Protecting agriculture and forestry from bureaucracy and activism

- Stop EU micromanagement and work towards greater self-sufficiency

The state has deliberately killed small-scale agriculture

Agriculture is the first industry in the history of civilisation and the most important for our survival. It is not surprising that it is the industry that was first regulated and is now most heavily politicised.

Since the 1960s, parties from right to left, with the help of agricultural universities and agricultural boards, have pushed for a rapid structural rationalisation of Sweden's agriculture. This development has been enforced by laws, bureaucracy and subsidies - using both the stick and the carrot.

The EU is centralising agriculture

Since Sweden joined the EU in 1995, Swedish regulation of agriculture has been replaced by the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which brought with it even more micromanagement and bureaucracy. When Sweden joined the EU, prices for agricultural products fell due to increased competition, but this is partly compensated for by EU farm subsidies. Joining the EU is considered to have made food cheaper, but what has really happened is that we pay part of the price of food through taxes.

Self-reliance requires food sovereignty

Most countries have strategies to protect their agriculture. They realise that without food sovereignty there is no independence. But in Sweden, the state has killed off most small and medium-sized family farms through anti-agricultural policies. The farms are still there, but they have been merged into ever larger units. Where there used to be ten active farming families, there is now only one farmer left. As a result, the basis for rural schools, local grocers and other small businesses has disappeared.

Robust food sovereignty requires a diversity of both large and small farms. A nation with low self-sufficiency is highly vulnerable. Not so long ago, Sweden was self-sufficient in food. Back then, there were many more active farmers, foresters and vegetable growers, and we had a stockpile of food. Forest pastures and meadows were used all over Sweden, which not only provided grazing but also a more open landscape. We got that ecosystem service in return.

Today, with larger and significantly fewer farms, the self-sufficiency rate in Sweden is below 50%. In the event of a serious crisis, that figure shrinks even further, as our modern large-scale agriculture is heavily dependent on imported inputs such as diesel, soy and fertilisers.

Diversified agriculture across the country is what is needed if we are to have access to food in a serious crisis. One way to protect our food production is to be careful about who can buy farmland. That's why we want to preserve and strengthen the Land Acquisition Act - it must not be relaxed or circumvented. Sweden's arable land and forests should not be bought up by multinational companies.

Laws, rules and activists make farming risky

In Sweden, agriculture is classified as an environmentally hazardous activity. This is despite the fact that a large part of our biodiversity has been created through human use of the land. The perception that farming is environmentally hazardous has created an aggressive attitude among the authorities that supervise farms. An official can shut down a farm on his or her own initiative, leaving the farmer virtually lawless. It is natural to want the next generation to take over the farm you have built up. But now many are hesitant to expose their children to the risk of being lawless against an authority.

Ambition Sverige is clear on agriculture not should be classified as an environmentally hazardous activity. Instead, agricultural ecosystem services should be recognised as a benefit to society. The officials who control animal husbandry in agriculture must have relevant knowledge of the natural conditions and characteristics of different animal species and breeds. Animal welfare inspectors without this knowledge should never be allowed to make crucial decisions in animal welfare cases.

Favouring Swedish livestock production

By over-regulating livestock production, politicians and civil servants have put Sweden at a competitive disadvantage compared to other countries. The self-sufficiency rate for beef is only 60 per cent, partly due to a lack of confidence in the industry. For lamb, the corresponding figure is just under 30 per cent. As a result, we are importing meat produced using methods that are illegal in Sweden.

Ambition Sverige wants to favour Swedish agriculture. Therefore, we do not want mandatory laws on grazing requirements for the largest dairy herds, as this is difficult to organise in a good way in practice. On the other hand, we want to distribute agricultural subsidies so that they favour grazing and increased use of natural pastures.

We want to make it easier for young people to start dairy and meat production. That is why we continue to favour generous transitional rules and exemptions from the loose housing requirement. This will allow older barns to be used again. We also want assessments of different housing systems for farm animals to be based on common sense and real animal welfare in individual cases.

Facilitating farm sales

Under Swedish law, selling meat and milk directly from the farm is complicated and expensive. We want to remove the complex regulations that inhibit direct sales from Swedish farms. Consumers should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to buy unpasteurised milk products. There is great potential for small-scale slaughter, but it requires a major simplification of the regulatory framework.

Forests - Sweden's green gold

Forests are one of our country's greatest assets. Two thirds of the country is covered by forests and growth has long exceeded felling. For over a hundred years, we have had a reforestation obligation, which means that every harvested area must be replanted. Thanks to this, Sweden is carbon-neutral, meaning that our forests sequester almost as much carbon as we emit.

