Paulina Brandberg resigned from her position as Minister of Gender Equality and Working Life in March 2025 to, as she stated at the time, spend more time with her family. "Being a minister comes with a very high price," she told TT.
Now she is returning to politics.
I went through a divorce and needed time for my children. Now that some time has passed, and after going through what it means to combine family life with parliamentary duties, I would gladly accept.
Don't want to speak out
Brandberg replaces MP Gulan Avci (L), who is leaving on June 15 to become the party's top candidate in the city of Stockholm. There, the previous top candidate Jan Jönsson resigned after L agreed to sit in government with the Sweden Democrats.
"Since I am not running for the next term, it is actually an issue that I do not need to take a position on," Brandberg says about her attitude towards the Sweden Democrats.
At the same time, L is still far below the threshold in the opinion polls.
"It's clear this is a difficult situation, but it will be decided on election day. You have to fight until then."
She is clear that she will not run for office in the 2026 election but sees the assignment as a stepping stone.
"Bizarre rumor spreading"
When Brandberg resigned, Jakob Olofsgård also left the post of party secretary and Oscar Wåglund left the position as chief of staff.
"There were a lot of rumors going in different directions, some more bizarre than others, and I don't feel like commenting on them. Several were quite undignified," says Brandberg.
If she had declined the parliamentary seat, artist and PR strategist Dominika Peczynski would have been next in line.
