Ebba Busch dismisses Åkesson’s proposal to open Systembolaget on Sundays

Christian Democrat leader Ebba Busch has rejected a proposal by Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson to allow Systembolaget, Sweden’s state alcohol retail monopoly, to open on Sundays, calling it a misplaced priority, SVT Nyheter reports.

Åkesson had argued that Sunday opening hours would help maintain the legitimacy of the state monopoly system. “When we have the monopoly, which I fundamentally think is very good, you need to maintain some kind of legitimacy in that system. It is reasonable that people should be able to buy a beer, a cider, or a bottle of wine on a Sunday if they want to,” he told SVT Nyheter.

Busch was unimpressed. “We will focus on getting a functioning healthcare system. If other parties want to focus on Systembolaget issues, they are welcome to do that,” she said, adding: “It is a strange set of priorities.”

Busch argued that her party had already delivered reforms in the alcohol policy area, citing the introduction of farm sales and the scrapping of a food requirement tied to alcohol service. However, she maintained that opening hours at Systembolaget were not among Sweden’s pressing problems. “The big problem for Sweden is not the opening hours of the monopoly. It is that Swedish healthcare does not work,” she said.

The issue entered the political debate after the Liberal Party presented what it described as reforms to liberalise Swedish alcohol policy ahead of the 2026 general election.