STOCKHOLM - The Swedish Liberal Party (Liberalerna) is facing internal turmoil after its party board voted to drop the party's long-standing red line against cooperation with the Sweden Democrats (SD). According to reports, the party board voted 13-8 on Friday to allow the party to sit in government with SD if the right-wing bloc wins the autumn election.
The decision has sparked a rebellion within the party, with opposition members holding crisis meetings in Stockholm over the weekend. Ina Lindström Skandevall, a member of the party board, confirmed that opponents of the decision are trying to organize and find a challenger to current party leader Simona Mohamsson. "We're trying to talk together about strategy and mobilization," Skandevall told Expressen.
We're trying to talk together about strategy and mobilization
Names being discussed as potential challengers include Cecilia Rönn, the party's economic policy spokesperson, and Jan Jönsson, opposition councilor in Stockholm. The opposition has until Thursday, March 19, to nominate a candidate before the party's extraordinary congress on March 22.
Political scientist Annika Fredén warned that the Liberals face significant time pressure to improve their poll numbers. "The upturn needs to come soon, in April or May. Otherwise it looks very difficult," Fredén told Svenska Dagbladet.
The upturn needs to come soon, in April or May. Otherwise it looks very difficult
The decision represents a major policy reversal for Mohamsson, who had previously argued strongly against cooperation with SD until announcing the change at a joint press conference with SD leader Jimmie Åkesson.