.png "Magdalena Andersson's summer speech 2022") |
| [Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson] |
The uttered word applies.
I really appreciate it! Have you enjoyed your summer thus far? That is something I have with me!
And let me mention something that we are all aware of already: the summertime in Sweden must be an amazing place to be Swedish. Visit several summer flea markets and summer cafés for some coffee. Days spent dozing off on the beach. Activities such as barbecuing in the fields and picnicking on the rocks. Teenagers who obtain their first paycheck while working during the summer and experience the pleased sense of taking another step towards adulthood.
Every single day of the year, I am in utter awe of Sweden. As happened only the night before, when I warmed myself on a sun-warmed rock before plunging headfirst into the gin-clear ocean. It should come as no surprise that during the summer we enjoy Sweden even more than usual. And I am really pleased to call Sweden my home.
But I am also aware, as are many other Swedes, that Sweden has room for improvement. It seems clear to me that a significant portion of what Sweden does well, including its security, equality, welfare, and natural environment, is in jeopardy. Rival groups of criminals exchanging gunfire with each other. A welfare system that is not commercialized. Severe weather conditions.
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And it has to be acknowledged that there are Swedes who had summers that were everything but enjoyable. Recently, I was in Helsingborg, and while there, I went about and knocked on people's doors.
There I met a youngster who was ten years old. I inquired as to what he believed should be altered about our culture. And without hesitating for even a nanosecond, he responded: the shootings. This is the topic that the youth of Sweden want to discuss with their prime minister when they have the chance.
Over sixty people were shot in Sweden during the months of June and July, with nine people losing their lives and 18 others receiving injuries. There are a great number of people in Sweden who do not identify themselves when those figures are written down and examined more closely.
The unfortunate reality is that it's not simply the quantity of shootings that's severe; it's also the manner in which they're being carried out. Earlier on in the summer, a police chief in Sormland provided the following information to Dagens Nyheter:
Twenty years ago, a powerful mark was earned by shooting a competitor in the leg. Children are taught to have a "shoot to kill" mindset in today's society, which is a terrible legacy to pass on to them.
I am under no delusion regarding the manner in which criminals operated in the past. There are a lot of people who lived during the 1980s and 1990s who can attest to the capabilities of the crooks back then. But in the last twenty years, there has been an extraordinary change in the standards around criminal behavior in Sweden. Our nation is now being tormented by a crime that is both more violent and more merciless than any other crime we have ever seen in the past.
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Because of this, the government has strengthened the penalty for over 70 different offenses and made 30 additional behaviors illegal. We are now engaged in the most extensive growth in the history of both the police force and the whole court system. We have increased the number of prosecutors, created more jails, and provided almost every law enforcement agency with updated equipment, more personnel, and expanded authority.
The consequences of this strategy may also be seen. The prison population now contains more dangerous offenders who are being held for lengthier terms. However, behind every gang member who is convicted of a crime and given a jail term, there is a newer generation of men who are eager to take their place.
They do this recklessly and with disregard to the danger of injuring strangers; the gangs fire at each other in the open street to settle their scores. Its effects are not limited to those who are unfortunate enough to be in the area when it occurs.
Gang shootings in Sweden pose a danger to the country's overall safety as well as the right to freedom of movement, which is guaranteed to all residents who obey the law. That is something that Sweden will never tacitly allow. Because whenever society is under assault, it is then necessary for society to protect itself. In this situation, there is no place for negotiation or compromise!
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Because of this, we are starting today a nationwide campaign to reduce the number of shootings caused by gangs. The attack is being carried out simultaneously on two fronts. a stand must be taken both against the firearms and the gangs.
First and foremost, we have got to start cracking down on the illicit guns. Without a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed, the police need to have the ability to search every apartment, every storage space in the basement, and every vehicle where gang members could keep their weapons.
We have to put a stop to the flow of firearms through our borders by installing additional cameras and improving communication and coordination between our customs agents, law enforcement, and prosecutors. In addition, we are going to increase the severity of the penalties for those who commit significant crimes using guns. The minimum term of imprisonment must be increased to at least four years, which is now twice as lengthy.
Even if taking away the gangs' firearms makes them less threatening to anybody who could come into contact with them, this does not make them any less inclined to commit crimes.
The second step is going to include tightening the noose that is now around the gangs. It will be a criminal infraction to engage young individuals under the age of 18 in criminal activity, and this will be done to make it more difficult to attract new members. The use of children as young as twelve years old by criminal gangs as security for drug transactions should never be tolerated by society.
Those who are accused of typical gang crimes, such as robbery, major assault, or serious extortion, are required to stay in detention until they are found guilty of their charges. It is unacceptable that juveniles who have been robbed should be forced to watch their attackers go free while their cases are pending.
