Swedish climate minister dismisses far-right’s biofuel threats

(EurActiv, 12 Apr 2023) Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari dismissed threats of political crisis from the far-right Sweden Democrats, who want the currently undecided government to reduce the number of biofuels that must be blended into petrol and diesel from the current 30% mandate to virtually zero.

A few weeks ago, far-right Sweden’s Democrat (SD) economic policy spokesperson Oscar Sjöstedt threatened a government crisis if the coalition parties in power did not agree on the reduction obligation in an interview with TV4 Nyheterna.

While the Sweden Democrats are not part of the ruling coalition – which includes the Moderates, Liberals and Christian Democrats – they offered to lend their support in exchange for the government implementing policies, namely on migration.

But now the party is aiming for the greenhouse gas emission reduction mandate for diesel, which the previous government set at a tough 30%.

While the Moderates and Christian Democrats believe it could be around 6% (which is the EU’s baseline target), and the Liberals have indicated that it could be 12-16%, the Sweden Democrats have threatened to create a political crisis if it is not dropped to virtually zero.

But Pourmokhtari, a Liberal herself, disagreed that SD is a threat and argued that the SD’s views on climate issues differ significantly from those of the government.

External link

EurActiv, 12 Apr 2023: Swedish climate minister dismisses far-right’s biofuel threats