In five days, the Social Democrats have held a congress in Gothenburg under the slogan "New direction for Sweden". Party leader Magdalena Andersson has drummed in that the party is now more straightforward, clearer and more action-oriented. Even the posters that have wallpapered the congress area have got a new, darker red color.
Will the voters notice any difference?
The short answer is no, says Jonas Hinnfors, professor of political science at the University of Gothenburg.
On point after point, I see no larger concrete proposals that differ from what they have been on for quite a few years now.
Red line
Even though most things have gone the party leadership's way, the road there has not been straight. There has been quarreling about the strict migration policy and the tough criminal policy. This has led to the tone being softened somewhat, but the party leadership can still go home with a mandate to continue on the beaten path.
The Social Democrats want to stop profit-taking from schools, scrap the deduction for sick leave and tax the rich more. But also have a strict migration policy, introduce mafia laws to get at gang leaders and pinpoint young people on their way into criminality.
There is absolutely no difference when it comes to crime and punishment and migration. They have already gone very far in the rhetoric on this area, says Hinnfors.
Prior to the congress, the Social Democrats in Skåne, the party's largest district, criticized the Social Democrats for sounding too much like the Moderate Party in criminal policy. At the congress, the law and order policy was further tightened when the party leadership received support for making the age of criminal responsibility possibly lowered from 15 to 14 years on a trial basis. This is something that the police and prosecutors warn may lead to even younger people being recruited into gangs.
For me, this is a red line. I don't see the point of opening up for it even temporarily, says Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, chairman of the municipal council in Malmö.
Left turn
On the whole, she is still satisfied that the delegates have got more focus on preventive measures in the guidelines. Even more satisfied is she with the decisions that enable investments in welfare, what some call a left turn.
Jonas Hinnfors lacks concretion in the rhetorical left turn - how will the rich be taxed and how will the profit ban in schools work? For example.
Now they have driven up expectations with this party program, so it's up to proof to come up with real, concrete proposals.
Moreover, he notes, all "left-wing proposals" may need to be renegotiated if the Social Democrats win the election and may need to cooperate with the Center Party. And conversely, the tough "right-wing turn" may meet resistance in potential negotiations with the Green Party and the Left Party.
