Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M), Minister of Energy and Enterprise Ebba Busch (KD), Minister of Education and Integration Simona Mohamsson (L) and Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson made their first joint appearance after the recent row between Jimmie Åkesson and Ebba Busch.
Jimmie Åkesson criticised Ebba Busch this weekend for flirting with S leader Magdalena Andersson and opening up to supporting her as prime minister in a crisis, war or other exceptional situation. He wondered whether he could trust Ebba Busch and the Christian Democrats, and what an exceptional situation could be.
Exceptional situation
At the press conference, Busch clarified that an “exceptional situation” does not mean, for example, a new election. She is prepared to vote no to Magdalena Andersson as prime minister, even if the alternative is a new election.
"I am not afraid of a new election and am prepared to hold one. However, I do not believe that the Swedish people want a new election," she says.
By “exceptional situation” she means, for example, war or crisis, she said at the press conference. That answer satisfies Jimmie Åkesson.
"If by exceptional circumstances you mean crisis or war, there is no doubt that we need to take responsibility, that applies to all parties. Then I am not sure that it means that it is responsible to let Magdalena Andersson be prime minister in a war or crisis," says Åkesson.
The news at the press conference was that the government is now taking the next step to criminalise participation in criminal gangs.
Life sentence for gang leaders
Normally, the punishment is a maximum of four years in prison, but for gang leaders the punishment can be life imprisonment.
Making it a criminal offence to participate in criminal organisations requires a constitutional amendment, but the referral to the Council on Legislation that the government will decide on Thursday is about how the change should be written into ordinary law.
If the Tidö parties win the election, they intend to present a bill after the election with the aim of the law coming into force on April 1 next year.
Since this is a constitutional amendment, a further decision must also be made to amend the constitution when a new parliament is in place.
The Social Democrats and the Left Party accepted the constitutional amendment, while the Centre Party and the Green Party are against it.
Corrected: In a previous version, the wrong date was stated for when it will become punishable to belong to a criminal gang.
