The social media post from the Moderates on May Day has caused strong emotions. The picture of ministers Ulf Kristersson and Elisabeth Svantesson enjoying a glass of wine reads: “The feeling when it’s Friday, you’re free and you don’t have to take a train.”
The posts have thousands of reactions and angry comments. Many criticize the ministers for being free thanks to the labor movement. “Tone-deaf”, “ahistorical”, “disgusting” are some of the comments.
“Nothing more important to do?”
Before Sunday's party leadership debate on SVT, the Social Democrats' party leader Magdalena Andersson will be asked whether she thinks the ice cream image mocks participants in the May Day march.
Yes, I think so. That's how I saw it when I saw it, says Andersson, who also thinks that "the Prime Minister should devote his time and energy to something else" given the world situation.
There was no mocking intent to the picture, Kristersson replies shortly afterwards. He “has nothing against” people demonstrating and says that “everyone can celebrate spring in their own way.”
We have a war in the Middle East and there is a war in Ukraine, and here people are worrying about an ice cream. Don't they have anything more important to do? says the Prime Minister.
“Reclusive”
Håkan Juholt, a former Social Democratic leader, previously wrote that "No, the prime minister should not mock people who gather for an idea they believe in."
Author and commentator Alexandra Pascalidou wrote that "mocking those who fight for a better world is tone-deaf and world-absorbing."
"The feeling when you piss on the commitment of the entire labor movement," wrote podcaster and TV producer Hanna Persson on Instagram, according to Aftonbladet.