In addition to this, the penalties for drug crimes as well as repeat offenders need to be raised. If two people fire at each other in a public location, they should be subject to a penalty that is far more severe than what is already the case. More beyond what is allowed under the law.
Because of this assault, the community will have a much improved chance of relieving gang members and other criminals of their firearms. Additionally, this results in an increased number of gang members serving lengthier terms, and it also makes it more difficult for new members to join. It allows society the room to maneuver so that it may regain control of the residential areas that have been held prisoner by the gangs.
Because if there are fewer lawbreakers on the outside, it makes room for regular citizens on the inside.
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We social democrats do not shy away from taking strong action against criminal activity, regardless of where or when it takes place. However, increasing the number of police and imposing harsher penalties are merely the initial steps toward dismantling the gangs. Anyone who genuinely takes the time to listen to what the police officers have to say is aware of this fact. We are going to have to bypass the middleman and get straight to the source of the problem, which is segregation.
Many of the children who later become members of rival gangs and take up arms against one another were born in this area. But they have spent their whole lives in a Sweden in which excessive levels of segregation have been tolerated and even encouraged.
In point of fact, solitary confinement is one of the cruelest practices that Sweden is able to put newcomers to. To begin, you are compelled to relocate to a region where an insufficient number of people speak Swedish and where you can find work. If this occurs, the chances of successfully integrating into society would be quite low. The members of the criminal gangs then attempt to draw your children into drug trafficking, violence, and shootings by getting their claws into your children.
The practice of segregation limits opportunities in life. Criminality is a byproduct of segregation. Segregation kills. Because of this, we need to keep moving forward, one step at a time, in order to end the practice of segregation and put an end to gang activity.
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We members of the social democratic party will not cave in. We have updated an immigration policy that was not going to be sustainable, and we want to restrict the entry of workers. In order to learn Swedish and to acquire a job, we want to make the standards more stringent. We want to do rid of the EBO statute because it contributes to segregation.
We aspire to construct a society in which every kid that is raised in Sweden does so in an environment in which Swedish is the primary language spoken to one another. Where youngsters get the education they are meant to receive at school and then either enter the workforce or continue their studies once they become adults. In which society is able to intervene when young people are headed down the path of criminality or extremism in a timely and effective manner. Or risk getting married off.
Above everything. We social democrats believe that it is important for children to see both parents participating in paid labor.
When I suggest that every single parent ought to have a job, I really do mean that. Even maternal figures. Because far too many women who were born outside of Sweden have not yet been given the opportunity to participate in the job market in the same way that Swedish women did in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. They have not yet experienced the independence that comes with having their own source of income. The freedom to live as you choose and associate with anyone you want.
In my opinion, there is no room for debate about that. In Sweden, it is obligatory for everyone to treat women and men on an equal footing. Regardless of the city or country in where you were born!
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However, in order to overcome segregation, the whole of Sweden will need to come together. It is us, the members of the government and the Riksdag, who make decisions on the police and the penalty. Politicians at the municipal level make decisions about schools and social services. Employers who are going to be hiring new workers. People on their own time who do things like their schoolwork, go to language cafes, or work as football instructors.
Yes, there are criminal groups and forces operating in our country that pose a danger to the integrity and unity of our nation. However, there are a great deal more of the rest of us. All of us who are interested in contributing to the creation of a Sweden that is secure and unified.
A Sweden in which youngsters who visit the Prime Minister are not required to address shootings and are instead free to concentrate on other matters without fear of reprisal. Such as providing better meals in schools. And more time off over the summer.
On this issue, social democratic voters will cast their ballots. In addition, we are prepared to collaborate with anybody who is interested in contributing to the solution.
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One of the truly large stones that we need to move is the muddled Swedish market school. This is one of our challenges. There are a lot of politicians that like discussing the disaster that has been left in our classrooms.
As for me, I concur. Classrooms in Sweden are expected to maintain order at all times. Both the students and the instructors need to take regular breaks from their responsibilities.
However, many politicians choose to remain mute when it comes to the mistakes in the system that are responsible for the chaos in schools. Free schools that were operating but have since closed down. Ratings of pupils' levels of happiness can not only result in unfair benefits but also in students' failing to learn what they should have. Despite warnings from the Security Police, Islamists are controlling schools. Listed businesses who charge towns for services that they do not really provide in order to get their tax money.
It is clear to me that the majority of the parties do not want to discuss this. Everything that I have described here takes occur totally in compliance with the laws that are in effect in Sweden.
We, the Social Democrats, have been putting up specific legislative measures for the last eight years in an effort to clean up the mess that exists in schools. In addition, the majority of parties in the Riksdag have rejected this idea over the last eight years. They are acting in a manner that is absolutely in opposition to the folks they represent, but they are acting in a manner that is perfectly consistent with the major school businesses and their lobbyists.
