– It’s not primarily about me but how they want to play the game, says Johansson.
TT: Do you not need to care about KU criticism?
– Statement matters are the lowest priority. I know that, I have been to KU. Had it been serious (the criticism) they would have called me to the committee, but they did not.
– Since then, that criticism has been used as a pretext to hang the distrust of something.
Criticized in KU
In its report, KU criticized Morgan Johansson for having made statements several times that were not correct or objectively justified. The Moderates’ group leader Tobias Billström described Johansson as a “lying channel” and several others in the opposition accused him of lying. Johansson does not agree with that.
Will he be impressed by KU’s remarks?
– I will be even more careful about how I express myself. At the same time, I know that if you want and can, you can misinterpret what is said.
TT: You are not usually the one who is afraid of debate, you said that distrust was an expression of the election movement, what do you expect and how should you act?
No illusions
– I do not have any illusions at all. The opposition intends to focus strongly on gang crime and against me. It will probably be a pretty tough personal campaign against me, says Johansson, who is not usually the mildest himself in social media and debate.
The party leaders debated the NATO issue and distrust on TV4 for two days before the vote. Then the Christian Democrats’ party leader Ebba Busch gave the prime minister and S-leader Magdalena Andersson what Busch called an “offer”. The idea was that KD would refrain from trying to vote out Johansson if Andersson voluntarily poked him.
Andersson replied that she would think twice. What did Morgan Johansson think then?
– Then I thought well – we have talked about it afterwards – that she always acts so that when she gets a new proposal on the table. She always thinks through her options. And that was an expression of that.
TT: You did not feel the ground swing under you?
– No, I did not. On the contrary, I feel a very strong support from the Prime Minister.
Felt relief
But he still feels a little relieved about the outcome of the vote.
– But also a pretty big concern. Relief that the outcome was as it was, but concern that it shows that the right-wing parties are more united than ever and that there is no doubt about who decides in the opposition and it is the Sweden Democrats. The moderates only follow, Johansson claims.
It was the Sweden Democrats who aroused distrust but received immediate support from M, KD and the Liberals.