The Centre Party, (c)

New middle
- Together we lift Sweden

Election program
Centre Party
in the 1998 election


Sweden has great need of renovation and innovation. Policies must leave the old antagonism between left and right.

The economic crisis, coupled with a rapid social transformation that shakes the old truths, makes many people experienced a growing insecurity. Meanwhile, there are too many rules and outdated system that prevents that we can take advantage of the new era of positive possibilities.

The new center's mission is to ensure the ability of people, and seize the initiative and ideas. Giving people the opportunity to develop and to create a common security.

Sweden needs a new leadership and a new government after the autumn elections. The Centre Party opens to secure people, simpler rules and a new leadership.


Safer humans
Secure people are more likely to face a time of great social changes. Sweden needs a new concern with personal responsibility, where the local community between people is strengthened.

Everyone has the right to health care of the highest quality. Education is the contemporary big fair question. A good school and recurrent training provide security during life. The Centre Party wants to give more resources to, and want to see many alternatives in the care and welfare.

Humanism and tolerance must be defended by all of us in the whole society. Violence and drugs will not be allowed to take over our streets and neighborhoods. Threats and violence against women must be combated at all levels of society.

People with low incomes have borne a heavy share of the burden of the crisis. Now it must be important to enhance security than investing in already highly paid.

Welfare must be renewed through enhanced basic security. The Centre Party wants to strengthen and support the family. Everyone should be able to feel the security of having a job. It is also important to feel safe and anchored in a good living environment.


Simpler rules
Society must be built from below. We need a state so distinct that it is not trying to solve all our problems, but strong enough to give us the tools needed to shape our lives.

Better welfare also requires greater freedom of choice in health care, social services and schools.

Simpler rules are a prerequisite for the power to be brought closer to the people. More power should be locally in the future society. Individuals and businesses will have greater freedom by fewer and simpler rules.

Working life needs to be modernized. With fewer and comprehensible rules be clarified, not lawlessness. Business conditions will improve. Particularly important are small businesses.
 
Bureaucracy must be reduced, both in Sweden and at EU level. Decisions should be taken as close to those affected as possible.


New Leadership
Sweden needs cohesion and confidence. All citizens, and every part of the country is needed that together we will be strong. Power should be spread in the community through decentralization and development of both town and country.

People's influence over their lives and their surroundings must increase. Local leadership, in such development groups and neighborhood associations, should be highlighted. Leadership within the school and the public sector will be developed.

Personal responsibility must be clear at all levels. In many places in industry, government, and politics requires a new moral attitude. Responsible leadership lead away from exorbitant severance payments and unjustified benefits.

Equality and gender equality should be a given - eg between women and men, old and new Swedes, young and old.

Sweden should take a leading role in solidarity, peace and development in international cooperation. The Centre Party wants to see more of Swedish leadership in the international context.

Cooperation brings democracy strength. The Centre Party wants to promote broad cooperation in the political center, rather than ossified block policy. The Centre Party stands for agreements of election periods. The Centre Party is working for a non-socialist majority in the parliamentary elections and a new government from the new center. A vote for the Centre Party is a vote of non-socialist majority, but moderate dominance.

For the new millennium, Sweden needs to secure people, simpler rules and a new leadership. To make this possible, like the Center Party to implement changes in five areas during the next term of office:
 
1 Organic codend
The Centre Party wants to implement an ecological lift in Sweden. Necessary environmental responsibility and the development of new efficient technologies to strengthen Sweden as an exporting country. Ecology and economy must go hand in hand. Cycle work shall be further developed and producer responsibilities cover all goods.

The EU has so far done little to improve the environment of Europe and the world. Sweden will push environmental issues harder in the EU, and even seem to make the EU a leader in international environmental cooperation.
 
The Centre Party wants an environment ombudsman established that more community groups are given access to justice in environmental matters, and the environment The penalty is increased.

Biodiversity should be given lasting protection by increased purchases of protection of nature and sustainable use. All those who work in the forestry sector has a key role in ensuring the biodiversity of the forest.

Ecologically sustainable agriculture should be promoted, with good food at sensible prices. The distances to be kept down. There must be a clear labeling of a food to which any part is genetically modified.

Nuclear power should be phased out. Energy decision remains firm. Around the world decommissioned nuclear power. Renewal of the energy must be accelerated, mainly by increasing energy efficiency and increased use of biofuels.

It is important that renewable, bio-based fuels are given tax advantages. Sweden must reduce its emissions of so-called greenhouse gases, of which transport accounts for a large part. Efforts to achieve sustainable development must be pursued. Environmental issues need global leadership and play a central role in international trade agreements. Resource allocation is a key issue in the future of global environmental policy.

Economic instruments should be used to drive an environmentally-oriented development.


2 New jobs
- By small businesses, modernized labor and lower taxes

Unemployment must be tackled. Sweden needs a policy for more jobs, more business and more growing companies. It is mainly in the private sector that the new jobs are. Only increased employment in the private sector provides the conditions for increased employment in the public sector.

Small businesses are a crucial element in the community. Small businesses have a key role in boosting growth and employment. It is the small businesses that many future jobs and business ideas must be created and developed. Therefore, the smaller companies promoted, including in relation to the major.

