Peter Talseth (Sp), mayor of Alstahaug, will not seek re-election in the 2027 local elections, according to Peter Talseth. Hanna Sarkkinen (Left Alliance) and Eva Biaudet (Swedish People's Party) will not stand as candidates in the 2027 parliamentary elections, they confirmed. Roland Utbult (Christian Democrats) will not stand for re-election in the 2026 parliamentary election and will leave politics, according to Göteborgs-Posten.
Rune Edvardsen (Ap), mayor of Narvik, and Lisbeth Hammer Krog (Høyre), mayor of Bærum, will not seek re-election in the 2027 local elections, according to NRK. Lars Vikinge (Centre Party) will serve one more term as group leader in Linköping but will not seek re-election after that, according to Östgöta Correspondenten. Ulf Strinnholm will not be proposed for re-election as chairman of Modo Hockey by the nomination committee, according to SVT Sport.
In the end, I came to this because it just felt like the right decision. I will have been in parliament for 12 years next spring and in politics for 19 years. That is a long time in life and now it feels like it's time to do something else.
The departing politicians cited long service, declining motivation, and personal plans as reasons. Hanna Sarkkinen has been a member of parliament for 12 years and served as Minister of Social Affairs and Health from 2021 to 2023, according to Ilta-Sanomat. She cited declining motivation as a reason for not seeking re-election.
According to Ilta-Sanomat, Sarkkinen described that after 12 years in parliament and 19 years in politics, it felt like time to do something else, and that motivation must be 100 percent to do the job honestly. Eva Biaudet is currently serving her seventh term as a member of parliament, according to Hufvudstadsbladet. In an official statement, Biaudet said she had concluded it was time to pass responsibility to the younger generation and expressed gratitude for voters' trust.
This is such an important and valuable job and on the other hand heavy, that motivation must be one hundred percent to be able to do it honestly for oneself and the voters. And when I no longer have that 100 percent, I feel it's time to do something else.
Roland Utbult has been a member of parliament since 2010 and has served as the party's cultural policy spokesperson since 2015, according to Göteborgs-Posten. According to Göteborgs-Posten, Utbult wants to focus on music and plans to record a country album in Nashville. Rune Edvardsen has been mayor of Narvik for 12 years, according to NRK.
On social media, Edvardsen expressed gratitude for the trust shown to him and said he looks forward to completing his term with full effort. Lisbeth Hammer Krog has been mayor of Bærum for 15 years and previously served as deputy mayor for four years, according to NRK. She wants better work-life balance after the 2027 election, according to NRK.
But power should be desired. Why be here if you don't want to?
1% of the vote in the local election, according to official sources. 6% of the vote in Alstahaug, according to official sources. According to NRK Nordland, Talseth described that he had given signals about not seeking re-election because he has become quite old and is not a fan of politicians who are too old, and that the period has been strenuous with little normalcy due to corona and the hospital struggle.
Lars Vikinge cited the threat of 'galenskap' (madness) in the upcoming election as a reason to stay for one more term, according to Östgöta Correspondenten.
After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that now is the time to pass responsibility on to the younger generation.
I am deeply grateful for the trust shown to me by voters over all these years. It has been a great responsibility, but also a privilege.
We must cherish a world order where violence and discrimination/oppression are not accepted. Strong defense must go hand in hand with a socially sustainable and inclusive society.
I want to devote myself to music again.
As it is now, I have been a musician in my spare time. But what I want is to devote myself entirely to music and I already have plans for a new album.
I have known about this since December, but have waited to tell about this decision until now.
There is so much madness threatening this time.