Dare to Have an Honest Debate About Sparsely Populated Areas

Sparsely populated areas deserve a debate grounded in reality, with politicians offering realistic solutions, argues Charlotta Mellander, a professor of economics. She criticizes the current election discourse for its absence of such honesty. Mellander points to SVT's recent reports on villages along national road 62 in northern Värmland, where populations have decreased more than the national average. Residents in these areas feel forgotten as essential services like schools, healthcare, and public transport are scaled back. Businesses struggle to survive, and the remaining population is aging.

The fundamental problem, Mellander states, is the insufficient number of people and their sparse distribution. The primary driver of population decline is the out-migration of young people aged 18-35, who seek education, jobs, or a more vibrant lifestyle in cities. This leaves the remaining population older and leads to fewer births, creating a cycle of decline. The consequence is that those who wish to stay face deteriorating services.

Mellander insists that policy must address four key questions: How can incentives to live in sparsely populated areas be increased? How can qualified personnel be secured? How can the quality of life be maintained with a shrinking population? And crucially, how much will it cost? She acknowledges the argument for fairness in supporting disadvantaged rural areas but stresses that budgets are finite. Investments must be weighed against where they can benefit the most people, a trade-off that politicians must openly discuss.