Social Democrats aim for cross-bloc collaboration on key issues after election

Magdalena Andersson said she wants to lead Sweden with a new spirit of cooperation after the election, even if the Social Democrats secure a centre-left majority. She identified energy, major infrastructure projects, a tax review, an agreement on free and independent public service, and a crackdown on gang crime as areas for broad collaboration. She said she would pursue these types of agreements even when she has a majority in parliament. She did not announce which parties the Social Democrats would govern with after the election, and she said the government question was unchanged. The party would cooperate with all parties except the far-right Sweden Democrats. Mikael Damberg said the approach aims to achieve results by building on shared views of underlying problems.

"“We are going into the election as an individual party, but I want to lead Sweden into a new spirit of cooperation,” Andersson said at a press conference alongside the party's finance spokesperson, Mikael Damberg. The areas where she envisages cooperation are energy, major infrastructure projects, a tax review, an agreement on free and independent public service, and the crackdown on gang crime."

"“I will seek these types of broad collaborations even if I have gathered a majority in parliament,” she said. She did not make any new announcements regarding which parties the Social Democrats could imagine governing with after the election. The stance that the party would cooperate with all parties except the far-right Sweden Democrats remains unchanged."

"“I have neither advocated for nor ruled out any government. This is not a new announcement on the government question,” Andersson said. “The statement I'm making today is that on these specific issues, even if I have a majority behind me, I see a point in finding broader agreements,” she said."

"When asked if this is a way to avoid cooperating with their fellow centre-left parties on certain issues, Damberg replied: “No, it is rather a way to achieve results.” “We believe that many parties still share a common view of the underlying problem, and that we therefore could reach a broader agreement,” he said."

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