Where is IT, Mona and Fredrik?

Anne-Marie Fransson writes in Computer Sweden about the disappointment of the lack of IT in the election debate: "I understand that you are working hard in the current election times, Mona and Fredrik. We all see your commitment to Sweden's development and future. But I am disappointed when I read your respective election manifestos."

You have the chance to point out how you want to ensure future growth and welfare, how we will cope with the large number of retirements, the growing proportion of elderly people in need of care, ensure a world-class school, a Sweden as a pioneer in the climate area.

But perhaps the most important resource of all - IT - is not mentioned at all in this context.

Information technology offers enormous opportunities for virtually all of society. But Fredrik Reinfeldt, you only mention it in the context of fighting crime in your election manifesto. Not a word about IT when it comes to schools, healthcare and the environment.

This also applies to you, Mona Sahlin. You do not address at all the importance of IT or technology as a factor in the future development of our country.

In the light of the positive willingness and understanding that your IT policy spokespersons, and those of other parties, have shown for the possibilities of using IT solutions as a tool to create competitiveness and growth and to solve many of the resource problems we face as a country, I am even more disheartened. At an IT policy election debate we held a couple of weeks ago, in which all parliamentary parties were represented, there was great agreement that schools must have an IT strategy, that investments should be made in using IT in healthcare and, above all, that IT is too underutilized in the environmental and climate context.

Mona, from you Red-Greens - and to some extent also from you in the Alliance - the issue of 'digital belonging' was also raised during the debate. Too many people - over a million Swedes - do not use the internet.

There is no mention of this in your respective election manifestos, although it must be seen as an important democratic issue. Important for employability and important for the feeling of being part of tomorrow's society.

Perhaps you do not see these issues as a vote magnet. But I think you are mistaken. Imagine if your respective blocs had shocked your opponents with a well thought-out, concrete programme to modernize Sweden, to adapt Sweden to the information society.

I am responsible for the industry organization IT & Telecomföretagen. I am not writing this so that the industry will have better conditions or more favorable conditions. I am writing this because I am saddened that your party colleagues, who are also IT spokespersons, speak so warmly about these issues - but nothing is seen in action.

I hope that you will soon show, not only in words but also in deeds, that you understand that IT is crucial for the future, because it is not the technology itself that is important, what is important is how we actually use it to bring about the changes that are needed to cope with the future, prosperity and growth.

Anne-Marie Fransson
Director of the Association
IT&Telecom companies within Almega