The Green Party currently only has one party leader in practice – and tonight she did not shy away from the big words.
Per Bolund is about to leave the role of spokesperson and this autumn it is possible that the Green Party will choose to switch to the traditional model in Swedish politics, with a single party leader. Right now, Märta Stenevi fulfills that role, and her Almedal speech today was a fitting prelude to the autumn’s decision of the environmental party’s congress – with elements of sulphurous attacks on the government and its policies.
Märta Stenevi brought in both right-wing extremism and 1930s Germany and likened the meeting at Tidö Castle to a scene from Goethe’s play Doctor Faustus, the man who sold his soul to the devil, and states that the government’s party leaders put their liberal values aside and ignored science and knowledge for to sit in the government. It’s a powerful image and a hard attack on the government, even if it was done in parts with a twinkle in the eye.
A vision of equal children, green forests and peace on earth
The Almedal speech is the politicians’ opportunity to speak freely and choose their own topics without being guided by the agendas of the media or others, and when Stenevi is allowed to do so, it is about drawing an environmentalist vision of the future about equal children, green forests and peace on earth in stark contrast to a government that she describes as a threat to democratic values, equality and with a climate policy that turns a blind eye to what Stenevi now labels as a climate emergency.
It is strongly ideological and a clear indication of where she wants the Green Party to stand when electing a new mouthpiece this autumn. There has been a discussion in the party about the left turn that has been made and one of the spokesperson candidates, Daniel Helldén from Stockholm, does not want the party to so clearly choose a side in politics. Märta Stenevi wants differently and she has just given her election speech.