Sweden May Hold the Key to Liberalism’s Revival

Foreigners routinely misunderstand Sweden’s secret, a secret that, to some extent, they share with other Nordic countries, but which they embody to a unique degree, given that they are bigger than Denmark, less state-dominated than Norway and more Scandinavian than Finland. 


A odd exemplar of “democratic socialism” that has about twice as many billionaires per capita as the US, that provides parents with school vouchers that they can “spend” in public or private schools, and that has a vibrant culture of share ownership, with 22% of Swedes owning shares directly, rather than through intermediaries.

A succession of neoliberal governments re-engineered the model from top to bottom. 

There are some flies in this ointment, of course:

The economy has recently endured a bout of stagnation, unemployment is at an uncomfortably high 9.4% and Sweden has one of Europe’s highest rates of household debt.

Polls suggest that a left-of-center coalition will replace the current right-of-center coalition, though just how left-of-center depends on both the vote and the dynamics of forming a governing coalition. 

But the betting is nevertheless on continuity. The center of political gravity has shifted rightward.

Adrian Wooldridge Bloomberg June 19, 2026

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-06-19/sweden-may-hold-the-key-to-liberalism-s-revival


What Broke Sweden? 
The total value of mortgages increased 459% in the two decades up to 2022. 

Before the latest crisis, household debt, including mortgages and consumer debt, had soared to more than 200% of disposable income, according to the OECD

Ulf Kristersson: Två vanliga löner ska räcka för att köpa och bo i ett hus.


Kylslagen start på bostadsmarknaden 2026


Första kvartalet 2025 uppgick hushållens samlade skulder till 5 500 miljarder kr. 
Bolånen svarar för 4 200 miljarder, resten utgörs av CSN-lån, konsumtionslån och övrigt.





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