The proposal: More conscripts and 53 billion extra for the defense

The defense committee, consisting of representatives of the eight parliamentary parties, experts and experts, agrees that the Swedish defense must both grow, and that it needs to go faster.

– The important thing for me is to underline the consensus that exists, says Hans Wallmark, chairman of the defense committee, at a press conference where the committee’s final report was presented.

Great importance is placed on adapting the defense to the requirements that NATO places on an ally. It must be done with a significantly increased budget.

The subsidy will gradually increase to SEK 52.8 billion in 2030. Then the total defense budget is estimated to be SEK 185 billion, which is 2.6 percent of GDP, according to NATO’s definition.

No answer about conscripts in NATO

The preparation proposes, among other things, the training of more conscripts, from today’s 8,000 to 10,000 in 2030 and 12,000 in 2032.

One question has been whether conscripts should be able to be used in NATO operations and sent abroad even in peacetime. That answer is deferred to the future. According to the Defense Committee, the subject is complex, and there is no agreement among the parties.

– It needs to be analyzed further, says Hans Wallmark.

The Swedish air defense is to be strengthened to face new types of threats from, among other things, drones.

The preparation wants to get two new mechanized brigades in place faster. Two more brigades, one mechanized and one infantry brigade, are to be “essentially operational” by 2030. In the Riksdag’s decision from 2020, three brigades would be in place by 2030.

S proposes contingency tax

How everything will be financed is a question that remains in the air. The Social Democrats, the Left Party and the Green Party want to see a contingency tax on high incomes, but the governing parties do not.

– These amounts are so large that they risk crowding out other urgent needs in the treasury. There is a risk that schools, care and welfare will be affected, says the party’s defense policy spokesperson Peter Hultqvist.

See the entire SVT live broadcast here.