Not that weird, maybe. This week, the proprietor of a free school claimed that he maintains consistent communication with the leadership of right-wing political organizations. He typically sends SMS with the phrase "when Ulf Kristersson has been excellent," and here I will quote him.
In the event that it is decided that his firm cannot continue to make a profit off of the students in Swedish schools, he has said that he would file a claim for damages against the state in the amount of two billion kroner. Two billion kroner. One of Sweden's school organizations has set their sights on earning that amount from the money that is intended to be used for paying teachers' salaries and purchasing textbooks.
In Sweden, we just cannot go on living in such an environment. The education of children and young people in the skills necessary for maturity ought to be the primary focus of the educational institution. that throughout their childhood they are instilled with the democratic principles that are the foundation of our society. The primary objective of the educational system in Sweden should not be to generate profits for publicly traded firms, venture capitalists, or foreign investors.
There is no need for Sweden to have a right-wing administration that handles the business of the many school organizations. It is imperative that Sweden have a parliament that is attentive to the interests and desires of the Swedish people.
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And this isn't something that just applies to the classroom. In order for Sweden to fulfill its healthcare obligations, the country need a greater number of qualified nurses and an improved working environment. There should be more assistant nurses working in senior care, and they should be treated with respect, in order for them to be able to guarantee a secure old age for everyone who need it. If this is the case, then the money collected in taxes cannot be diverted to the profits of publicly traded corporations or venture capitalists.
Each and every one of you who are now standing here is entitled to welfare. The residents are the ones who foot the bill. We social democrats want to take back democratic control over welfare.
The welfare system in Sweden should be run by the Swedish people themselves.
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The money in welfare must be spent as intended. But welfare also requires greater resources. Then more Swedes need to work and pay taxes. And we know one thing about the Swedish jobs of the future. They are green.
When we speak about climate change, it's easy to get caught up in the bad. In the risky.
And I don't hesitate to call it like it is. If emissions and warming continue as they are currently, it is not simply Sweden's wonderful environment that is endangered. It threatens the whole human life with forest fires, droughts, floods and landslides.
So the issue is not whether we should change, but how. I want to execute climate change that works for everyday people. A climatic change that produces more Swedish employment.
Because the new green employment will not arrive someday in the future - they will come here and now, in Gothenburg and all of Sweden. Here, Volvo Cars and Northvolt will develop a battery manufacturing that will generate more than 3,000 new employment. Volvo trucks will develop a battery facility in Mariestad. In Kiruna, Luleå and Oxelösund, the world's first fossil-free steel is made.
Business has already made up its mind. They have ambitions for job-creating green investments in Sweden for hundreds of billions of kroner. But if those jobs are to become a reality, then a government that truly wants to accomplish the climate transition is essential.
Then it will not do for Swedish politicians who point to others. Because when they argue that other nations should take responsibility for the environment, the corporate world hears something quite different. They hear Swedish politicians saying: "Don't invest in Sweden. Let the employment wind up elsewhere.”
It is terrible for the climate. It's horrible for employment. It is horrible for Sweden.
As long as I am prime minister, Sweden will never give away investments to other nations. I will strive every day for more green employment in Sweden - not fewer!
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But even if you work, it is costly to be Swedish right now. The money in the food account suddenly does not last as long. There will be a rise in both the cost of electricity and the interest rate on mortgages. It will put a dent in your pocketbook each and every time you stop for gas.
I'm not going to paint. There are a number of clues pointing to the possibility that things may grow worse before it gets better.
There is not a single competent leader on the planet who can make such pledge about the Putin awards. It would contribute to inflation, cause interest rates to rise, and bring the Swedish government's finances to their lowest point ever.
Many of us may still vividly recall what took place in the years after the catastrophic financial collapse of the Moderate party in the 1990s.
I remember. I can't help but think of all the people who worked hard and did the right thing for themselves, only to watch as the value of their salaries, savings, and homes evaporated. When money for assistance was required to pay interest on the national debt, I recall how the elderly got inferior care. I will never forget the cost that a reckless economic policy exacted on the Swedish people, and I will never forget that price.
Now the Moderates are offering another another job tax deduction, and we all know how that will turn out if they are given the opportunity. Large deficits in Sweden's public finances have been left behind by three out of the three conceivable right-wing regimes in the country's history.
As long as I hold the office of prime minister, I guarantee that I will never stop fighting against the foolish overbidding policies of the right. I do not make any concessions when it comes to the budget for either the home or the state.
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Nevertheless, this does not imply that we are defenseless in the face of Putin's accolades.
Because to the government's efforts to save money during the prosperous years, Sweden has the financial strength necessary to help those who have been impacted the hardest. As we did with the compensation for the price of power for those of us who had our electric bills remain the same throughout the winter. With lower taxes on gasoline and diesel, commuters who rely on their cars for work will have an easier time making ends meet.
