The National Debt — How to Read the Numbers
The national debt measures what the state owes after financing budget deficits over time, usually by issuing government bonds. The debt increasing in a given year doesn't automatically mean public finances are worsening — it depends on the context.
A more common and more informative measure is the debt's size relative to GDP, since that puts the debt in relation to the country's overall economy. Sweden has historically had a relatively low debt ratio compared with many other EU countries.
The Swedish National Debt Office (Riksgälden) is responsible for the state's borrowing and publishes ongoing forecasts that are affected by the economic cycle, interest rate trends and adopted budgets.