Left Party leader vows to push Social Democrats left

Nooshi Dadgostar is promising to keep Magdalena Andersson away from what she calls “bad company” if the Social Democrats form Sweden’s next government.

Speaking at an election rally in Stockholm’s Södermalm district, the Left Party leader said her party would pull government policy to the left. “The bigger we become, the more we can push government policy to the left,” she said. The party has been gaining momentum in opinion polls and stands above 8%, clearly ahead of its 2022 election result.

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Now we will make sure to keep Magdalena Andersson away from bad company.

Dadgostar’s strategy is to present the Left Party as the guarantee that a Social Democrat-led government will not pursue right-wing policies. She warned against Andersson seeking support from the Centre Party or the Christian Democrats to secure a parliamentary majority. “God save us from continued right-wing policies where the Centre Party gets free rein to sell off our shared welfare system and weaken security at work,” she said.

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The bigger we become, the more we can push government policy to the left.

She also joked about Moderate leader Ulf Kristersson’s warning of the biggest leftward turn since the 1970s. “We are ready for the dangerous leftward turn!” Dadgostar said.

Her promises for the next parliamentary term include shorter working hours with unchanged pay, a higher student grant, more housing for young people, a permanent cut in public transport fares, the abolition of the qualifying-day deduction, free dental care and frozen rents. The Left Party wants ministerial positions in return for supporting a Social Democrat-led government.

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We are ready for the dangerous leftward turn!

Andersson, however, says the party still needs to change before that can happen. She referred in particular to letters of support written by Left Party lawmakers to Palestinians convicted of terrorism. Asked what the Left Party must do to be ready for government, Andersson told TT: “I discuss that directly with them and not through the media.” She also said the Left Party was setting too many red lines for cooperation. “If you want to be completely sure that I become prime minister and lead the country in a new direction, then you should vote for the Social Democrats,” Andersson said.

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If you want to be completely sure that I become prime minister and lead the country in a new direction, then you should vote for the Social Democrats.