Ali Esbati

Ali Esbati (born 1976) is an Iranian-Swedish economist and politician of the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet). Born in Tehran, Iran, he immigrated to Sweden in 1986 and later earned a degree in economics from the Stockholm School of Economics. He served as a member of the Swedish Riksdag from 2014 to January 2024, initially as the party's labor market policy spokesperson and from February 2022 as its economic-political spokesperson. Esbati previously chaired the Young Left (Ung Vänster) from 2001 to 2004 and gained prominence through his influential political blog Esbatis kommentarer, his work in Norway as debate editor at the newspaper Klassekampen in 2008 and operations manager at the Manifest think tank from 2009 to 2013, and his survival of the 2011 Utøya massacre.

Esbati's political career began in the 1990s with roles in the Left Party's youth wing, including as international secretary for Ung Vänster (1995–1996). After chairing Ung Vänster, he worked as a political secretary and economist for the party's parliamentary office (2005–2007). Relocating to Norway, he contributed to left-wing media and analysis through Klassekampen and Manifest, a trade union-funded think tank. He has authored or co-authored several books on political and social topics, including works on racism in Europe, right-wing ideologies, and his personal account of the Utøya attack titled Man kan fly en galning men inte gömma sig för ett samhälle (2021).

In the Riksdag, Esbati was a member of the Committee on the Labour Market (2014–2022) and later the Committee on Finance (2022–2024), reflecting his focus on economic policy, labor rights, and welfare issues. He also served on the General Council of the Riksbank in various capacities. Esbati announced his departure from the Riksdag in late 2023, citing family reasons related to his daughter living in Oslo, and left his seat in early 2024. He has been a prominent voice in Swedish and Norwegian left-wing debates, particularly on economic inequality, racism, and countering far-right extremism.

Early life and education

Birth and immigration to Sweden

Ali Esbati was born on 12 September 1976 in Tehran, Iran, according to official records (though he has stated 12 June 1977).

He immigrated to Sweden in 1986 together with his mother and younger brother; his father joined the family six months later.

Upon arrival, the family relocated to the Tensta district in northwestern Stockholm, where Esbati grew up.

Education

Esbati completed his upper secondary education at Tensta gymnasium and Danderyds gymnasium in Danderyd, graduating in 1995.

He achieved the maximum score of 2.0 on the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (högskoleprovet).

Esbati subsequently earned a civilekonom degree from the Stockholm School of Economics (Handelshögskolan i Stockholm) in 2004.

He also completed courses in Russian, mathematics, and philosophy at Stockholm University.

Military service

Ali Esbati completed his mandatory Swedish military service (värnplikt) as a conscript in Enköping, serving a total of fifteen months.

He served as a signals intelligence operator (signalspanare) and attained the rank of värnpliktig fänrik (conscript second lieutenant).

As part of his duties, he received training in the Russian language.

Early political career

Joining and early roles in Young Left

Ali Esbati joined Ung Vänster, the youth wing of the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet), in 1992.

He subsequently took on his first formal role in the organization as international secretary from 1995 to 1996.

Chairman of Ung Vänster (2001–2004)

In May 2001, Ali Esbati was elected chairman of Ung Vänster, the youth wing of the Left Party, at the age of 24.

He held the position until February 2004, when he announced he would not seek re-election at an extraordinary congress scheduled for April.

During his tenure, in June 2002, Esbati led Ung Vänster in a symbolic donation of 2,750 SEK to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) via an aid agency, as a protest against the EU's inclusion of PFLP on its terrorist list. The action aimed to challenge the list's arbitrary nature, support humanitarian aid for Palestinian widows in Lebanon's Shatila refugee camp, and encourage others to violate the prohibition in solidarity. Esbati described the EU designation as unacceptable and politically motivated, comparing PFLP to wartime resistance movements.

A police investigation ensued, but Swedish prosecutor Hans Ihrman dropped charges, classifying the act as a minor offence under Sweden's 1996 sanctions law and noting its humanitarian intent rather than support for criminal acts. Esbati expressed disappointment that the case did not proceed to court to legally challenge the EU list.