The forest industry is a cornerstone of the Swedish economy. Sweden is one of the world's largest exporters of paper and sawn timber. In 2024, the total export value of Swedish forest products was approximately SEK 185 billion, and the forest industry accounts for 9-12 per cent of total employment in Swedish industry. The ongoing forestry report shows an opportunity to increase the value added by SEK 24 billion annually through world-leading research in biotechnology and sustainable materials.

The value of Swedish forests has largely been created by hundreds of thousands of private forest owners, who together own around half of the productive forest land. The fact that each owner has managed his or her land as he or she sees fit has favoured biodiversity. The reforestation obligation and private ownership are important reasons for the success of Swedish forestry. The volume of timber in Swedish forests has doubled in the last hundred years. For farmers, the forest has always been an economic buffer and a labour complement - a resource that has provided security in times of uncertainty.

EU wants to micromanage

Now this autonomy and success story is threatened by growing micromanagement and surveillance from the EU. A recent example is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). It is a control and traceability regulation that aims to avoid deforestation globally. Although the risk of deforestation is non-existent in Sweden, we have to adapt to an EU law that increases the administrative burden and reduces the freedom of Swedish forest owners. Full implementation of the regulation has once again been postponed, but the intention is to introduce it as soon as the digital monitoring systems are in place. Instead of telling the EU that the EUDR should not apply in our forest-rich country, work is now underway to adapt Swedish legislation to an EU law that has no relevance to our forestry.

Trading in carbon credits

Citing the ”climate”, the EU thinks forest owners should start trading carbon credits. The Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) regulation, which came into force at the end of 2024, deals with the certification of carbon capture. If a forest owner refrains from or postpones harvesting, this should be certified and sold as a carbon credit. The scheme places heavy demands on monitoring, reporting and certification - another area of work for the EU's many bureaucrats.

The forest owner may gain a new source of income, but loses revenue from the timber. There is a high risk of a lock-in effect - the forest becomes climate policy instead of being used for timber, energy or the local economy. Swedish politicians and activists are good at pushing issues of ”protecting the forest”, i.e. stopping logging. However, they do not mention that increased allocations to reserves and other deferred harvesting lead to forest growth stagnating in the long term. The risk of fires and pest infestations also increases, of course, as the proportion of old forest increases.

ETS2 and monitoring

The EU's new Emissions Trading System 2 (ETS2) for buildings and transport threatens to increase fuel costs for forestry and agriculture. Sweden itself has chosen to include agricultural and forestry machinery, which means that every litre of diesel is subject to extra costs.

In addition, the EU is planning a common framework for forest monitoring, based on satellite data and reporting requirements. This means further centralisation and control over privately owned forests. Every new EU directive seems to be an attack on property rights and the freedom of use that has built up Sweden's well-managed forests.

Our response

Ambition Sverige believes that ownership and management rights should always be protected. Every forest owner knows best how their own forest should be managed. Forest owners should feel secure in the knowledge that they will receive full compensation in the event of encroachment. For example, when the state uses ”species protection” to stop felling without full compensation to the forest owner, both the owner's economy and rural development are threatened. Unclear rules and slow decisions by the authorities mean that many landowners are hesitant about long-term investments.

We stand up for the Swedish forest and for the people who use it. We say no to EU overregulation, the deforestation regulation and to irrelevant emissions trading. Forest owners and farmers should not be burdened with costs and bureaucracy for problems that we do not cause. Sweden's forests should be managed by Swedish forest owners - not by bureaucrats in Brussels.

Ambition Sverige will work for:

Increasing the profitability of agriculture by removing climate-related requirements and reducing the administrative burden.
Reducing the influence of supranational bodies such as the EU, UN, WHO and WEF. Sweden, as a sovereign nation, should regain power over our agriculture and forestry.
That as long as we are in the EU, EU regulations should be interpreted strictly in Sweden's favour. In the event of an EU exit, we want national support for agriculture, with the aim of increasing our food self-sufficiency.
Strengthening ownership and utilisation rights for forest and agricultural land. The state's ability to stop deforestation and compulsory purchase of forests must be limited.
Sweden says no to the EU's deforestation regulation, carbon credit trading, ETS2 and plans for satellite monitoring of forest land.
To introduce strict civil servant responsibility and stop activism in government agencies. Government authorities and municipal officials must promote agricultural and forest production, not make it more difficult.
Removing the grazing requirement but favouring grazing. The farmer knows best what suits his farm.
Facilitating the sale of meat and milk directly from farms. The rules for small-scale food processing and sales need to be simplified.
Enabling pastoral farming and other grazing-based livestock production by authorising and facilitating wolf hunting (see chapter on rural areas).

