Editing Moderate Party (section)

== Ideology and political positions ==
{{Conservatism in Sweden|Parties}}
The Moderate Party states that its ideology is a mix of [[liberalism]] and [[conservatism]], and corresponds to what is called [[liberal conservatism]]. As is common in European [[centre-right]]<ref>{{bulleted list|{{cite book|title = European Economics and Politics in the Midst of the Crisis: From the Outbreak of the Crisis to the Fragmented European Federation|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=joa9BAAAQBAJ|publisher = Springer Science & Business Media|date = 2014-01-04|isbn = 9783642413445|language = en|first1 = Panagiotis E.|last1 = Petrakis|first2 = Pantelis C.|last2 = Kostis|first3 = Dionysis G.|last3 = Valsamis}}|{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45461686 |title=Swedish election: Vote begins amid anti-immigration surge |work=BBC News |date=9 September 2018 |access-date=9 September 2018 |archive-date=24 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324033425/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45461686 |url-status=live }}|{{cite web |author=Weekly Graphs |url=https://www.v-dem.net/en/news/elections-sweden-9th-september/ |title=Elections in Sweden – 9th of September |work=V-Dem |access-date=12 October 2018 |archive-date=24 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203759/https://www.v-dem.net/en/news/elections-sweden-9th-september/ |url-status=dead }}|{{cite web |author=Susanne Wixe |url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/6nR45Q/this-is-whats-happened-in-sweden-last-night |title=This is what's happened in Sweden last night |work=[[Aftonbladet]] |date=9 September 2018 |access-date=10 September 2018 |archive-date=9 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221009040855/https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/6nR45Q/this-is-whats-happened-in-sweden-last-night |url-status=live }}|{{cite news |author=Ulla Engberg |url=https://sverigesradio.se/sida/gruppsida.aspx?programid=4657&grupp=24115&artikel=6970441 |title=Sweden Democrats' leader pleased with the latest poll results |work=Gruppsida |date=5 June 2018 |access-date=10 September 2018 }}|{{cite web |author=Krishnadev Calamur |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/09/sweden-election/569500/ |title=Why Sweden's Far Right Is on the Rise |work=The Atlantic |date=8 September 2018 |access-date=8 September 2018 |archive-date=1 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201183035/https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/09/sweden-election/569500/ |url-status=live }}|{{cite web |author=Susanne Wixe |url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/6nR45Q/this-is-whats-happened-in-sweden-last-night |title=This is what's happened in Sweden last night |work=[[Aftonbladet]] |date=9 September 2018 |access-date=10 September 2018 |archive-date=9 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221009040855/https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/6nR45Q/this-is-whats-happened-in-sweden-last-night |url-status=live }}}}</ref><ref name="Milne 2019">{{cite news|last=Milne|first=Richard|date=5 December 2019|url=https://www.ft.com/content/1e692a28-1764-11ea-9ee4-11f260415385 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/1e692a28-1764-11ea-9ee4-11f260415385 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription|title=Mainstream Swedish party open to working with once-spurned nationalists|newspaper=Financial Times|access-date=10 May 2020}}</ref> and conservative parties, the term ''liberalism'' in Sweden refers to the traditional meaning of [[classical liberalism]] rather than [[progressivism]] or [[social liberalism]] in countries such as the United States.

The party supports [[free market]]s and [[Civil liberties|personal freedom]] and has historically been the essential force for [[privatization|privatisation]], deregulation, lowering tax rates, and a reduction of the public-sector growth rate.<ref name="KildalKuhnle2007">{{cite book|author1=Nanna Kildal|author2=Stein Kuhnle|title=Normative Foundations of the Welfare State: The Nordic Experience|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MDd-AgAAQBAJ&pg=PT128|year=2007|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-27282-2|page=128}}</ref> Other issues emphasized by the party are such as actions against violent crime and sex crime, increasing and promoting the value of working, and quality in the [[Education in Sweden|educational system]]. The party supports [[same-sex marriage in Sweden]] and Sweden's membership in the [[European Union]]. The Moderate Party considers itself as a "green-right" party.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grön höger – för minskade utsläpp och framtidens jobb |url=https://moderaterna.se/gronhoger |website=Nya Moderaterna |access-date=25 October 2021 |archive-date=25 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925030918/https://moderaterna.se/gronhoger |url-status=live }}</ref>

The party campaigned for changing currency to the [[euro]] in the [[2003 Swedish euro referendum|2003 referendum]]. As of 2013, the party was still in favor of the euro, but it expressed that the issue of a membership of the [[Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union]] and the [[eurozone]] would not be relevant until the member states have met certain strict requirements set up by the party in regard to budget deficits.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hennel |first=Lena |date=30 March 2013 |title=M skjuter euron på framtiden |url=http://www.svd.se/m-skjuter-euron-pa-framtiden/om/sverige |newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |location=[[Stockholm]] |publisher=Handelsbolaget Svenska Dagbladet AB & Co |access-date=2 January 2017 }}</ref> In the 2024 EU elections, the Moderate Party proposed making abortion constitutionally protected in Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-08 |title=Grundlagsskydda aborträtten i EU |url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/O8G90O |access-date=2024-03-23 |website=www.aftonbladet.se |language=sv}}</ref>

