Sweden had a deficit of 0.40% of GDP in 2011 (last year I have figures for), in that same year the US had a budget deficit of about 10% of GDP. Furthermore, ma

Sweden had a deficit of 0.40% of GDP in 2011 (last year I have figures for), in that same year the US had a budget deficit of about 10% of GDP. Furthermore, maternity leave and holiday time are neither expensive nor are they getting more so in the future. What is more worrying in the long term are benefits associated with retirement because due to demographic changes that cost will continue to grow even as the number of people in the labour force stays steady or slowly shrinks. Those problems are not unique to Sweden.