In early 2004, Ung Vänster faced severe internal conflicts involving factionalism, political disagreements over Sweden's role as a model society, and allegations of sexual harassment among members. A "relationship map" compiled by a rival faction exposed personal sexual contacts to discredit opponents, including Esbati, who was featured on such maps and reported being harassed. Esbati confirmed at a February 19 press conference that sexual harassment had occurred as part of power struggles, described the conditions as "peculiar, unreasonable, and unacceptable," and stated he could no longer function as leader. He expressed anger and sadness, noting human limits had been reached. No police reports were filed, and the organization opted for internal handling.

Internal Left Party roles

Ali Esbati has held several key internal positions within Vänsterpartiet focused on policy development and party governance.

From 2005 to 2007, he served as political secretary and economist at the party's Riksdag office, where he worked on labor market policy and financial issues.

He chaired the party's program commission from 2004 to 2008 and again from 2014 to 2016, leading efforts to revise and update Vänsterpartiet's party program. In 2004, shortly after stepping down from his youth leadership role, he was appointed chairman to anchor discussions on the adopted program and foster broader ideological debate within the party, including through debate materials on environmental policy and anti-racism. In 2016, as chairman, he emphasized the importance of strategic discussions on societal analysis, political conflicts, and priorities to strengthen the party's actions locally and nationally.

Esbati was elected to the party board (partistyrelsen) in 2018 and re-elected in subsequent congresses, including 2022. He was appointed to the executive committee (verkställande utskottet) in 2020. He held these positions until resigning from his party assignments following his departure from the Riksdag.

Career in Norway

Journalism at Klassekampen

In 2008, Ali Esbati served as debate editor (debattredaktör) at the Norwegian left-wing daily newspaper Klassekampen in Oslo, a role he took up after relocating to Norway. This position placed him in charge of the newspaper's debate and opinion sections during that year.

Esbati's tenure at Klassekampen was brief, lasting through 2008, after which he shifted to leadership at the Manifest think tank starting in 2009. He has continued to contribute occasional opinion pieces to Klassekampen in subsequent years.

Leadership at Manifest think tank

In 2009, Ali Esbati founded Manifest Senter for Samfunnsanalyse (also known as Manifest Analyse), a politically independent Norwegian think tank focused on societal analysis, and served as its managing director (daglig leder) and operations chief until 2013.

The organization, rooted in democratic values including individual freedom, popular participation, scientific documentation, and economic justice, conducts research, organizes seminars, conferences, and debates, and provides courses often aimed at trade unions.

During Esbati's tenure, Manifest was primarily funded by Norwegian trade unions, including support from the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) and its affiliates.

Parliamentary career

Election and terms in the Riksdag (2014–2024)

Ali Esbati first served in the Riksdag as a substitute member (ersättare) on two occasions prior to his full election: from 13 February to 30 April 2013, and from 14 November 2013 to 29 September 2014.

He was elected as an ordinary member (ledamot) in the 2014 Swedish general election and took up his seat on 29 September 2014, representing the Stockholm Municipality constituency (Stockholms kommuns valkrets).

Esbati was re-elected in the 2018 general election and again in the 2022 general election, continuing to represent the Stockholm Municipality constituency throughout most of his tenure.

His service as an ordinary member extended until his resignation on 7 January 2024, marking the end of nearly a decade as a full Riksdag member.

Committee assignments and policy focus

Ali Esbati served as a member of the Committee on the Labour Market from October 2014 to February 2022.

His work in this committee addressed labour market issues, including employment conditions, labour rights, and related policies.

From February 2022 until his departure from the Riksdag in January 2024, Esbati was a member of the Committee on Finance.

His assignments in these committees reflected a primary focus on labour market policy, fiscal matters, and broader economic policy.

Esbati also served as a substitute member in several other committees, including the Committee on European Union Affairs (2019–2024), the Committee on the Constitution (2014–2024), and the Committee on Foreign Affairs (2014–2018 and briefly in 2020).

