On Wednesday 14 February, Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström presented the 2018 Statement of Foreign Policy to the Riksdag.
"This year marks 100 years since the Riksdag decided to make the right to vote universal and equal for both women and men.
It is a fitting occasion to remember those who give our democracy its lifeblood: those who carry it forward. The people. Politicians and civil servants. Journalists. Civil society. Those of us in this chamber.
I say this because the merchants of gloom are now peddling the view that the coming election campaign is going to be dirty.
I say to them: it doesn't have to be that way. It is entirely up to us.
All of us, in this chamber, can choose to conduct political activities with dignity. We can choose to debate with respect – for each other, and for the truth.
Democracy is at the core of Sweden's foreign policy. Its task is to create security when the rest of the world is troubled. Foreign policy manages the changes that occur all around us:
climate change, which threatens our security,
countries that are isolating themselves from the world,
and people who are displaced.
Our task can be summarised as follows:
The primary goal of Sweden's foreign policy is to protect our country's security and that of our people.
We do this in partnership with others, through an active foreign policy in which diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation are our most important tools. Our commitment to free trade, equality, gender equality and our extensive aid are important parts of this policy."
You may read the full Statement here (in English): http://www.government.se/speeches/2018/02/the-governments-statement-of-foreign-policy-2018/
