Kristersson reverses position on climate targets in final debate

Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson reversed his position on Sweden’s climate targets during SVT’s final election debate, SVT reported. The party’s response in SVT’s election compass differs from the position he took in the debate.

In the election compass, the Moderates said it was a “fairly good proposal” for Sweden to have more ambitious climate targets than the rest of the European Union. The party also said that Sweden could inspire other countries.

But when the party leaders were asked the same question in the final debate, Kristersson voted against the proposal.

“The EU is the entire foundation of climate policy. That is where we make a difference,” he said when asked why he had changed his position.

Kristersson said there had been a one-sided focus in Swedish climate policy on raising fuel prices to levels that made it unaffordable for people to use their cars.

Andersson gave the opposite answer

The Social Democrats also gave a different answer in the final debate from the one recorded in SVT’s election compass.

The Social Democrats said in the election compass that it was a “fairly bad proposal” for Sweden to have more ambitious climate targets than the rest of the EU. In the final debate, however, party leader Magdalena Andersson voted in favour.

“The EU is the foundation, but all the parties recently agreed that we should retain the Swedish targets, for example those concerning transport. The Moderates were also part of that agreement,” Andersson said.

The other parties gave the same answers in the final debate as they had in SVT’s election compass.

Millions of Swedes have used SVT’s election compass before the election to find out which party most closely matches their views.