Centre leader threatens opposition over sick-pay deduction

Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist says her party will go into opposition if the Social Democrats pursue a plan to abolish the qualifying deduction for sick pay, SVT reported on Wednesday.

The proposal is one of the Social Democrats’ key pledges ahead of September’s election. Party leader Magdalena Andersson has called the current system unfair because some workers cannot work from home when they are ill.

The cost is difficult to calculate. The Social Democrats, citing a report by the Riksdag’s Research Service, estimate it at between 5 billion and 6 billion kronor. The same report says the number of sick days could rise, putting the cost at between 12 billion and 21 billion kronor.

Andersson said in a Swedish Radio party leader interview that it would be reasonable for companies to cover the cost, arguing that sickness is currently a cost borne by police officers, nurses, teachers and bus drivers.

Ringqvist said the proposal conflicts with the Centre Party’s policy.

“We are going into the election promising that there will be more jobs. Then taxes must come down,” she told SVT. “We will not add a cost of between 8 billion and 30 billion kronor, depending on how it is calculated.”

Asked whether the Centre Party would go into opposition if the proposal became a Social Democrat demand, Ringqvist said: “Yes, then we will have to go into opposition.”

She said the issue should instead be handled by the parties in the labour market and added that she could not support the proposal if it increased companies’ costs.