Stefan Löfven: "We should be very happy to have a leader like Pedro Sánchez"

BarcelonaIf Pedro Sánchez and Lula da Silva are the ideologues of the progressive summit being held this weekend in Barcelona, Stefan Löfven (Stockholm, 1957) is one of its main organizers. Löfven, president of the Party of European Socialists and former Swedish Prime Minister, speaks to ARA from Fira de Barcelona.

Are Europe and the world in crisis?

— It is evident that the situation is very difficult as a consequence of the Russian attack on Ukraine and the threat it poses to Europe. And the United States is moving away from us. But at the same time, I see that European states understand that it is a new situation, that we must find a way to move forward, even without the United States. We must defend ourselves, ensure that Russia does not win the war. So I would not say that we are in crisis, but that we are facing a great challenge. And it must also mean that we must be more united.

The far right is entering European societies. Do you think it is a danger to democracy?

— It is, because the far-right does not believe in democracy, it does not want it. Look what happened in Hungary with Orbán. The judicial system is no longer independent, nor are the media and academia. Democracy is the only model that respects each individual.

And what is the cause of the far right's triumph? Does social democracy need to self-criticize?

— We had four or five decades in which the power of the nation-state was shifting towards capital flows. Capitalists told us that if we taxed them, they would move to other countries. This gave them more power. What we should have done earlier is try to counteract this both at the European and global level. Right now there is a debate at the United Nations to cooperate so that the richest people also pay taxes, not just workers. We have social democratic governments in Europe that show very good results in economy, job creation, social security, etc.

But nowadays in Europe there are many housing problems, price increases and low wages, also in states governed by social democracy, such as Spain.

— We have Pedro Sánchez and other prime ministers in Europe, but I want more because it is we who can manage housing. When I was Prime Minister of Sweden, in a social democratic government, we made sure to invest in housing. We built many apartments so that young people could access them. When the conservatives won, they let it go. We use the tools to improve society and they say that everyone can manage it individually. This is the solution of the conservatives and the far right. It is not a solution for the people.

And why do you think the Swedish far-right could have the strength to enter with the conservatives in the next government?

— There are people worried about this. They represent the populism of easy solutions. They suggest that if immigrants leave, everything will be perfect. This is not the solution. It is true that we need immigration regulation and we cannot receive more than we can integrate. But they do not have the solution. They lower taxes for the richest while we want the richest to pay more. They weaken the welfare state.

What are summits like this for?

— To gather like-minded people. People who care about democracy, international law, the climate... To meet, observe, attend debates. This makes you braver, I think. And it inspires. So, our task now is to ensure this is not just a here-and-now event. It is a movement that will continue to show people that there is a different path from authoritarianism.

You maintained a sanitary cordon on the far right in Sweden, but it has ended up growing. Do sanitary cordons work?

— Things like the equality of all human beings must be defended. And if you have a party that doesn't believe in it, it's a racist party. The Sweden Democrats party is a racist party. They grew up with neo-Nazis. That's the background. So, for me, it's obvious that you can't cooperate with this type of party. But, on the other hand, if they now have 20% of the votes, it means that the other 80% don't. So you can always find ways to move forward. And the only sad thing now is that the conservatives, the liberals, and the Christian Democrats, who had exactly the same position as us, started negotiating with them just because they were given power. And I think that's sad.

Could the answer be a grand coalition between social democracy and conservatives, without the far-right?

— No, no. At least in Sweden. In the elections, people vote for parties. And, after the elections, is when you can sit down and negotiate. That's what we did in 2018. It was very difficult, but we sat down and reached an agreement with two liberal parties and the green party. You cannot promise everything before the elections, because it would be disrespectful to your voters. In Sweden now the discussion is more about the electoral game, about who teams up with whom. And this makes them forget to discuss the healthcare system, education, and housing.

Do you think Pedro Sánchez is alone in his frontal opposition to Donald Trump?

— No, and I think he is the most honest, because everyone must see that the bombing of Iran is against international law. And I think his position is also good regarding defense financing. He says it doesn't have to be an exact percentage [NATO claims 3.5% of GDP and Trump 5%], but rather to increase defense capability. And I have exactly the same position. You can allocate a lot of money to defense without it being so effective. Pedro Sánchez is honest, open, and we should be very happy to have such a leader.