Sweden's exemption from EU fuel rules has expired, and the Sweden Democrats (SD) want the country's lower fuel prices to stay in place, Sveriges Radio reported on Wednesday. The expiry marks the end of a period in which Swedish motorists paid less at the pump than drivers in neighbouring countries.
According to Sveriges Radio, the party is pushing to retain the reduced prices now that the exemption has lapsed. The broadcaster did not detail what specific measures SD is proposing.
The change comes as several Swedish outlets reported rising costs. Aftonbladet noted that Sweden had been the cheapest country in the Nordic region for fuel, but that prices are now going up. Dagens industri warned of record fuel prices. Blekinge Läns Tidning described drivers filling multiple containers the day before the increase took effect, while Ekuriren reported packed petrol stations and, in one case, a station running out of petrol entirely.
The reports point to a sharp reaction among motorists ahead of the price rise, with queues at filling stations and stockpiling of fuel in containers. The expiry of the exemption is the common thread behind the increases covered by the Swedish outlets.
What to watch next: whether SD's push for continued lower fuel prices gains traction in the Riksdag, and how far pump prices rise in the coming weeks.
