The Tidö government’s new proposal to reduce the tax on petrol and diesel faces fierce criticism from the Green Party, which argues that the measure risks exacerbating both the climate crisis and Sweden’s dependence on fossil fuels. The party describes the initiative as ‘petrol populism’ and believes the government is prioritizing short-term polling gains over long-term solutions.
From July 1, the government, together with the Sweden Democrats, wants to lower the tax on petrol and diesel by about three kronor until the end of November. The aim is to ease the pressure on households after rising oil prices due to the conflict in the Middle East.
The Green Party’s spokesperson Daniel Helldén is furious about making things easier for households and argues that cutting fuel taxes is “deepening the crisis”.
READ ALSO: The Tidö government’s move in the energy crisis: Petrol price lowered by three kronor
According to Helldén, it is contradictory to try to tackle rising fuel prices by increasing demand for fossil fuels. The Green Party leader argues that in the long run, this risks locking Sweden in.
– We are trapping ourselves in even more fossil dependence, says Helldén.
The Green Party instead wants to see targeted support for households dependent on cars, as well as major investments in public transport. The party proposes, among other things, halved ticket prices on public transport to reduce the need for car journeys. Furthermore, the Green Party maintains that the solution is not cheaper petrol, but faster climate transition.
Support from the Social Democrats
At the same time, the government’s line gets support from Mikael Damberg and the Social Democrats. Although the party criticizes the government’s management of the economy, Damberg believes a temporary tax reduction may be necessary to curb inflation.
– We think it is perfectly reasonable to make sure inflation does not spread in the Swedish economy, says Damberg to TT.