The action where a doll representing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was hung outside Stockholm’s city hall was strongly condemned by the government. But that does not mean that Turkey is cowering in order for the country to approve Sweden’s NATO application, according to Ulf Kristersson.
– Being against joining NATO is one thing, you can stand up for that. But that does not mean that those who are in favor of NATO are cringing for Turkey, he says.
“Cares more about Turkey’s feelings”
But critical voices are heard from the opposition.
– You have to be clear about standing up for Swedish constitutions and the government has not done that in a clear enough way. We do not allow ourselves to be influenced by dictators, says Nooshi Dadgostar (V).
C leader Annie Lööf believes that the government has both succeeded and failed in its handling of Turkey.
– I think it’s good that the government is standing up for the agreement that we jointly entered into, but then I think that they didn’t really have the courage to criticize Erdogan’s statements when he criticized Sweden, she says.
In SVT’s Aktuellt on Wednesday evening, MP’s spokesperson Märta Stenevi developed her criticism.
– It is not the prime minister’s role to care more about Turkey’s feelings than to protect Swedish freedom of expression, she says.
“Turkey no democracy”
Kristersson and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) have stated in their condemnations of the action that Turkey is a democracy. But SD leader Jimmie Åkesson does not agree.
– Turkey is not a democracy as we know democracies in the Western world, says Åkesson.
Aron Emilsson (SD), chairman of the Riksdag’s foreign affairs committee, believes that the government and SD have been in agreement in their rhetoric in the NATO process.
– On the other hand, it is clear that the Sweden Democrats have had and have strong criticism of Turkey. This is nothing that we will bury because of a NATO process, he says in Aktuellt.