The Centre Party wants to create a firm basis through long-term stable and simplified regulations for business. Inventions and innovations must be stimulated. Access to risk capital needs to be improved.

The conditions of fåmansbolagen must be improved and generation shifts facilitated. More business ideas and companies must be given the chance to succeed.

Women entrepreneurship will be stimulated through investment in counseling, training, financial support and research.

The Centre Party wants to reduce the tax burden in line with what the economy permits during the period of 1998-2002. The tax cuts will be financed. The goal is a tax burden below 50 percent of GDP in a few years into the 2000s. It will be the beginning of a long-term strategy for reducing taxes.

The Centre Party prioritizes the reduction in taxes on labor, lower taxes for low and medium incomes, lower taxes on businesses and individuals.

Taxes on labor should be reduced by lower payroll taxes with a focus mainly favors smaller companies. Through a tax, where the tax is raised on environmentally damaging activities, larger tax cuts on the work financed.

To reduce the low- and medium-income earners dependent on grants should taxes be lowered by increased basic allowance.

By phasing out the capital tax, which approximately 40 percent is levied on assets in the form of a private home, like the Center Party continue to reduce the tax on lodging. The Centre Party is working for a permanent relief for residents in attractive recreational areas. The internationalization is also a motive for phasing out the capital tax.

 
The Centre Party wants to reduce the tax on household services. It is facilitated by reduced employer contributions, but it also requires a deduction for those who purchase the service.

In modern working life, the individual recurring able to develop and update their knowledge. Therefore, a reform of personal skills and learning accounts developed.

More flexible working hours are part of a modernized labor market. Working hours must be variable depending on the pattern of life and the different stages of life. There are several welfare gains with shortened working hours.

Wage formation will change so that the risk of future conflicts are minimized. Mediation efforts must be strengthened and conflict weapons used with caution. There should be mechanisms to ensure that agreements reached at wage levels that are compatible with low unemployment, low interest rates and low inflation.

Labour law must continue to reform and decentralization, and include all active in the labor market. Blue. it must become easier for companies to hire new employees. The Centre Party wants to move significantly more power to the local workplace, where trade and business owners usually have a good ability to get along.

Exceptions should be provided from the priority rules for two key individuals. It is important for small businesses and reduce the risk that they are forced to lay off key at the cuts.

In order to facilitate labor market entry opportunities also for lower starting salaries are opened, including by derogation from the collective agreement with the legal minimum wage.

Agriculture is an important industry for a living countryside, in an open cultivated landscape and food quality. The economic conditions have improved. Swedish farmers are to compete on equal terms with farmers in neighboring countries.


3 Construction society from below
- Break the private and public concentrations of power

The Centre Party wants to create a decentralized society with viable enterprises, population and good environment in the country.

Private and public concentrations of power must be countered. Personal ownership should be encouraged in relation to large-scale, anonymous institutional ownership.

Society must upgrade the non-profit work. Increased cooperation between the private, public and voluntary sector will create new opportunities for new welfare solutions both in rural and urban areas. New collaboration solutions should be stimulated.

Power should be decentralized. Individual citizens must have more power to decide over their own lives. It shall be made by moving decisions closer to the person concerned. Less is determined centrally, more must be determined locally and regionally. Smaller municipalities and elected regional assemblies are steps in the right direction.

Sweden needs more viable local communities in both the city and rural areas. It increases nearby and provide more meeting places. Public services, private companies and housing must be mixed.

The EU should not regulate in detail such as the shot easier and better at national or at local or regional level.

Segregation in metropolitan suburbs must be broken. Public services in disadvantaged areas should be strengthened. The integration of new immigrants should be improved by increasing resources for, inter alia, Swedish tuition.

The environment in big cities should be protected. Gardens should not plots, but protected. With the Stockholm National City Park as a model should new national urban parks are established.

Sweden needs a rural lifting to prevent further emigration and impoverishment of rural areas. Small Business, environmental, new technology, decentralized education, women's and youth initiatives, support for local development are some positive measures required to lift the countryside.

A positive future development presupposes that everyone feels involved. It is particularly important that young people's values, ideas and knowledge is utilized.

A modern society based on good communications. The new technique of computer and telecommunications have developed throughout the country to create opportunities for advanced jobs and new markets. Information technology will be offered to the same economic conditions throughout Sweden. Government jobs should not be concentrated in a few locations.

Cultural initiatives as part of regional development must be strengthened.

A long term and progressive development plan for the development of inland Norrland focus on entrepreneurship, better communications, information technology and higher education must be implemented. Hydropower producing regions to share in hydropower profits.

Thanks to the center party to be created over 60,000 new university places until the turn of the century. It needed a quality boost while the number of education continues to increase. Through other new universities, all parts of the country are given increased opportunities to develop. Investments in small and medium-sized universities will be reinforced to provide emerging force in the country and increase the collective national expertise and research power. It is important to have an established cooperation between all colleges and universities.
 