Additionally, he was a member of the General Council of the Riksbank from October 2018 to February 2022, contributing to oversight of monetary policy and financial stability.

Economic spokesperson (2022–2024)

In February 2022, Ali Esbati was appointed as Vänsterpartiet's ekonomisk-politisk talesperson (economic-political spokesperson), succeeding Ulla Andersson who had held the position for 16 years prior to leaving the Riksdag. He served in this capacity until his departure from the Riksdag in January 2024.

As spokesperson, Esbati positioned Vänsterpartiet to challenge prevailing economic dogmas rooted in the 1990s, arguing that the existing finanspolitiska ramverket (fiscal policy framework) restricted necessary public investments and a strong green transition. He emphasized the party's responsibility to reverse prevailing economic-political trends by advocating for expanded welfare, job security, equality, and accelerated climate measures. In the lead-up to the 2022 election, Esbati became a central figure in shaping and promoting the party's economic platform, including a tougher stance toward the Social Democrats on issues such as welfare funding and green investments.

During his tenure, he presented and defended Vänsterpartiet's alternative budgets amid high inflation, energy price pressures, and post-pandemic recovery challenges, prioritizing fair cost-of-living relief, strengthened public services, and a just green transition. He participated actively in Riksdag debates on economic policy guidelines and spring/fall budgets, critiquing government approaches while advancing proposals aimed at protecting households and small businesses.

Blogging and publications

Esbatis kommentarer blog

Esbatis kommentarer was a prominent Swedish political blog authored by Ali Esbati, launched in February 2005 on the Blogger platform. The blog featured Esbati's commentaries on political, economic, and social issues, often from a leftist perspective, covering topics such as class politics, international affairs, and critiques of neoliberal policies.

During its peak in the mid-2000s, the blog ranked among Sweden's most read political blogs, topping lists such as bloggtoppen.se in 2006 and placing highly in influence rankings in 2007, where it was noted alongside other prominent leftist blogs. Its popularity contributed significantly to Esbati's public profile as a commentator and helped establish him as a key voice in Swedish political debate during that period. The blog remained active for many years, with ongoing posts into the 2020s addressing current events and policy issues.

Books and other writings

Ali Esbati has authored and contributed to several books and anthologies, many of which collect his political commentaries, critiques of neoliberalism, and analyses of right-wing ideologies.

Among his contributions are co-authored or edited anthologies such as Rasismer i Europa (2004), addressing racism across Europe; Skyll på demokratin – Eliten, EMU-segern och vänsterns nya uppgifter (2004), examining elite influence and the EMU debate; and Från förvirring till förändring – tio röster om behovet av en radikal vänster (2005), featuring perspectives on the need for a radical left.

In 2006, Esbati published Agenda: Julafton för allt reaktionärt: bloggtexter 2005-2006, a selection of his blog texts critiquing reactionary agendas and opinion formation.

He contributed to the 2010 anthology Högerns svarta bok.

His 2021 book Man kan fly en galning men inte gömma sig för ett samhälle addresses societal and political developments in the context of far-right violence.

In 2024, Esbati released En osynlig hand som stjäl våra liv: Texter om marknadsfundamentalismen & andra samhällsfaror, a collection of texts and chronicles written between 2008 and 2024 that critiques neoliberal market fundamentalism, its role in increasing societal vulnerability and inequality, and its links to authoritarian and reactionary tendencies.

Esbati has also been a regular contributor to Swedish and Norwegian magazines, where he has published columns and articles on economic policy, politics, and social issues.

Utøya shooting survival

Events of 22 July 2011

On 22 July 2011, Ali Esbati was present on Utøya island as an invited speaker to conduct a workshop at the annual summer camp organized by the Arbeidernes Ungdomsfylking (AUF), the youth wing of the Norwegian Labour Party. The camp had been informed earlier that day of a major bombing in Oslo's government quarter, which created a tense atmosphere among participants.

