Ahead of the Social Democrats' congress, 100 profiles within the party demanded that Sweden should sign the UN Convention on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

The congress also included a long list of motions from workers' municipalities that Sweden should join.

The party board considered that a ban on nuclear weapons "could be an important tool" and that "Sweden should continue to be a leading voice for a world free of nuclear weapons".

But the party board did not say that Sweden should join the ban.

On the other hand, the Congress decided that "the goal is for Sweden to join".    

- We are critical of the decision that was made, says Member of Parliament Pål Jonson (M), chairman of the Defense Committee.

- I can state that the government, the Social Democrats, are now trying to bring Sweden into the convention, but that there is no parliamentary majority behind such a position.

But does this not mean that they say that Sweden will sign a convention right now?

- It is a clear tightening from the party board's proposal.

It is said that the goal now is for Sweden to accede to the convention.

Minister of Defense Peter Hultqvist (S) on the left and Margot Wallström (right) at the Social Democrats' congress in Gothenburg.

Photo: TT 4 November 2021

Negotiated the ban

Sweden was involved in negotiating the convention, which was voted on in the UN in 2017 by 122 countries - including Sweden.

The then Foreign Minister Margot Wallström (S) welcomed the ban and wrote in a debate article: "A world without nuclear weapons is possible." 

Two years later, she said the government "will not sign the convention at this time".

US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis (center) receives Finnish Defense Minister Jussi Niinistö (left) and Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist at the Pentagon when they signed a trilateral agreement on defense cooperation.

Photo: AP 8 May 2018

Secret letter

Both the United States and NATO have repeatedly said that their military cooperation with Sweden could be adversely affected if Sweden signs the convention.

In a classified letter to Secretary of Defense Peter Hultqvist (S), the then US Secretary of Defense warned of the consequences, SvD reported in 2019.

Just before the S-Congress this weekend, another statement was made by the United States about Sweden's attitude to nuclear weapons.

Sweden has close military collaborations with three nuclear powers: Great Britain, the United States and France.

- A Swedish accession to the convention would make it more difficult for our international defense co-operation, which is extremely important for Sweden's security and for stability throughout northern Europe, says Pål Jonson (M).