Central government budget

The Government presented its Spring Budget on 15 April. The budget has been presented against the background of significantly falling inflation while the Swedish economy is in recession, with low GDP growth and rising unemployment.

Today the Government is presenting its 2024 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill and Spring Amending Budget for 2024. Inflation has fallen considerably and is expected to continue to do so, while at the same time unemployment is expected continue to rise. In light of this, the Government is presenting its Spring Amending Budget with measures to navigate us through the recession, safeguard the welfare system and make Sweden a safer, more secure and wealthier country. The Budget is based on an agreement between the Government and the Sweden Democrats.

Inflation has decreased considerably and is expected to continue to do so, while unemployment is expected to rise. Subdued growth, combined with the weak labour market outlook, means that the Swedish economy is expected to remain in recession until 2025. These are the conclusions of the Ministry of Finance in a new economic forecast.

Inflation is starting to come down, but Swedish businesses and households are still burdened by high prices and interest rates. This means a weaker economic situation and that the Swedish economy is considered to be in a recession that will last until 2025. These are the Ministry of Finance’s conclusions presented in a new forecast of the economic outlook.

Combatting antisemitism is a high priority for the Government. The budget presented on 20 September includes several initiatives to enhance and shore up these continued efforts. This includes funding to the Jewish Museum, the Living History Forum and the Official Council of Swedish Jewish Communities, and state aid for security-heightening measures.

The Government’s Budget Bill for 2024 proposes initiatives to combat and prevent honour-based violence and oppression, and racism and discrimination. The Government also intends to take measures to combat wage guarantee abuse. The proposals are based on an agreement between the Government and the Sweden Democrats. On 20 September, the Government presented the Budget Bill for 2024 to the Riksdag.

In connection with the Government’s Budget Bill for 2024, several reforms concerning the labour market, integration and efforts to combat social exclusion were proposed. The proposals are based on an agreement between the Government and the Sweden Democrats. The Government presented the autumn budget to the Riksdag on 20 September.

Sweden is currently facing the most serious security situation since the Second World War. This places new demands on military defence.

In light of the serious security environment, the Government has proposed a number of investments in civil defence and crisis preparedness in the Budget Bill for 2024 and the autumn amending budget for 2023.

Today, the Government is presenting the Budget Bill for 2024 to the Riksdag. The proposals in the budget aim to address Sweden’s most acute problems. This includes combating inflation and managing its effects through assistance to households and the welfare system. Defence and the judicial system will also receive substantial investments to make Sweden safer and more secure. The reforms in the budget total SEK 39 billion next year. The budget is based on an agreement between the Government and the Sweden Democrats.

Sweden is in an economic winter. Inflation and high interest rates are putting pressure on both households and businesses. At the same time, the security environment has deteriorated. In a difficult economic situation, the Government is prioritising combating inflation, assisting households and the welfare system, and strengthening the judicial system and defence. Against this background, the Government presents its Budget Bill for 2024 with reforms totalling SEK 39 billion next year.

In the Budget Bill for 2024, the Government proposes additional funding to military defence amounting to approximately SEK 700 million. Taking into account upward adjustments and previous decisions, appropriations for military defence will increase by more than SEK 27 billion between 2023 and 2024 – an increase of 28 per cent. This means that appropriations have doubled since 2020 and that Sweden will already reach the defence expenditure target of two per cent of GDP according to NATO’s definition in 2024. In the Budget Bill, the Government also estimates additional funding for 2025 and 2026 amounting to approximately SEK 1.2 billion and SEK 7.4 billion, respectively.

On 29 August, Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin held a press conference with acting Director General of the Psychological Defence Agency Magnus Hjort. They presented a status report on the extensive malign influence campaigns targeting Sweden. They also announced a new assignment for the Psychological Defence Agency, accompanied by increased funding.

The weakening economic situation has pushed the Swedish economy into recession in 2023. High inflation and higher interest rates combined with waning international demand are the primary reasons for the flagging economy. These are the conclusions of a new forecast of the economic outlook from the Ministry of Finance. At the same time, Minister for Finance Elisabeth Svantesson reports that the reforms in the forthcoming autumn budget will amount to an estimated SEK 40 billion.

The effects of rising prices and interest rates on the Swedish economy are becoming increasingly clear, according to the Ministry of Finance’s latest macroeconomic and public finances forecast presented today.

In the 2023 Spring Amending Budget, the Government proposes that the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority be allocated SEK 25 million for further investigations of the M/S Estonia in 2023. As part of its investigations, the Authority will salvage the vessel’s bow ramp and photograph and film the vehicle deck.