Ardalan Shekarabi (S) expressed great dissatisfaction at having to debate the issue of men’s violence against women with Gender Equality Minister Paulina Brandberg (L) instead of Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (M).
Now Strömmer strikes back.
“Others get to fight and argue – we focus on things and make sure to get the job done,” he writes on Instagram.
It was on Tuesday that Minister for Gender Equality Paulina Brandberg (L) and Ardalan Shekarabi (S) visited TV4 Nyheterna to debate recent acts of violence against women in close relationships and what the preventive work should look like. The aftermath has developed into a debate about the debate.
Ardalan Shekarabi expressed dissatisfaction in the broadcast that Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer was not present to debate the issue.
– Normally I stand and debate against Gunnar Strömmer, who is the Minister of Justice. But when it comes to violence and murder of women, it is a cabinet minister from the Ministry of Labor that I am debating against.
Paulina Brandberg reacted strongly to the statement and so have several other top politicians.
“When Shekarabi lacks arguments, he diminishes the Minister for Gender Equality and former prosecutor Paulina Brandberg instead. Shekarabi shows with all the desired clarity that the position of Minister for Gender Equality is still needed, even if one wishes it were not so,” writes Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergaard on X.
Strömmer: We work as a team
Now Gunnar Strömmer comments on Shekarabi’s statement. He notes that Paulina Brandberg had been invited by TV4, because earlier in the day she had presented a new financial investment to strengthen local crime prevention work.
“In our government, we are a team that works together to counteract men’s violence against women. Paulina Brandberg with a focus on equality and discrimination. Social Services Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall with a focus on social services and other social efforts. Myself with a focus on legal issues”, writes Gunnar Strömmer, among other things.
Stand by the statement
The Minister of Justice writes that both he and Paulina Brandberg will continue to debate the issue, as a team.
“Others can fight and argue – we focus on the matter and make sure to get the job done”.
On Wednesday, Ardalan Shekarabi defended the move in a post on X.
“I am deeply critical of the fact that the Minister of Justice does not prioritize men’s deadly violence against women. (…) I stand by this criticism”, he signs X.