The Social Democrats in Pajala, Sweden, will finalize their list for the autumn municipal election on Sunday. According to a proposal ahead of the nomination meeting, the list is topped by Susann Nilsson from Tärendö, with Andreas Kostenniemi, chairman of the Pajala S association, in second place. Kostenniemi is reportedly pushing for a merger between the Social Democrats and the breakaway party Framtid S.
The faction within the Social Democrats advocating for this has mobilized over the past year, with membership doubling before last year's annual meeting and subsequent meetings being turbulent. In the autumn, a member claimed he was threatened by the meeting's chairman, nearly leading to physical altercations. Current municipal councilor Birgitta Rantatalo is not on the list and has decided to step down.
She took office in July 2024 after the entire municipal board was dismissed following a scandal involving expensive consultants in the social administration. SVT Norrbotten is seeking a comment from Birgitta Rantatalo.