Local Development Sweden has asked a question about LEADER to all parliamentary parties
Please note that Local Development Sweden is a politically independent organization. The answers are presented in alphabetical order and have not been edited. The image contains logos that follow the order of responses. All images are sourced from each party's press room on the web.
Center Party
How does your party view locally led development through LEADER in a broader rural perspective, and how does your party want to develop this in the next EU programming period 2028–2034?
”The Center Party sees LEADER as a central tool in the implementation of the national rural policy. Sweden's rural areas have different conditions and challenges, which requires place-based solutions that are based on local knowledge and local engagement. The LEADER method creates conditions for this by bringing together the public sector, business, and civil society in joint development efforts.In the next EU program period 2028–2034, the Center Party wants to strengthen LEADER's role as a tool for sustainable local and regional development. The local action groups that exist around the country already constitute a well-functioning structure with established networks, expertise, and strong local anchoring. These resources should be utilized to meet challenges related to, for example, skills supply, services, preparedness, and social cohesion.
LEADER also contributes to better collaboration between different levels and sectors, strengthens civil society's opportunities to participate in development work, and leads, in short, to better projects. The method is particularly important because many smaller actors find it difficult to access other project support. Therefore, we in the Center Party want a part of the budget to continue to be specifically allocated to LEADER. We want to provide the method with long-term conditions, sufficient resources, and a clear mandate to continue creating local development with strong local ownership and concrete results.”
Christian Democrats
How does your party view locally led development through LEADER in a broader rural perspective, and how does your party want to develop this in the next EU programming period 2028–2034?
”We view this very positively. Society becomes most robust and sustainable when it is built from the ground up and where solutions can emerge based on the challenges that exist locally.The strength of LEADER is the whole, where many different local projects have yielded benefits based on various parameters. Perhaps the most important of these benefits is improvements in social capital and trust, values that cannot be exchanged for money in a bank.
Going forward, we see it as important to maintain the current line and not change LEADER's working methods, which have a documented successful working model.”
Liberals
How does your party view locally led development through LEADER in a broader rural perspective, and how does your party want to develop this in the next EU programming period 2028–2034?
”We see LEADER as an important tool for strengthening rural development and giving local actors the opportunity to shape and implement projects based on their local conditions. Locally led development creates engagement, strengthens community, and can contribute to both growth and future confidence in our rural areas.Ahead of the EU program period 2028–2034, we want the EU to ensure long-term funding for LEADER and allocate at least the same level of resources as during the current program period. We also want to protect a simple and flexible system, so that associations, businesses, and other local actors can focus their efforts on developing their ideas rather than on administration.
At the same time, we want to emphasize that LEADER is an important tool, but not the only solution. The foundation for a vibrant and attractive countryside is a viable business sector, good opportunities to live and work, as well as functioning services and infrastructure. Therefore, LEADER needs to be seen as part of a broader rural policy where local engagement is combined with good conditions for entrepreneurship and jobs throughout the country.”
The Green Party
How does your party view locally led development through LEADER in a broader rural perspective, and how does your party want to develop this in the next EU programming period 2028–2034?
”We see LEADER as very important for social and local development in rural areas, and something we must continue to prioritize as a complement to other rural development initiatives. We are concerned about the downgrading of LEADER that we have seen in the Commission's proposal for the period 2028-2034, as it has not been earmarked. At the EU level, the Green Party is working to ensure that at least the same amount as before is allocated to LEADER in the next period.”The Moderates
How does your party view locally led development through LEADER in a broader rural perspective, and how does your party want to develop this in the next EU programming period 2028–2034?
”The Moderates view LEADER positively as a way to strengthen local engagement and development capacity in rural areas. We want EU rural policy to focus more on entrepreneurship, jobs, services, and growth, with greater room for local solutions. Therefore, ahead of the program period 2028–2034, we want to protect LEADER, while administration should be reduced so that more of the resources go to concrete local development.”
”The Moderates view LEADER positively as a way to strengthen local engagement and development capacity in rural areas. We want EU rural policy to focus more on entrepreneurship, jobs, services, and growth, with greater room for local solutions. Therefore, ahead of the program period 2028–2034, we want to protect LEADER, while administration should be reduced so that more of the resources go to concrete local development.”The Social Democrats
How does your party view locally led development through LEADER in a broader rural perspective, and how does your party want to develop this in the next EU programming period 2028–2034?
”Sweden deserves a policy for jobs and growth throughout the country. No matter where you live, it should be possible to live, work, and build your future there. Therefore, we want to secure rural policy. Sweden cannot afford to let the countryside continue to be in the shadows.LEADER is a good and important tool for measures that originate from the local perspective. We want regional support to also be used in the upcoming program period to strengthen local and regional development of services, entrepreneurship, and skills development.”
The Sweden Democrats
How does your party view locally led development through LEADER in a broader rural perspective, and how does your party want to develop this in the next EU programming period 2028–2034?
”The Sweden Democrats are positive about the policy working with support for rural development. These funds are useful today, but we also see structural problems with the EU regulatory framework and the work of Swedish authorities that lead to high administrative costs and a high degree of inefficiency.We would wish that the supports could be used more long-term to support profitability for businesses in rural areas rather than for more short-term projects.”
The Left Party
How does your party view locally led development through LEADER in a broader rural perspective, and how does your party want to develop this in the next EU programming period 2028–2034?
”Regional development must be strengthened, and we believe that it is primarily those who live and work in rural areas who know what development is needed. It is important that part of the work is done from a bottom-up perspective, and we therefore view locally led development through LEADER positively.".Since it risks undermining the stability and continuity of the operation, we think it is unfortunate that the previous earmarking is no longer in place for the upcoming program period. It creates uncertainty about how large resources are actually available and complicates long-term planning.”