Disappointment in KD after SD snubbed the party on a committee post

Welfare issues are central to the Christian Democrats, who also held the position of Minister of Social Affairs in the government during the previous term. Sources describe to SVT how the committee loss led to disappointment in the Christian Democratic parliamentary group.

- We prioritize this issue and we would have liked to continue to have that post, says a Member of Parliament.

When the chairman positions in the Riksdag's committees are distributed, it is done through settlements between the parties. First, the red-green cartel, as the groups are called, decided which committees they wanted to lead.

"Biggest Goes First"

Then the parties to the right, according to the integer method. Roughly speaking, it means that "biggest goes first" in the selection of committees, as an SD top crass describes it.

First, the Moderates got to choose the chairman's post and then took the defense committee, then the Sweden Democrats who selected the chairman's post in the social committee. That chairmanship has been KD's most important role in the Riksdag during the last term. The chairman now is SD's outgoing group leader Linda Lindberg.

- We are happy to take responsibility for welfare issues and have done well in the social committee this term, says KD leader Ebba Busch.

SD is trying to take over the care issue

Both Sweden Democrats and Christian Democrats testify that SD is trying to advance its positions in the welfare area. Traditionally, it is the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats who usually fight over ownership of the health care issue.

Healthcare is also a recurring focus for KD in election campaigns.

Not least lobbyists in the field attest to the fact that SD has long tried to get into the issue. One person tells us in a background interview that SD has shown an interest in delving into healthcare policy for several years.

And according to a centrally located Sweden Democrat, welfare issues are becoming increasingly important now that the party looks set to fall outside of government power.

- This is where politics will largely revolve around for the next four years, with criticism of increasing care queues, for example.

Another Sweden Democrat points to the opportunities to make themselves relevant in the issue of healthcare workers' working conditions.

According to Ebba Busch, it will be important to continue to be relevant in the healthcare field.

- Now we have the post of minister of healthcare and would like to be involved in introducing a paradigm shift in the coming years in care for the elderly, healthcare and school, she says.