Swedish union chiefs press Left Party to drop cabinet-seat demand
Sweden’s LO union federation and the leaders of all 13 affiliated unions are urging the Left Party to abandon its unconditional demand for cabinet seats and negotiate policy gains instead.
In a joint article published by Aftonbladet on Tuesday, they argue that the demand risks blocking a government capable of improving their members’ working lives. LO chair Johan Lindholm is among the signatories, who say they represent more than a million members.
Their priorities include abolishing the initial sick-pay deduction, raising pensions, tackling workplace crime and stopping welfare cuts. They want the Left to use its parliamentary seats to secure those measures without making ministerial posts the test of success.
The intervention targets the impasse between the Left’s cabinet demand and the Centre Party’s refusal to govern with it. The signatories also hold Centre responsible for any decision to help the right return to power.
The Left has not dropped its demand. Six party districts reaffirmed it in Tuesday’s reporting, while Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson urged Centre to offer proposals the Left could accept.
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