Our plan for Sweden

Ambition Sverige is based on five
universal principles that make up our
compass for freedom and governance.

Ambition Sweden's policies are always tested against these principles.

Power is under the law
(Magna Carta)

Politicians and civil servants should be held personally accountable for wrong decisions, abuse of power or negligence.

Protection against arbitrariness
(Habeas Corpus)

No person should be detained without a legal basis. The justice system should be fair, impartial and protect the people, not be used as a political tool.

The good of the people and the nation first
(Virtue)

Decisions should be made for the long-term good of the country, not for power plays or international pressure.

Self-determination and non-interference
(International law)

Sweden will respect the sovereignty of other states and demand respect for our own. No foreign power should control our politics, our security or our territory.

Freedom, security and dignity
(Human rights)

Every human being has the right to life, liberty, privacy and security.

Popular rule instead of supranationalism - leave the EU

Swedish citizens should not be governed by supranational agendas.

Ambition Sverige will work for:

Moving away from the 2030 Agenda as the guiding framework, as well as the UN Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact; reclaiming national targets and budget governance.
Saying no to the WHO Pandemic Convention and binding IHR changes; leaving the WHO Global Digital Health Certification Network.
Stopping the ekrona and rejecting digital euro for the public; constitutional protection of cash and diversity in payments.
Say no to EUDI as a condition for civic participation; reject SOU 2023:61 and ban centralised logging of everyday use.
Rejecting SOU 2023:22 and all general access to electronic communications; defending strong encryption and privacy.
Reduce state media subsidies that favour agenda-driven giants; safeguard freedom of expression and pluralism.
Pulling the handbrake on DSA, EU Digital Travel Identity and WHO GDHC/GDHCN; no permanent digital access systems in Sweden.

An independent defence and security policy

Security through détente, diplomacy and military defence.

Ambition Sverige will work for:

Sweden's security is safeguarded through non-alignment, diplomacy and détente.
Sweden is building a strong defence force.
Military aid to Ukraine is cancelled because it increases the threat to Sweden.
The DCA is cancelled immediately - Sweden will not have foreign troops on its territory.
Licensed gun owners should be allowed to use their weapons without government interference.
Sweden is taking control of the monopoly on violence in all "vulnerable areas".

Stop all immigration for 10 years

Taking back control to tackle social unrest and crime.

Ambition Sverige will work for:

Impose a ten-year freeze on all new immigration. Deportation of persons without legal right to reside in the country, family immigration is stopped during the period.
Faster deportations and sentences to be served in the home country by agreement. Deportation as a general rule after sentencing.
Sweden will regain control at the border. We will expand detention centres, acquire our own transport resources and introduce fast-track identity checks.
Stopping the shadow society. Impose sanctions on illegal employers/landlords, carry out exit checks and require a unified ID flow.
The fact that temporary residence permits are subject to regular review where return to the country of origin, serious criminality or long-term dependency on benefits breaks the right to stay.
Introducing a qualifying period of at least five years before gaining full access to welfare and benefits.
Improving background checks through document research, biometrics, security interviews and information sharing.
Placing responsibility for language and integration on the individual. Abolition of home language teaching and SFI, interpreter support for a maximum of one year.
Conducting a national census to ensure that there is one personal/coordination number per person. Nullity in case of fraudulent citizenship.
Taxpayers' money should not go to organisations that make deportations more difficult.
Speaking plainly in the countries of origin - Sweden is not a welfare destination.
That honour crimes, forced marriages and parallel systems of norms are met with immediate protection for children and women. Tougher penalties and deportation of perpetrators.
Tackling clan crime through restraining orders, witness protection and deportation.

Weighing costs against benefits in climate policy - prioritising the environment

A fixation on carbon dioxide hampers environmental efforts.

