Pensions have become a contentious issue again.

Among other campaigns, the trade union Byggnads advocates a safer system with higher pensions and the opportunity to quit while the body is strong.

The agreement on the current pension system was locked under the Bildt government in the early 1990s and has been in place ever since.

One reason why it has become so long-lasting is that it is guarded by the pension group.

This includes the five parties that were behind the agreement - the Social Democrats, the Moderates, the Center Party, the Liberals, the Christian Democrats and now also the Green Party, which is allowed to join because they are part of the government.

Today, the group is criticized, among other things, it is accused of hindering all opportunities for change.

V and SD want to close down

The two parties that are not part of the pension group - the Left Party and the Sweden Democrats - want something completely different.

Together, they have more than 25 per cent of the voter support but are not allowed to take part in deciding whether, for example, the retirement age or how high the pension should be.

Ida Gabrielsson, the Left Party's pension policy spokesperson, says that it is not possible to have a debate when the issues are settled behind closed doors.

- The pension group's work as it looks now must be discontinued.

It does not work.

You get a shock when you retire over how little you actually get.

The Left Party is prepared to make broad agreements on pensions, but the important thing for us is that they are raised.

The Sweden Democrats' pension policy spokesman Oscar Sjöstedt also wants the group to be closed down.

- I believe that the pension group should wind itself up and we will take this discussion in the Swedish Parliament instead.

There are eight parties in Sweden's Riksdag, and there are six parties in this pension group.

I think it's a strange and strange phenomenon.

We do not think that is reasonable.

Weighs heavily

The opinion of the Sweden Democrats and the Left Party may weigh heavily when the next government is to be formed and they intend to put pressure on the other parties to get their will through.

- Increased pensions and increased pension contributions.

The moderates must be prepared to sit down and discuss these issues with us if they want to include our mandates, says Oscar Sjöstedt.

- If you want our support, you have to sit down and talk about how we raise pensions, says Ida Gabrielsson.