Starting next year, individuals in Sweden will no longer be able to obtain a loan for a driving license from CSN, according to a proposal in the budget bill for next year. The decision has sparked criticism, especially from the Social Democrats’ party secretary, Tobias Baudin.
Baudin argues that in Sweden, where more and more employers require driver’s licenses and getting one is extremely expensive, this proposal is a huge blow, particularly for young people and those living in rural areas. He believes that having a driver’s license is essential to being a free person and having access to employment opportunities.
Currently, those who are eligible for the loan are unemployed individuals and young people between the ages of 19 and 21 who have completed high school. However, a recent report by CSN revealed that less than half of the loan recipients have actually obtained a driver’s license. Out of 18,200 applicants since the introduction of the opportunity in 2018, only around 8,000 have successfully obtained a license. According to CSN analyst Hanna Rösth, the increased costs associated with getting a license are a significant contributing factor to this low success rate.
Furthermore, CSN has noticed a drastic decrease in the number of people applying for a driver’s license loan in recent years, dropping from just over 12,000 in 2020 to under 8,500 last year.
Despite these statistics, Tobias Baudin believes that the driver’s license loan should still be available and calls for a long-term effort to address the issue. He sees the 8,000 obtained licenses as a positive start and emphasizes the need for reforms to be given sufficient time to yield results. Baudin criticizes the government’s prioritization, claiming that the current budget focuses on increasing tax deductions for luxury kitchen renovations or pool construction instead of supporting individuals in rural areas and those seeking employment.
The decision to discontinue the loan program for driving licenses has sparked debate and will undoubtedly have an impact on individuals seeking opportunities and mobility in Sweden. The long-term consequences of this change remain to be seen, but it is clear that different perspectives on the issue exist and that the prioritization of resources and funding is a point of contention.