I was delighted to wake up to the news that Birgitta Ohlsson has been made a Minister in the Swedish Goverment. She will now serve as Swedens EU Minister. There was a vacancy because Cecilia Malmström (swoons!) became a EU Commissioner.
Some of you will remember that I met Birgitta at the Swedish Parliament and volunteered to help her campaign, especially with online tactics and strategies.
For someone like me who is Liberal but does not believe in Feminism or positive discrimination of any kind, Birgitta may seem an odd choice. But for me it is precisely the fact that Birgitta stands up for women and minority rights is kind of why I admire her. I think inequality issues should be addressed and highlighted and Birgitta certainly does that. She also agonise over the decision to go against her Party on some issues, including the FRA law, she later abstained from that vote.
Birgitta is well travelled and serves as Folkpartiets Foreign Affairs Spokesperson so the EU Minister’s job is a perfect fit.
I am disappointed to read that Dagens Nyheter have claimed that she has been appointed solely to win votes from the Liberal Left. She has been appointed because of her excellent grasp of European affairs and relentless campaigning for those who are repressed.
I would certainly not describe myself as Liberal Left and definitely on the Björklund wing of the Party yet I am still very keen to campaign and support Birgitta.
Also Birgitta wants to Sweden in NATO and in a recent opinion piece she demanded an increase in Swedens Armed Forces and a restoration of the Defence forces on the island of Götland. Just because a person is a Feminist, just because a person opposed the FRA law doesnt mean they are Liberal Left.
Heja Birgitta!
Read what others have to say:
Seved Monke, Liberati, Maria Byström, Per Altenberg, Rasmus, Per Pettersson, Jesper Svensson, and yes wait for it..even a link to a Social Democratic blogger Fredrik Petersson
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Excellent! This is a good day for Folkpartiet and for Liberals.
And also very impressive to see how good you understand both Folkpartiet and Swedish politics.