We shall expand our efforts. We would want to see an increase in the mileage limit as well as a significant improvement to the deduction for travel expenses. When our monthly power expenditures reach an unsustainable level, we will not remain apathetic.
Naturally, we also back the Swedes, who are now in the position with the narrowest margins. The next week, one million Swedish retirees will take note. Then, each month, their pensions might get an increase of up to one thousand kroner.
On the other hand, the parties associated with the right wing campaigned against the rise right up to the very end. It is possible that the fact that the Moderates do not want to increase pensions is not a newsworthy subject. But the fact that Jimmie Lee Session voted against it probably came as a surprise to many of his supporters. I'm not really shocked by it. Because this issue represents a distinct cleavage in Swedish political discourse.
The Sweden Democrats want to speak about the pensions, but the Social Democrats are the ones who are really responsible for raising them. The Sweden Democrats advocate for closing the unjust tax gap that affects retirees, but the Social Democrats are the ones that really get things done to close the gap.
It's not complicated to me at all. If you have contributed to the development of this nation, of which we are so proud, then you ought to be eligible for a stable retirement income as well. It's all about having respect, in my book!
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Now things are starting to get more serious. The beginning of early voting is coming up in ten days. In addition, the polling places will be closed on September 11. This fall, there is a lot riding on the outcome. If this occurs, Sweden will be able to elect the most staunchly conservative right-wing government it has ever seen.
And what exactly does Kristersson bring to the table for the people of Sweden? Continued segregation is a primary factor in the recruitment of new members for criminal gangs. When Sweden outsources its climate change work to other countries, Sweden loses employment opportunities. A system of welfare that has been privatized and provides lobbyists with unfettered access to the office of the Prime Minister.
And Democrats in Sweden who have a voice in shaping the country's foreign and defense policies. The very same Sweden Democrats whose party leaders are unable to decide who would make a better president between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden. This gives those who support Putin a voice in the Riksdag's defense committee, where they will have access to sensitive information regarding the safety of the kingdom.
The Sweden Democrats, who state in their own white paper - which was written by a member of the party - that they are a direct continuation of Bevara Sverige Svenskt and have deep roots in Swedish neo-Nazism. This statement was made by the Sweden Democrats.
The political party that Ulf Kristersson assured a Holocaust survivor he would not lend his influence to under any circumstances. Also, after breaking his promise, Ulf Kristersson stated, "It wasn't me who promised. It was someone else." We shouldn't forget what he said, should we? It was the Alliance that did it.
But when it comes to this particular issue, we can put our faith in Ulf Kristersson. If he is elected prime minister, he will do everything in his power to destroy the fund that pays for unemployment insurance, and he will also do everything in his power to make health insurance more difficult to obtain. And Jimmie Kesson, he won't put any obstacles in our path.
When they go to the polls, each and every Swedish citizen is required to be aware of this.
Even Johan Pehrson has joined you in the pool of bluish-brown water at this point.
It must cut deep into the feelings of a great number of Swedish liberals. Particularly so in this city of Gothenburg. The city that Torgny Segerstedt calls home. The bastion of bourgeois anti-Nazism and resistance. The Liberals, who have historically been a party with principles and who have fought for equal rights and the recognition of each individual's inherent worth,
Throughout the entirety of Sweden's history, the Liberal Party has served as the bourgeoisie's primary line of defense against right-wing extremism, fascism, and Nazism. However, Johan Pehrson is going to the polls today for an entirely different reason. Now, he wants to be the person who ensures the Sweden Democrats gain access to positions of power in the government.
Having to watch it is very upsetting.
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Now is the time for those of us affiliated with the Social Democratic Party to vote on three distinct issues.
We have to look in every possible direction if we want to end the segregation and put an end to the gangs.
It is imperative that we quicken the pace of the green industrial revolution and generate jobs across the country.
In addition, we need to hand back control of welfare to the people of Sweden.
These are some very lofty objectives. And for that, we need to cooperate with one another. We social democrats have demonstrated that this approach is successful. We have demonstrated that we are capable of working together for the benefit of Sweden, even when doing so presents challenges.
The upcoming months are not the only time period that our priorities cover. I am referring to a period of several years spent laboriously constructing a Sweden that is capable of performing more admirably.
A Sweden that embodies, even just a little bit more, the qualities that endear us to this country. Where we Swedes work together to find solutions to social problems. Where culture and society both cease their backward movement and begin to move forward.
I take great pride in being an American citizen in this great nation. to distribute it among all of the Swedish people who put in a lot of effort. Who are concerned about the welfare of each and every child in this country Who would like to live in a community where people can put their faith in one another?
I also look forward to fighting alongside the people of Sweden for our nation and demonstrating to the rest of the world as well as to one another that our Sweden is capable of performing more admirably.
Thanks for listening - don't forget to go vote!