Left Party could drop demand to join government, scholars say

The Left Party could abandon its demand to enter a government led by Magdalena Andersson if it wins substantial policy concessions, political scientists told SVT. Deputy party leader Ida Gabrielsson says a party congress decision makes the demand unchangeable.

After Andersson rejected the party’s position on Sunday, Gabrielsson repeated on the Agenda programme that the Left Party would not allow a government relying on its parliamentary seats to take office unless the party itself joined the government. She said the position could not be changed.

Jenny Madestam, a political scientist at Södertörn University, said the party leadership could take a different course. Parties have changed or departed from decisions made at congresses before, she said.

One precedent came in 2018, when a party congress decided that arms exports should end. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the party board changed that position to allow weapons to be sent to Ukraine.

Magnus Hagevi, a political science professor at Linnaeus University, said the party board is the highest decision-making body between congresses and could act without calling a new congress. But the leadership could face accusations of breaking its promise.

Madestam said the party might accept remaining outside the government if it could secure substantial policy gains. One example is the Left Party’s proposed billionaire tax, which she said the Centre Party would find difficult to accept. The Centre Party would also receive ministerial posts, which Madestam said could carry more weight than policy disagreements.