Jobless man challenges Swedish leaders over welfare survival
Wednesday 9th September 2026 on 22:45 in
Sweden
Torbjörn Wikström, who relies on financial assistance, asked Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and opposition leader Magdalena Andersson how people in his situation are supposed to survive during a televised debate, according to SVT.
Wikström said he is forced to borrow money at the end of each month to make ends meet.
“What do you want to do so that all of us who live in the swamp can survive?” he asked the leaders.
Kristersson said employers have various forms of support available to help people with reduced work capacity. He also said that people who cannot work can receive permanent compensation, and that anyone who disagrees with the Swedish Social Insurance Agency should appeal through the courts.
“It cannot be the case that someone should be able to live on benefits and be better off than someone who goes to work every day,” Kristersson said.
Andersson said she wanted to increase wage subsidies to make it easier for people such as Wikström to work. She also mentioned Samhall, where many people can take a step into the labour market, as well as plans to double child allowances before Christmas and the summer holidays and make dental care cheaper.
An activity requirement introduced this summer means that people receiving financial assistance may have to take part in activities for up to 40 hours a week or risk having their payments reduced or withdrawn. The parties in the Tidö government also want to introduce a benefits cap next year, preventing different forms of financial support from being combined.
Kristersson said the activity requirement and benefits cap were intended to help people move closer to the labour market and reduce the risk of them remaining on benefits unnecessarily long.
Andersson supports an activity requirement and wants people to be able to qualify for Sweden’s social insurance system, but opposes the proposed benefits cap. She said children should not have to go to bed hungry when both parents are doing what society requires of them.