Ambition Sverige will work for:

That the installation of a fifth treatment stage becomes a reality in the municipal wastewater treatment plants in the 30 largest municipalities, where the total annual emissions of organic pollutants including heavy metals are also measured, identified and reported.
That supplementary treatment is introduced in all PFAS-contaminated waterworks in Sweden to meet future limit values for PFAS.
Launching a programme to reduce emissions to air and water of so-called microplastics, including nanoparticles, from traffic, roads, industries, wastewater treatment plants, etc.
A monitoring programme is started for Sweden's 30 largest lakes, where, in addition to organic pollutants and heavy metals, the amount and number of microplastic particles are measured and reported.
In the wake of the Think Pink scandal, in which waste was allowed to spread unchecked in some 15 municipalities, to set up a monitoring project on waste management in general. The aim is to examine whether the control of waste is working satisfactorily.
That ongoing projects within Avfall Sverige dealing with emissions of PFAS from waste incineration, among other things, be given extra resources so that results can be obtained more quickly.
Initiate continuous random testing of organic pollutants in suspected imported consumer products, especially in products from China and Asia. A mandate should be given to the Swedish Chemicals Agency with the aim of stopping the import of the most toxic products - or influencing suppliers to supply non-toxic products.
That the Swedish Chemicals Agency be given the task of proposing a programme of measures to reduce emissions, leaks and spills of PFAS from various products.
That the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency initiate a project to report on the state of the environment in Sweden, as a guide for decision-makers/politicians.
That a monitoring project under the Environmental Code be started, where emissions of particles and other substances from rotor blades in onshore and offshore wind power are investigated and reported. Emissions from various types of malfunctions/breakdowns should also be reported.
Launch a project to provide an overview of the environmental impact and demand for rare earths in the manufacture, use and scrapping of electric vehicles, solar energy systems and wind turbines, using life cycle analyses (LCA).
addressing the most serious water and air pollutants, such as persistent and accumulative pollutants.
That the work of public authorities is based on facts - not on activism based on unrealistic projections of climate emissions.
Sweden leaving the Paris Agreement (from 2015).
Sweden to leave coalitions aiming for net zero carbon emissions by 2050, such as the UN Net Zero Coalition, the Carbon Neutrality Coalition (CNC), the EU Fit for 55 and the World Economic Forum's First Movers Coalition.
That Sweden abolishes the climate policy framework consisting of the Climate Act and the Climate Policy Council and renegotiates the Climate Goals.
That Sweden establishes a non-political climate science council that follows scientific developments in order to be able to give good advice to decision-makers. Those who are part of this council should be professors in the basic sciences on which the climate issue rests.
That all public commitment to the "green transition" is suspended. Innovation and energy efficiency must take place in a free market without government interference.
The removal of subsidies and other special treatment for companies in the transition industry. For example, companies that want to engage in battery manufacturing, hydrogen production or underground storage of carbon dioxide can do so with their own resources and not with the public's pension funds or taxes.
That planned bans on the sale of petrol and diesel cars are removed. The same conditions will apply to vehicles with internal combustion engines as to electric cars and hybrids.

Restore law and order

Zero tolerance towards criminal gangs and clans.

Ambition Sverige will work for:

That the escalating violence and insecurity end up being the focus of the policy pursued.
That the victim's well-being should be prioritized - not the perpetrator's.
That protection and support for victims of crime increases.
That legislation and the scale of punishment are adapted to meet serious crime.
That system-threatening crime is noticed and counteracted.
That Sweden's inhabitants are protected against honour violence and honour oppression.
That legislative work is speeded up. The preparation requirement must be made more efficient and the independence of the Council on Legislation strengthened.
The introduction of on-call courts for cases where the evidence is obvious and indisputable.
The introduction of a constitutional court that can review laws that are interpreted by courts with politically controlled guidelines.
To reintroduce strict civil servant responsibility.
That EU directives are not automatically converted into Swedish law.
That Sweden's own legislation should take precedence over UN conventions, and that certain ratified UN conventions should be terminated.
That all forms of penalty discounts are removed.
That a civic advisory council replaces today's party-political representation in the relevant authorities.
To introduce the right to decisive referendums on matters of a national security nature.
To limit the government's power of appointment and base appointments on meritocracy.
That non-Swedish citizens and persons with dual citizenship are deported upon conviction for a serious crime.
That non-Swedish citizens' right to Swedish rights and freedoms is limited.
To create legal support for being able to buy prison places abroad.

Minimising the risks of digitalisation and AI

Personal privacy instead of digital dictatorship.

Ambition Sverige will work for:

Regarding digital IDs and central bank digital currencies:

Demand public debate and referendum before implementation of digital central bank currency and ID.
We demand that every individual is given full legal ownership and control over their own biometric data - including the right to consent, restriction, traceability and financial protection from commercial exploitation.
We call for an end to the mandatory link between ID systems and financial transactions.
Secure and preserve cash as a statutory, protected right.
Set legal limits on what digital currencies and ID systems can contain, record and control.
Build open, non-centrally controlled digital identity options.

