Left Party: Dadgostar re-elected - demands higher salary

Nooshi Dadgostar will continue as party leader when the Left Party gathers for its congress in Örebro. But behind a united front, conflicts are growing over money, strategy and how the party is governed.

When the Left Party held its congress in Örebro, it elected Nooshi Dadgostar as party leader unopposed. The decision is taken by acclamation, and the party appears to be united behind its leadership. At the same time, reports from the congress indicate that several crucial issues have in practice already been decided before the delegates gather, according to reports from Today's ETC.

One representative said that the line on the government issue was already decided by the party leadership in the media, raising questions about how much influence Congress actually has and how much is in practice controlled from above.

Fighting over money for their own

The most controversial issue is the so-called party tax - the fee that elected representatives pay to the party. Today, the system means that a large part of the fees goes back to the party's coffers, which has historically been justified on the grounds that politicians should not take money from ordinary wage earners.

Now the party board wants to change the model and raise the limit for how much politicians can keep from 45 to 50 percent of an income base amount. For full-time top politicians, this means several thousand kronor more a month, and for the party leader himself it is about SEK 4,000 more. .

The proposal is clearly facing internal criticism. Anders Skans warns that the change risks undermining trust in the party:

- It is clear that it is a political issue of trust. We don't want people to take advantage of becoming a politician and that's why we think the party tax is important, he says. .

There are also objections from the party executive. Bore Shield, who entered a reservation against the proposal, stresses that the aim of the system is to keep politicians close to ordinary voters:

– I want us to keep the system we have today, he says.

Hard line drives new divisions

In parallel with the conflict over money, the party leadership is pushing through a hard line on the government issue. The Left Party will not allow any government that it is not part of, a demand that has attracted criticism from several districts who warn that the party risks becoming politically locked in.

Despite this, there will be no vote on the issue at Congress, but the line will go through without a vote, further reinforcing the image of a process where crucial decisions have already been made.

Deputy Party Leader Ida Gabrielsson defends the strategy by saying that government influence is crucial to get policies through:

– We get less substantive policy through if we are outside, she says. .

Harsh tone from the podium

The Congress is also characterized by a tough tone in the debate. Strong language is heard from the rostrum, with party committee member Patrik Strand during a speech exclaimed ”it was all bullshit!”

The divide remains below the surface

Overall, the congress shows a double picture of the Left Party. On the one hand, a unanimous re-election of the party leader and a clear direction forward. On the other hand, a series of concrete conflicts over finances, strategy and internal democracy that continue to characterize the party ahead of the 2026 elections - and which indicate that the contradictions are not resolved, but rather managed under the surface.