The Prime Minister of Sweden, chairwoman of the Social Democrats, Magdalena Andersson, praised Sweden in her Almedalen speech. He emphasized that not all effects of the price increase can be compensated.
– I love Sweden and I am proud to be a Swede, the Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson beamed in his speech in Almedalen Park during the Swedish Politics Week.
He said he also loves Sweden’s nature, labor market model, everyman’s rights and barbecue tips, as well as the accuracy, reasonableness, sense of duty and equality associated with Swedes.
– It sounded like the speech of someone who wants to be president, said Expressen’s commentator Anna Dahlberg after the speech. According to the Swedish journalist, praising the country seems to suit the president. Or the praise was an attempt to position oneself above party politics.
Patriotic praise is more familiar from the speeches of conservatives than of the leftist party.
Andersson is competing in the elections for the position of prime minister, the presidency is not available. The chances of becoming prime minister are good, as the support of the Social Democrats was 33 percent in the last survey.
At least Andersson has been able to follow the activities of the Finnish president more closely. Communication across the bay has been close all spring, when the neighbors have been thinking about applying for NATO.
The NATO deliberations were not necessarily to the liking of the social democrats. Finally, from the extensive story published by Svenska Dagbladet on Saturday, it became clear that Finland was pulling the NATO wagon and Sweden was pulling the trigger. The Swedish ministers would have preferred a defense alliance with Finland, but that was no longer enough for Finland. Finland’s rush to join NATO forced Sweden into the same bandwagon. Minister of Defense by Peter Hultqvist in my words, Sweden could not remain the only Nordic country outside of NATO.
Andersson was found to be tense whenever NATO came up.
The last time when the countries were building international cooperation, the rush came to Finland. Sweden started applying to the EU without telling Finland. In Finland, it was interpreted that Sweden tried to wedge EU membership past Finland. In the end, we became a member of the EU side by side in the same year.
“Now it’s expensive to be Swedish”
During the spring, other issues have been overshadowed by security policy, but during Almedalen’s policy week, each party returns to its core issues.
The largest parties, the Social Democrats, the Moderates and the Sweden Democrats, pulled the same rope when going to NATO. In Almedalen, old disputes are being dug up from under the NATO umbrella.
Andersson blamed the moderates for the economic crisis of the 1990s, which brought to mind broken school books and weakened care for the elderly when the money went to interest on the national debt.
– It was my political school, and I will not forget the price we paid for irresponsible financial management.
In his speech, Andersson called the current price increase Putin prices.
– Now it’s expensive to be Swedish. Economists cannot say how long this will last.
The effects of Putin prices are mitigated, but according to Andersson, a responsible politician cannot promise full compensation for every price increase.
As his actual initiative, Andersson proposed that schools be prohibited from seeking profit. In addition, he wants to ban religious free schools.
There are many successful private schools in Sweden. They have gathered criticism, for example, for the fact that not everyone is suitable as a student. Making a profit with caution in education has also attracted criticism in the past.
According to Andersson, the focus should be on skills and not profits. Tax funds must be used for hiring teachers, school libraries and textbooks.
The moderates already responded by wondering why the prime minister wants to ban good, successful schools.
The Turkey agreement has many doubts
A shadow was cast on Almedalen’s rather open atmosphere by the memorandum of understanding concluded with Turkey, which in the NATO issue worries Swedes the most now. Many suspect that Sweden made too many concessions to Turkey. Sweden’s Kurdish minority is particularly worried.
Andersson did not overthrow the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan claim that Sweden has promised to hand over 73 persons to Turkey. He was asked about it several times during the day at the press conference.
Andersson emphasized that Sweden acts according to international legislation. However, he does not agree to talk about the conversations with Erdogan, because according to him, confidential conversations should not be opened.
If the situation with Turkey continues to be as difficult, comments can be heard from Sweden that what the hell is Finland dragging us into.