S promises 10,000 student homes in youth-cost package

Sweden's Social Democrats have promised 10,000 new student homes as the largest quantified measure in an election package aimed at students and young people.

The party also wants a larger share of rental homes reserved for young tenants, free dental care for young people and a trainee programme for recent graduates. Anders Ygeman and S-Students chair Elfva Barrio presented the package on Monday.

The proposals are campaign pledges, not enacted policy. The party did not publish an overall price, timetable or financing plan, and it did not say how the 10,000 homes would be delivered or over what period. It also left the proposed youth share of rental housing and the upper age limit for free dental care undefined.

Municipalities currently expect about 3,300 student homes to begin construction across 2026 and 2027, according to Boverket's latest housing-market survey. Of the municipalities that assessed their student market, 43 reported a shortage, while 54 reported balance and 19 a surplus. That mixed picture means where any new homes are built would matter as much as the national total.

Dental care is currently free through the year a person turns 19. From the year they turn 20, patients move into the state dental-support system. The Social Democrats' announcement did not define which ages its proposed extension would cover.

The party said the graduate trainee scheme still needs to be designed. One possibility, it said, would be for the Public Employment Service to direct unemployed recent graduates into placements so they can gain work experience.

The package also repeats a Social Democratic pledge from 25 August to make public transport free for school pupils during evenings, weekends and holidays, and for full-time university students travelling to their studies during term. That transport measure is therefore not a new announcement in Monday's package.

The Social Democrats also reiterated their opposition to market rents. No response to the package from another parliamentary party was found on party or major public-service news pages by Tuesday's 08:30 edition cutoff.

DailySweden

DailySweden's desk of editors, reporters, researchers and investigative journalists. We bring readers factual, truthful and objective reporting on the issues that matter to them.

Contact the editorial desk ›