Magdalena Andersson, former Prime Minister and current leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, along with Mikael Damberg, a prominent party member and former Minister of Finance, is facing internal criticism for what many in the party describe as “top-down” leadership and for supporting a balanced budget agreement with Sweden’s conservative Tidö parties.
“More and more people are saying we’re going to lose the election if this continues”, an internal source warned.
Numerous party representatives express frustration with Andersson and Damberg’s centralized style, with dissatisfaction reportedly growing after they committed to maintaining tight fiscal policies.
“There is a lot of irritation, and many are disappointed”, a Social Democrat source told tabloid magazine Expressen.
For some time, representatives within the party have advocated for “a clearer independent stance on economic policy” and for a bolder, more progressive approach.
“Very provocative”
Expressen reported, “This week, the Social Democrats reached an agreement with the Tidö parties on a new economic framework, effectively closing the door on a more expansionary policy involving potential budget deficits to support large-scale investments”. This position continues despite calls from party members and economists to adopt a deficit goal instead of a strict balance.
While Andersson referred to the decision as “a day of victory”, many Social Democrats viewed it as a deep disappointment. The criticism extends to the party’s recent shadow budget, in which the Social Democrats accepted significant tax cuts without pushing to eliminate the qualifying day for sickness benefits, a key demand for many within the party.
“We must be able to deliver more than this. When we can’t even say we want to remove the qualifying day [karensavdraget], it becomes very provocative”, stated one party representative.
Dismissed as “whiners”
According to insiders, the leadership has been dismissive of grassroots-supported reforms, and there is growing concern that the party may present a weak election platform, focusing mainly on Andersson’s leadership and the issue of the Sweden Democrats.
Critics report they are routinely dismissed as “whiners”, but many believe the Social Democrats are at risk of losing the next election if they do not offer “an assertive policy addressing widespread societal issues”. The upcoming party congress is thus expected to be “highly turbulent”.