OPPOSITION SOCIAL DEMS PLAN FOR 2010 ELECTIONS

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000686

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C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL SW
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION SOCIAL DEMS PLAN FOR 2010 ELECTIONS


1. (U) Sweden's opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP),the
largest party in Parliament, held its 36th annual conference October
28-November 1. At the conference, the party decided its future
domestic and foreign policy platforms -- all with an eye on the
September 2010 general elections, when the SDP and its allies hope
to win back the government from the center-right four-party
coalition headed by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. This year's
SDP meeting was historic because the policy conclusions do not
reflect the final platform of the party, as the SDP is for the first
time in modern history in a formal coalition with the Green and Left
parties, whose positions on key issues, such as Afghanistan, differ
markedly from those of the SDP.


2. (SBU) Left-leaning factions within the SDP -- drawing strength
from the Left Party -- have caused internal divisions within the SDP
camp, but party leader Mona Sahlin was ultimately able to lead the
party to consensus on key issues. This year's conference theme was
employment, reflecting both the SDP's historical labor focus and the
main political issue for the 2010 elections. The SDP strategy going
forward appears to be to focus on unemployment and criticize the
current government's handling of the economic crisis. Sahlin
declared she will "take back the job issue" from the center-right
coalition through investments in education, higher levels of
unemployment insurance, and reforms for small businesses.


3. (SBU) Foreign policy issues are less important in the SDP
election calculus, but still contentious within the party. After an
energetic debate, MP Urban Ahlin (SDP foreign policy spokesman and a
key Sahlin advisor) engineered the final vote in favor of a platform
of keeping Swedish troops in Afghanistan. (In contrast, the Greens
are calling publicly for an exit timetable for the troops while the
Left wants to pull them out immediately.) On the Middle East, some
SDP delegates demanded sanctions against Israel, but the party
leadership managed to shoot down the proposal. The SDP delegates
did, however, vote in favor of removing Sweden's defense attache
position in Tel Aviv.


4. (SBU) Comment: Sahlin will now focus on developing a common
election platform with her coalition partners -- but that may prove
difficult, especially given the public disagreements between Sahlin
and the Left and Green leaders on Afghanistan and other issues.
BARZUN