion poll numbers.
"I feel pressure every day, I can say. But I was also aware when I took on this assignment that it would require a lot from me," she says outside the chamber.
