Kristersson and Andersson clash over multiple-offence sentencing discount

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has accused Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson of failing to stand up for crime victims ahead of Wednesday evening’s televised leaders’ debate, SVT reports. Andersson responded that Kristersson was deliberately spreading lies.

In a letter sent before the debate, Kristersson criticised the Social Democrats’ position on the so-called multiple-offence discount and demanded that Andersson explain why she was not standing up for victims of serious and repeated crimes.

“Tonight, you and I will meet for a debate on SVT. Then I want an answer as to why you do not want to stand up for the crime victims who have to live with the consequences when serious and repeated crimes do not receive sufficiently tough sentences,” Kristersson wrote.

He also referred to women who have been subjected to violence and rape and who may have to encounter their perpetrators in public soon afterwards.

“I want to abolish the multiple-offence discount for sexual offences and serious violent crimes as quickly as possible. Today, Kristersson is deliberately spreading lies,” Andersson said before the debate.

She accused the prime minister of using a woman’s experience of a horrific rape as a political weapon.

The dispute follows a recent parliamentary decision to abolish the multiple-offence discount. Under the change, people convicted of several crimes will receive sentences added together rather than a reduced combined sentence.

The parties supporting the government were in favour of abolishing the discount. The Social Democrats voted against the proposal, saying there are currently too few prison places for it to be implemented. However, the party does not oppose abolishing the discount in principle and has proposed ending it for sexual offences during the next parliamentary term.