Vänsterpartiet youth wing pushes for housing minister role for party leader

The youth wing of Sweden’s Vänsterpartiet (Left Party) has proposed that party leader Nooshi Dadgostar should become housing minister if the party enters government after the next election, calling the idea “damn good.”

Speaking to public broadcaster SVT Nyheter, My Kårlycke, chair of Ung Vänster (Young Left), said Dadgostar could “solve the housing shortage for all young people who can’t move out” if appointed to the role. The suggestion comes as Vänsterpartiet’s congress in Örebro demanded a place in government following any election victory—despite opposition from potential coalition partners the Social Democrats (S) and Center Party (C).

Ung Vänster also urged the Left Party to “fight hard” against the Social Democrats on migration policy, an area where the parties disagree. The youth wing wants permanent residency to again become the default for refugees—a position Kårlycke claims is backed by “the entire red-green side except the Social Democrats.”

“This is an issue deeply rooted in the party,” Kårlycke said. “We have movements, people, and the whole red-green side—except the Social Democrats—on our side. So we’ll fight to push through as much of our policy as possible.”

The Left Party leadership has not specified which ministerial posts it would seek in potential government talks.