Facts: Political savages and party defectors
Here are some examples of people who defected or did not follow the party leadership on important issues:
Former leftist Amineh Kakabaveh has played a decisive role in several important votes.
Center party Helena Lindahl voted against the party line when Stefan Löfven became prime minister in 2019, which was not decisive for the outcome of the vote, however.
Several Sweden Democrats have become political savages in the last two terms of office, including the two defense policy spokespersons Roger Richthoff and Mikael Jansson.
Liberal Nina Lundström voted against the party line in two prime ministerial votes, which, however, did not affect the outcome.
Gudrun Schyman left the Left Party in 2004 and became a political savage until the 2006 election.
The hopes that the election would provide a government with a stable foundation that can pass budgets and bills without major drama seem to be dashed.
Before the final count, the right-wing side with prime ministerial candidate Ulf Kristersson only has a one-mandate advantage – 175 against 174 for the four red-green parties.
If that is also the final result, Kristersson will lean towards a fragile majority.
Savages with power
During the past mandate period, the political savage and former leftist Amineh Kakabaveh has had the decision in his hand several times. She has kept Magdalena Andersson’s S-government at bay in several important votes on prime ministerial support and budgets. In the end, however, she has always voted with the government.
The Sweden Democrats have had the most political savages, but they have followed the party line when they have left. Even the Liberals’ Emma Löfdahl-Persson has followed the party line during her time as a savage.
On the other hand, L member Nina Lundström has ducked the party whip and released both Stefan Löfven and Magdalena Andersson in various prime ministerial votes. She refers to her conscience and values, which the former group leader, now L leader Johan Pehrson, thought was “strange”.
Can trust L
Ahead of the coming term, Johan Pehrson has promised that the Sweden Democrats can trust the members of the Liberals. After all, the party has had major internal conflicts about how they should relate to SD.
Several Riksdag members who opposed the victorious SD line have now left, but the split still chafes. A joint bus trip in the election campaign with M, KD, SD and L was enough for some liberals to feel uncomfortable.
Anna Starbrink, regional councilor for health and medical care, can take a seat in the new parliamentary group. She was one of the most outspoken critics of giving SD too much influence.
In a recent interview with DI, however, she says that she is loyal to the party, although she thinks it is important to be able to deviate from the party’s line on “matters of conscience”.
Forever divided
What suggests that the Liberals are careful to change their line again is that it would cement the image of the party as eternally divided and untrustworthy, contrary to what the new party leader promised.
The Sweden Democrats have demanded a concrete and detailed agreement in advance on proposals and reforms to be implemented to support Ulf Kristersson as prime minister. Such an agreement could act as glue in the construction of a government. Then everyone involved knows what they are dealing with.
But events and crises that no one saw coming can tempt a collaboration.
Should the vote count this week end with the red-green parties gaining the upper hand, S-leader Magdalena Andersson will face the same problem – how to get a majority that holds and stands on the podium?