Jessica Stegrud wrote on X that it was "telling" that "a Swedish-born Kurd and a Persian" debated the cultural canon on SVT's Aktuellt, referring to the Social Democrats' cultural policy spokesperson Lawen Redar and Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand (The Moderate Party).
Kristersson was very critical and called the post "incomprehensible."
Stegrud later clarified herself in a debate article in Expressen and wrote that it is "telling" that the Social Democrats and The Moderate Party are represented by people with an immigrant background in cultural issues. For a long time, it was only Sweden Democrats and "intellectual immigrants" who talked about Swedish culture, according to Stegrud.
Declines to comment
When Kristersson on Tuesday, on his way to the opening of the Riksdag, is asked if he has received a response from Stegrud, he says "no".
I do not think so.
Stegrud herself has said that the X post was poorly worded. But in connection with a call to the Riksdag's members, she declines to comment on the issue on two occasions, referring to the debate article.
Today we have the opening of the Riksdag, she says before disappearing into the chamber.
Åkesson: She has explained
The Sweden Democrats' party leader Jimmie Åkesson thinks that the issue is settled with Stegrud's debate article, even though she "failed" in her way of communicating.
That tweet was neither the first nor the last from a Sweden Democrat, or a politician in general, that leaves room for interpretation. I think that Jessica in her debate article has explained what she means.
Minister for Development Cooperation and Trade Benjamin Dousa (The Moderate Party) has also entered the debate. When asked if he sees the post as racist, he replies:
They (the Sweden Democrats) have a view of Swedishness that differs from my view of Swedishness.