After [[Fredrik Reinfeldt]] became leader, the party slowly moved further towards the [[political centre]] and also adopted [[pragmatism|pragmatic]] views. The party abandoned several of its old key features such as a [[proportional tax|proportional income tax]] and increased military spending. Criticism of the labour laws, its former characteristic which was [[neoliberal]], was changed towards conserving the [[Swedish welfare|Swedish model]] and a careful embracing of balance on the labour market.<ref>[http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1042&a=709343] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029184113/http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1042&a=709343|date=29 October 2007}}</ref>

With the ascension of [[Anna Kinberg Batra]] as party leader, the party adjusted its position in the political spectrum and moved back towards the [[Right-wing politics|political right]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stenberg |first1=Ewa |last2=Eriksson |first2=Karin |date=9 July 2016 |title=De nya hårda moderaterna |url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/de-nya-harda-moderaterna/ |language=sv |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |location=[[Stockholm]] |publisher=AB Dagens Nyheter |access-date=1 January 2017 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102171314/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/de-nya-harda-moderaterna/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The party abandoned its previously liberal stance on immigration, notably manifested by Fredrik Reinfeldt's summer speech in 2014 in which he appealed for "open hearts" to meet the [[European migrant crisis|expected migrant waves]]. The party supports border controls and tougher rules for immigrants, including temporary residence permits, stricter requirements for family reunification and cuts in welfare benefits.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lönnaeus |first=Olle |date=17 October 2015 |title=Moderaterna skärper sin migrationspolitik |url=http://www.sydsvenskan.se/2015-10-17/moderaterna-skarper-sin-migrationspolitik- |language=sv |newspaper=[[Sydsvenskan]] |location=[[Malmö]] |publisher=Sydsvenska Dagbladets AB |access-date=1 January 2017 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102082012/http://www.sydsvenskan.se/2015-10-17/moderaterna-skarper-sin-migrationspolitik- |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Olsson |first=Hans |date=14 April 2016 |title=Moderaterna vill begränsa stödet för flyktingar |url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/moderaterna-vill-begransa-stodet-for-flyktingar/ |language=sv |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |location=Stockholm |publisher=AB Dagens Nyheter |access-date=1 January 2017 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102081328/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/moderaterna-vill-begransa-stodet-for-flyktingar/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Swedish values was a recurring subject in Anna Kindberg Batra's speech at the [[Almedalen Week]] in 2016, and she said that immigrants should make efforts to learn the [[Swedish language]] and take part of Swedish societal orientation, or risk getting reduced benefits and harder to get permanent residence permits.<ref>{{cite news |last=Grahn Hinnfors |first=Gunilla |date=9 July 2016 |title=Moderaterna går högerut |url=http://www.gp.se/nyheter/gptv-moderaterna-g%C3%A5r-h%C3%B6gerut-1.3468948 |language=sv |newspaper=[[Göteborgsposten]] |location=[[Gothenburg]] |publisher=Stampen Local Media AB |access-date=1 January 2017 }}</ref> Since 2015, the party has taken up its demand for increased military spending, and has supported the re-introduction of [[mandatory military service]], inactivated in Sweden under Fredrik Reinfeldt in 2010.<ref>{{cite news |last=My |first=Rohwedder |date=17 February 2015 |title=Moderaterna vill höja anslagen till försvaret |url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=83&artikel=6095797 |language=sv |newspaper=[[Sveriges Radio]] |location=Stockholm |publisher=Sveriges Radio AB |access-date=1 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Bjurbo |first=Peter |date=28 September 2016 |title=Moderaterna ställer sig bakom värnplikt |url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=83&artikel=6528848 |language=sv |newspaper=[[Sveriges Radio]] |location=Stockholm |publisher=Sveriges Radio AB |access-date=1 January 2017 |archive-date=3 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103002236/http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=83&artikel=6528848 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The party is in favour of Swedish membership of [[NATO]] and supported Sweden's application for membership.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gummesson |first=Jonas |date=8 June 2015 |title=M: Sverige bör söka till Nato efter valet |url=http://www.svd.se/m-sverige-bor-soka-till-nato-efter-valet |language=sv |newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |location=Stockholm |publisher=Handelsbolaget Svenska Dagbladet AB & Co |access-date=2 January 2017 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102171411/http://www.svd.se/m-sverige-bor-soka-till-nato-efter-valet |url-status=live }}</ref> The party expressed a wish that a membership is applied for together with [[Finland]] which is what happened in May 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.europaportalen.se/2022/05/sverige-och-finland-har-lamnat-ansokan-till-nato | title=Sverige och Finland har lämnat in ansökan till Nato | access-date=28 October 2022 | archive-date=28 October 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028175311/https://www.europaportalen.se/2022/05/sverige-och-finland-har-lamnat-ansokan-till-nato | url-status=live }}</ref>