Analysis: "Can pave the way for a new budget battle in Parliament"

In January this year, just before the corona crisis struck with full force, a parliamentary majority over the government ran for more state grants to the country's municipalities and regions.

All opposition parties, from the Left Party to the Moderates, Christian Democrats and Swedish Democrats, pushed the decision, while an angry finance minister accused the opposition of undermining an orderly budget process.

Now Parliament may be heading in a similar direction. In their spring motions, all opposition parties have proposed greater increases in government grants to municipalities and regions than the government did in the spring budget.

Although the investments vary, they still have in common that they are larger than the government. While, for example, the Moderates in their budgetary motion want to give SEK 5 billion more than the government to municipalities and regions, the Left Party speaks of as much as SEK 25 billion more.

No concrete negotiations between the parties are yet to take place, but the plan is to make initial contacts in the near future to explore the possibilities for agreement. It is thus still unclear if the opposition can agree in a similar way as in January.

What is happening now can thus pave the way for a new budget battle in Parliament. Monday's financial report from SKR (Sweden's regions and municipalities) also confirms the picture that gloomy economic times are waiting.

According to SKR, in the first step at least SEK 8 billion is needed in general government grants for next year. SKR also believes that it is likely to require significantly more than the SEK 3 billion that the government has so far allocated for the extraordinary costs that the care and care of the coronary patients will cost.

Exactly how big the final sum is is unclear given that no one knows how long the corona epidemic will be and what the costs it may entail in total. According to SKR, costs in the healthcare area can only be somewhere between SEK 6 and 12 billion.

The Government has on several occasions emphasized that the state should bear all extra costs in healthcare and care. It has been repeated by both the prime minister and the finance minister.

However, SKR expresses doubts about this and refers to the regulation that the government has decided on where it is stated that the National Board of Health should prioritize among applications received based on where the needs are greatest.

On Tuesday, when Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson (S) arrives at the Riksdag's Finance Committee, she will among other things be required to be notified of this. She will also give an overall picture of the government's crisis package so far and answer questions about what further measures may be needed.

Only after this meeting may it be relevant for the opposition parties to start talks if they again want to try to create a united front against the government and its partners.

In such a situation, however, the government does not learn to be inactive. More money for municipalities and regions will be the result, no matter what. The Social Democrats cannot afford to be stingy when it comes to their parade issue, welfare.