The shooting began when Anders Behring Breivik, dressed in a police uniform and armed with a rifle, arrived on the island and opened fire on the young campers. Esbati initially heard gunshots and saw people running from buildings while screaming for others to flee. He witnessed two bodies lying outside and encountered wounded survivors, including a young woman who had been shot and urged those around her to continue their political struggle even if she died. For much of the attack, Esbati and others lay low in the terrain and woods, moving cautiously based on the direction of gunfire to avoid detection.

After more than an hour and a half, when the sound of helicopters led some to believe the ordeal might be ending, Breivik reappeared about 15 meters away. He shouted calming words suggesting he was police before opening fire again. Esbati turned and jumped into the water, crawling and running along the rocky waterside before concealing himself a few meters away behind a small bush, with most of his body submerged and only his head and arms above the waterline. Breivik fired in another direction and did not pursue Esbati's position, allowing him to survive the immediate attack. Breivik was apprehended by police shortly afterward.

Aftermath and reflections

In 2021, marking the tenth anniversary of the Utøya attack, Ali Esbati published the book Man kan fly en galning men inte gömma sig för ett samhälle: 10 år efter Utøya (You Can Escape a Maniac but Not Hide from a Society: 10 Years After Utøya), with a Norwegian edition titled Etter rosetogene: 22. juli og det farlige hatet (After the Rose Marches: 22 July and the Dangerous Hatred).

The work combines personal narrative with political analysis, reflecting on the lasting societal implications of the 2011 attack. Esbati argues that the violence stemmed from a pre-existing far-right extremist ideology—characterized by racism, Islamophobia, and misogyny—that continues to influence political discourse and social divisions in Western countries. He contends that the attack was not an isolated act by a lone perpetrator but part of broader political processes, including neoliberal economic policies that exacerbate inequality and create fertile ground for reactionary ideologies.

Esbati observes that the societal response to the tragedy has been insufficient, with little fundamental change in addressing underlying hatred or preventing its ongoing effects. He describes persistent wounds from the event, noting that public debate has seen increased dehumanization in discussions of immigration and integration, and that far-right ideas remain active in shaping political landscapes.

Through these reflections, Esbati emphasizes the need for collective resistance against hatred, urging society to foster solidarity and confront the connections between words, ideologies, and violent actions to build a more inclusive future.

Departure from Riksdag and later activities

Resignation in 2024

In November 2023, Ali Esbati announced his resignation from the Riksdag, effective in January 2024, after nearly ten years as a member since 2014.

The announcement was made via a post on Facebook, where Esbati cited family reasons for his decision. He explained that his daughter had been living in Oslo with her mother since the summer of 2022, resulting in a "Scandinavian split" arrangement where they met during holidays, weekends, and occasional days. After nearly a year and a half, he concluded that this provided too little regular everyday contact, stating: "We have helped each other during this time and made sure to meet during breaks, many weekends, and some other days. After almost one and a half years, I have concluded that it still becomes far too little everyday time together." He added that the goal was to find an arrangement enabling him to move to Oslo fully or partially. Esbati emphasized that the decision was not a career move and that he had no clear plans for his next steps at the time.

His departure prompted adjustments within the Left Party's Riksdag group, including Andreas Lennkvist Manriquez replacing him as a member.

Current work and contributions

Following his resignation from the Riksdag, Ali Esbati relocated to Oslo, Norway, primarily to be closer to his daughter, who has lived there since the summer of 2022.

Since August 2024, Esbati has been employed at De Facto as a Research Officer (Utreder) in a 60% position, working as an economist focused on research and analysis related to economic policy, labor markets, and related issues. This role builds on his prior experience at the related Manifest think tank in Norway, where he previously served as an economist and managing director.

In addition, in 2025 Esbati was appointed special advisor to the Norwegian Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti, SV), supporting the party leadership on economic policy and strategy, particularly in efforts to reduce economic inequalities and strengthen workers' rights ahead of the September 2025 parliamentary election.

He continues to contribute through writing, including columns and articles on economic topics for publications such as Klassekampen, where he is identified as a samfunnsøkonom og utreder i De Facto.