The Civil War in L: Several Challenge Simona Mohamsson – and Ministers Threaten to Resign

Intense discussions are currently underway within the Liberals among critics who want to challenge party leader Simona Mohamsson. Several sources state that there are people prepared to step forward — at the same time, all L ministers are threatening to resign.

The background is Simona Mohamsson’s changed line on government participation. After long having said no to any government that includes the Sweden Democrats, she has now changed course. On Friday, she received support from the party board, but the decision must ultimately be approved at an extraordinary party congress on Sunday.

Mohamsson has made the issue a vote of confidence — the delegates are to vote for or against her as party leader. Until Thursday, other candidates can also be nominated.

Many of the critics believe that the party leadership has steamrolled the party on the issue of SD ministers in a possible new Tidö agreement after this autumn’s election. Meanwhile, liberals have left the party board. IIna Lindström Skandevall is leaving the party board, but will keep her local assignments in Sundsvall until a replacement is found.

“A lot of the weekend has been spent talking to members who are sad and feel betrayed,” she told SvD.

“We have really been put in a blackmail situation, where there is no prepared alternative. I still don’t think the leadership understands what they are doing, what they have done,” says party board member Jimmy Ekström to SvD.

Some of the names mentioned as alternatives to Simona Mohamsson are Birgitta Ohlsson and Cecilia Malmström, Malmström having already declined, as well as Malin Sjöberg Högrell, Cecilia Rönn, and Jan Jönsson.

Ministers Threaten to Resign

At the same time, there is another internal group backing Mohamsson. According to the news agency TT, all L ministers — party leader and also Minister for Education and Integration Simona Mohamsson, Minister for Upper Secondary Schools, Higher Education and Research Lotta Edholm, Minister for Climate and Environment Romina Pourmokhtari, Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson, and Minister for Employment Johan Britz — support her.

In an opinion article, the five ministers stress the importance of clear government alternatives for Sweden in difficult times.

The Swedish people deserve politicians who take responsibility for Sweden in a difficult time and who manage their trust in a dignified way. This is especially important when our country finds itself in a serious international situation. The war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East, and a changed relationship with the USA require a united government base that can act in Sweden’s best interest.

The Liberals and the Sweden Democrats have agreed that the Tidö Agreement has served Sweden well, and that we want to continue the cooperation during the next mandate period. After the 2022 election, we together changed course for Sweden in a number of crucial areas — migration, justice, the economy, education, climate, and healthcare.

But voters deserve clear government alternatives ahead of the election in September. In order to take the step from cooperation to governing together, parties aspiring to form a government need to agree on more issues. A government makes all decisions collectively.

Excerpt from the L ministers’ op-ed in SvD

The extraordinary party congress where the vote takes place will be held digitally at 5 PM on Sunday.