SD wants national staffing floor for elder care

The Sweden Democrats want a national minimum staffing level in elder care, an election promise that would put a new nationwide constraint on municipal services if the party can build parliamentary support after September's election.

The floor would vary with a service's size, residents' care needs and expected staff absences, according to a TT report. Managers would be responsible for maintaining it, and municipalities could face fines. The party also wants more full-time posts, staff input over schedules, an end to split shifts and short rest periods, and the removal of minute-by-minute home-care scheduling.

SD has not published the numerical floor, a national cost or settled enforcement rules. Linda Lindberg, the party's parliamentary group leader, presented it as an election promise on Thursday. It is not a bill, funded budget measure or current requirement.

The Social Democrats announced their own package the same day. Both parties want to end minute-by-minute scheduling. S instead points to SEK 1.95 billion more than the government for staffing in 2026 and says staffing should follow needs. Its package also includes language requirements, permanent paid-time training and a new elder-care law with a dignity guarantee.

Municipalities currently organise elder care. A national staffing floor would therefore move a key local workforce decision into national law; whether it produces more staff would depend on the eventual threshold and funding.

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