Big row ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to Stockholm: “Political game”

Show more

chevron-down

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s (M) visit to the social service in Stockholm is marred by arguments with the Social Democrats in the city.

Councilor Alexander Ojanne insists on being there during the visit, despite the prime minister’s request to avoid the S-top.

– We are hosts. They are the ones who come to us, says Ojanne.

On Wednesday afternoon, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson together with Social Services Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M) will visit the social services in Vällingby and Hässelby.

Ulf Kristersson is on site to meet employees within the district’s social services. But the meeting is surrounded by arguments between the Social Democrats in the city and the prime minister’s staff.

The Social Democrats have insisted that the social and security city councilor Alexander Ojanne should participate in the meeting, despite the prime minister’s request that he wants to meet staff and no politicians.

– It is customary. I have received the Minister of Social Services before during business visits in Stockholm. I have received Gunnar Strömmer (minister of justice) in Skarpnäck when we were there to check on early interventions and I have received Lotta Edholm, the minister of education, in Husbyskolan when we talked about school social teams, says Alexander Ojanne.

– They are the ones who have asked to come here. We have said they are welcome. This is how visits are done in all Swedish municipalities. Stockholm is no exception.

Investigation suggests foot shackles on children

Earlier on Wednesday, the government received a new government investigation, the so-called “Intermediate coercion investigation”, which among other things proposes that children over the age of 15 should be guarded with foot shackles and that social services should be able to implement interventions for children and parents without the parents’ consent. The goal is to prevent children from falling into crime.

It is, among other things, due to the investigation that the Prime Minister visits the social service in the western part of Stockholm. The plan is, according to the Prime Minister’s staff, to hear from the social secretaries how they view the proposals in the investigation.

“Eye to eye”

But from S in Stockholm, the visit is also seen as an opportunity to express views from a political point of view, says Alexander Ojanne.

– We have important issues to raise with the prime minister that we need to face face to face. It is about the situation we see with gang crime in Stockholm, that we need faster and better efforts from the government. I think he is the right person to talk to, says the City Council.

– Instead, the Prime Minister chooses to make a political game out of this, he continues.

One could say that you too are playing the political game because you insist on being at the meeting?

– We have tried to reach the government. I have met with the Minister of Social Services on this issue many times. Discussions are being held with the government, but since it is not moving forward, I have to raise it to another level. Then it is the finance minister or the prime minister that I need to talk to in order to get the support and help that Stockholm needs and deserves.

Aftonbladet has asked Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson for a comment. Social Services Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall writes in a comment to Aftonbladet that she is surprised by S’s actions.

“It is clear that the Social Democrats appear nervous and a little desperate when they want to monitor what the social secretaries say to us at a meeting. This meeting was for the social workers to be completely open with us about their everyday life. When the politician who made decisions about their activities is involved, it can of course be more difficult,” the minister writes further.