Swedish parties agree on defence but split on nuclear weapons and funding

Swedish political parties broadly agree on the country’s defence policy, but differ over nuclear weapons, conscription levels and how military expansion should be financed, according to an analysis by SVT.

Sweden’s military build-up has received hundreds of billions of kronor in recent years, yet defence has barely featured in the 2026 election campaign. One reason, SVT reports, is that the parties agree on many of the major issues.

Military non-alignment was previously one of the most contentious questions. Today, all parties support NATO membership except the Left Party, which does not campaign for Sweden to leave the alliance.

SVT also compared the parties’ positions on the Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States, which gives the US access to military bases in Sweden, nuclear weapons on Swedish territory, conscription and defence funding.

The parties are divided over whether a new tax should help finance the military build-up. They also take different positions on nuclear weapons. The Left Party and Green Party clearly oppose nuclear weapons on Swedish territory, including during wartime. The Social Democrats and Centre Party do not rule out nuclear weapons in Sweden in the event of war, as do the other parties.

The Social Democrats stand apart on conscription, setting a target of training 20,000 conscripts a year. The other parties are closer to 12,000 annually in the long term, in line with earlier targets.

More nuanced debate may come later

SVT’s domestic political commentator Mats Knutson said the deteriorating security situation had led the parties to agree on the broad direction of defence policy.

“The parties agree very strongly, both on the security policy situation and on how Swedish defence should be built up,” Knutson said.

He said a more detailed political debate could emerge once the current situation was seen as normal. That debate could challenge parts of the military build-up and highlight conflicts between defence spending and funding for welfare, he said.

SVT asked the parties whether Sweden should remain a member of NATO and the Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States, whether they wanted to legislate a ban on nuclear weapons, whether they could accept nuclear weapons on Swedish territory in wartime, how many conscripts should be trained and whether the military build-up should be financed through loans or higher taxes.