The decision of the Malmö City Tunnel must be reconsidered for economic, environmental and regional policy reasons. The cost should be redistributed for the rehabilitation of, inter alia, the fine county road network in the country.

Entrepreneurship is the strongest driver of increased employment and development. It must be promoted throughout the country.

The financial equalization for municipalities and county councils must change. It will help to create fair and equal conditions throughout the country.


4 Show consideration -
create a new prosperity built on basic security

The Centre Party wants basic security for all. Security systems should be made more equitable and sustainable. Today's various policies, such as unemployment and health insurance need to be coordinated. Coordination shall also apply to the authorities concerned.

The basic security for families must be improved. The Centre Party wants to support and strengthen the family. Parental insurance must be modernized by a child account is introduced, equal for all children, but with greater freedom of choice for the family.

The basis for pensions is laid in that pension reform is adopted. The Centre Party wants to raise the level of the lowest pensions. It requires a high basic level of pension in both the new pension system, and for those who now just have basic pension, pension supplement and / or low ATP.

Home services Cheques should be introduced for pensioners. This means that services in the home, which is not covered by home help ordinary activities, to be purchased at subsidized prices.

The Centre Party wants to develop and strengthen the primary care role, both in terms of prevention and along the continuum of care. A strong basic healthcare ensures that everyone receives the best care and services, regardless of where you live or who you are. Early intervention

reducing the need for specialized care. In the close care should have the right to choose their personal guide through the healthcare chain.

Future health care should be characterized by small-scale, shorter hospitalization, and the empowerment of patients and staff. A collaboration between large and small hospitals provide space for both proximity and specialization.

A care and treatment guaranteed to be introduced. The patient's needs must come first. Queues have to be shortened. This was achieved when four-party government conducted its care guarantee.

Home care should be facilitated. In a human hospital's proximity to, and influence for the relatives of central importance.

Patients should be offered freedom of choice and diversity. Health care providers and principals are hired to ensure the best quality and cost of care.

Everyone must both be staying in their home and be able to go out without fear. Organised crime must be combated. Police and customs must be given increased resources. A review of the organization and work should be done to increase efficiency. The fight against drugs must be intensified. Financial crime must be vigorously combated. A more secure Sweden assumes more of crime prevention at all levels of society. Women who are victims of crime should not have to have their freedom of movement restricted.

Sweden needs a coordinated legislation against all forms of discrimination - both in terms of immigrants, the disabled and homosexuals. It also needed a strong protection against violence and incitement against vulnerable groups.

The Centre Party wants to create a world-class school. Basic school's commitment will not cease until the student has achieved the approved knowledge. The target should be a flexible, ten year old primary.

The grades should be more, and all students will receive a grade no later than in year seven.

Literacy levels have a key impact on the ability to learn. Access to good teaching aid for learning is a prerequisite for being able to provide good support for each student. It is important that different pedagogies and independent schools are given the opportunity to develop.

The school needs a new leadership. Teachers have a key role in the formation of a new leadership and, therefore, the teaching profession is upgraded. Teachers' professional professional capacity must be developed, the profession is given higher status and enhanced career opportunities.


Secondary schools should provide sufficient knowledge for entry into working life and the college and provide the foundation for continued lifelong learning. The practical learning should be utilized and apprenticeships developed. The qualified post-secondary vocational education will be developed further.

It is important to state investments in more university around the country accompanied by a student aid reform that contributes to a broader recruitment from all walks of life to college.


5 A strong economy
- Outside the EMU
 
The Centre Party is the only party been able to contribute to the consolidation of government finances all the way from start to finish. Already this year, the state budget in surplus. In the nearly three years the Centre Party during this term, had a decisive influence over economic policy, interest rates have more than halved. Confidence in the Swedish economy has recovered.

During the next mandate, our goal is to increase economic growth, reduce unemployment and reduce government debt.

Sweden still has a large debt and it is necessary to gradually paid off. The goal is overspending on average two per cent of GDP over an economic cycle. It requires an economic policy stability and continuity that maintains low interest rates and low inflation.

The Centre Party wants to reduce state ownership in major listed companies. State and private business roles becomes more clear and distinct.

A viable market economy, with active entrepreneurship and a farsighted environmental policy, is the basis for the general welfare. For the long term, achieve sound public finances and guarantee welfare must reduce unemployment.

The Centre Party rejects Swedish membership of the EMU. A common EU currency counteract decentralization, and could lead to increased supranational. A foundation is for Sweden to have sufficient economic strength to remain outside EMU. Opening the door to EMU, through an ERM should not happen.

It should not be possible for a political majority in parliament to join Sweden to EMU without having first consulted the Swedish people in a referendum.
 
Centre Party is the enlargement of the EU eastwards priority. The enlargement to the former eastern bloc can peace and development be secured throughout Europe. Sweden should, during its Presidency of the EU in 2001 to prioritize pan-European cooperation, to reduce bureaucracy and detailed regulation, and to give the EU a leading role in global environmental efforts.

Swedish membership in NATO would not increase the security of our country and improve the stability of our environment. If utilized properly, the Swedish military alliances be a great asset in building a pan-European security order. The Swedish assistance goal of one percent of GDP should be incrementally restored.
