Free rent-setting in new construction has been a demand that has somewhat blocked many of our other proposals in the housing market, party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist tells Ekot.
The Center wants all parties to be invited to discussions about housing policy after the election, and in those negotiations the party will not push for market rents.
"We shouldn't have this question as an ultimatum," she says, adding that she wants to "lower the tone" in the debate.
She highlights overcrowding and the opportunity for young people to move out earlier as important issues to solve in the housing market.
According to Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist, the party still sees free rent-setting in new production, unlike today's system of collectively negotiated rents, as "a piece of the puzzle".
But we don't want that as a prerequisite, because we know there are so many deadlocks. Both red and blue governments have tried, but no one has really addressed the issue.
The announcement is welcomed by both the S and V parties. The Left Party's party secretary Maria Forsberg calls it a "sobering up" from the Center Party.
"But unfortunately, many more changes in position are needed from the Center for it to become a constructive party in the red-green collaboration," she says in a comment.