As regards AI:

Without free access to information, there is no free thought - and without free thought, there is no democracy. Ambition Sweden therefore demands that access to information on the internet remains free, open and uncensored - because freedom of information is a prerequisite for democracy, freedom of expression and a free society. AI provided to Swedish citizens must therefore fulfil these requirements.
We call for a national AI infrastructure - Publicly funded and openly and transparently vetted AI models based on local laws, language, culture and ethics should be developed.
We demand that no AI can make decisions that affect people's lives without full transparency, legal accountability and human control - as in Danish law. It must be clear who is behind an AI decision, what data it is based on and what values have been prioritised. Automated decisions should always be appealable.
Data sovereignty - All sensitive data, especially from public authorities, schools and healthcare, must be stored and processed within Sweden's borders and by actors under democratic control (not the EU or global and private actors).
Digital literacy - Citizens and decision-makers should be educated about new technologies and AI.
Active regulation to prevent platform dependency and to promote open, interoperable options.
Ambition Sverige calls for work to identify and analyse risks linked to AI in military and civilian security systems to be initiated and for the protection of critical infrastructure from AI-driven attacks, sabotage or disinformation to be developed.
Finally, we call for developing our defence capabilities against autonomous weapons systems and digitally targeted attacks, and for strengthening international legal, ethical and technical safeguards against the use of AI against populations - by other states or by private actors.

Making Sweden rich again

Stop giving away Sweden's tax money.

Ambition Sverige will work for:

phasing out the state income tax through a gradual process over a few years.
Increasing the basic deduction for both earned income and pension so that it corresponds to twice the price base amount, which for 2025 would be SEK 117,600.
Abolishing the general payroll tax for company employees numbered 2-6 and gradually removing it for all employees.
Reduce VAT on food to 6% and remove the VAT rate of 12% so that VAT on restaurants, hotels and catering is also reduced to 6%.
Halving the number of Swedish authorities and imposing a general efficiency requirement on other authorities.
Lowering the benefit ceiling so that a maximum of half a price base amount before tax is paid to benefit recipients.

Defending Swedish culture

Re-establishing a cohesive society.

Ambition Sverige will work for:

Reclaiming Sweden's role as a strong host country with a clear, safe and vibrant culture that permeates the whole of society.
Restoring and safeguarding Swedish culture in schools, public institutions, the justice system and the public space.
Recognising the role of culture in integration and cohesion, where new citizens are exposed not only to welfare, but also to the values that build society.
Promoting Swedish traditions, language, history and community values through state and municipal initiatives.
Ending public support for activities and schools that run counter to Swedish values, including gender-segregated and value-conflicting teaching.
Reallocate resources to activities that strengthen Swedish identity, integration and social cohesion, especially among young people and new arrivals.
To reinstate a clear social contract, where rights are balanced with obligations and where respect for Swedish law and norms is a prerequisite.
Strengthening the place of culture in the construction of society to enable true diversity, based on respect and shared responsibility - not division and complacency.

Ensure a functioning energy system

Plan for nuclear power - build gas turbines and stop wind power.

Ambition Sverige will work for:

Swedish energy production should primarily secure Sweden's energy needs. We continue to export our surplus to other countries via existing cables but are restrictive about new capacity that raises our electricity prices.
That Sweden should build new nuclear power and thus return to the well-functioning electricity system we had before 1999. In this way, Sweden can offer electricity at low, predictable prices for industry, societal functions and private individuals. Vattenfall should be tasked with ensuring the rapid expansion of nuclear power.
Transitional solutions pending new nuclear power should be increased power output from CHP and gas turbines, especially in southern Sweden. Increased capacity and electricity production in existing plants are encouraged on market terms. All restrictions on existing hydroelectric power due to environmental assessments will be cancelled.
That no more wind power is built, neither on land nor at sea.
That existing wind power industries are checked to ensure that they meet the requirements set in operation. Also investigate the environmental effects of wind power, for example with regard to the spread of microplastics and infrasound.
That all expansion of large solar power plants on agricultural land is put on hold while waiting for a new regulatory framework to be in place.
The governance of the state-owned utility Svenska Kraftnät (SVK) and the state-owned company Vattenfall should be reviewed. SVK should become the system operator for the entire electricity system.
That the number of bidding zones is reviewed with the aim of equalizing electricity prices across the country.
That no subsidies or special support are given for so-called green transition or electrification.
That energy storage in hydrogen and batteries is not subsidised by the state as these are not sustainable solutions for the energy system (not cost-effective).
That the consequences of increased use of biomass are carefully analysed, as much is currently imported into Sweden.