Social Democrats seek KD backing for indexing healthcare funding to inflation

This means a major fundamental change in the financing of welfare, she says.

As early as 2023, S presented the proposal to index central government grants to municipalities and regions.

Now the party is making the proposal an election promise.

Central government grants to municipalities and regions currently amount to SEK 174 billion per year. With inflation of two percent, the grants would automatically increase by around SEK 3 billion.

That's not much for a single year, according to the party's economic policy spokesman Mikael Damberg. But over an entire term, it means an increase of over 14 billion.

Should be safe

And if Sweden is hit by a new inflation crisis of 10 percent, government grants would increase by 17 billion.

The idea is that municipalities and regions should be able to be sure that they are compensated for inflation so that they do not have to cut staff.

However, the S proposal is only sufficient to secure funding for the current level of healthcare, schools and social care.

But we intend to make more investments in welfare, says Andersson.

She points out that governments often present more state money for welfare as investments, when it is actually about compensation for increased welfare costs.

"There must be an end to politicians presenting initiatives that are actually cuts," says Andersson.

KD flirting

The S leader also continues with her invitations to KD to participate in broad agreements across the bloc and hopes to get KD involved in an agreement on indexation.

I want to extend a hand to the parties in the Riksdag. If Ebba Busch wants to join hands with me, my door is open, says Magdalena Andersson.

A broad agreement would ensure that indexation is long-term and not torn up during changes of government.

When asked if S can then agree to KD's demand to nationalize healthcare, the S leader replies:

Does this mean that we want to nationalize healthcare? No, it doesn't.

However, Andersson adds that S wants to see increased state control of healthcare.

The lukewarm response

The KD leader's response is lukewarm.

It is clear that we can discuss budget principles with S, says Ebba Busch.

But she warns against overconfidence that more money for welfare would be the "only salvation."

–Our big problem is primarily that it is the organization that holds back the power in healthcare, not the money, says Busch.