All but two party leaders are participating in Saturday’s Pride Parade in Stockholm.
Ebba Busch has other commitments and Jimmie Åkesson is not welcome.
On Saturday at 1 p.m., this year’s Pride parade takes place, as the end of rainbow week. This year, seven out of nine party leaders will walk in the Pride parade.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) and Labor Market Minister Johan Pehrson (L) are the only party leaders who are also in the government. Energy Minister Ebba Busch (KD) will not participate this year.
– She has other commitments today, says Mia Widell, press secretary for Ebba Busch.
According to Widell, it is Erik Slottner (KD), Minister of Civil Affairs, who is the minister representing the Christian Democrats.
In Tv4’s Nyhetsmorgon, the Prime Minister was asked how it feels to walk in the Pride Parade.
– It feels good, not least now that the issue is at the forefront and many countries are going in the wrong direction.
– We must never take these questions for granted. We celebrate the freedom and love of all people in Sweden, and we do so today, he says.
From the opposition, all party leaders will participate. Magdalena Andersson (S), Nooshi Dadgostar (V) and the two spokespersons Märta Stenevi (MP) and Per Bolund (MP) usually participate and will do so again this year. Muharrem Demirok (C) will also walk in this year’s Pride parade, now for the first time as party leader.
Since 2014, Stockholm Pride has had an annual meeting decision that the Sweden Democrats are not welcome at the parade.
– You must have an LGBTQ policy and run LGBTQ political work and you need to stand behind our core values. Based on these principles, we welcome political parties to sign up to our platform, says Fredrik Saweståhl, chairman of Stockholm Pride and continues:
– SD does not meet our principles.