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Swedish political decision, policy design and implantation heavily influenced by lobbyists who are making brisk business in the PR trade

Thursday, 16 May 2013
There is the growing presence of professional lobbyist in Sweden. For the period of 20 years lobbyist have increased from 100 to 700-800 and they are making impressive money given that where decision making is, there is money.

The Swedish newspaper, Dagens Samhälle or Today's Society shows in a survey which stress that the main task of the lobbyists are to influence 1,500 full-time politician's decision in the states, counties and municipalities.

Large companies and organizations have long been the employers of lobbyists where they were tasked to influence through, or prevent, political decisions at the government level. The trend is that the so-called public affairs jobs pr know as PR is growing in number and many companies have realized that the big money is to be earned when the right decision is also taken out in local governments not only at central government level.

Deals with the public sector has an annual turnover of Skr800 billion and is directly or indirectly dependent on political decisions, reports Swedish television.

According to Dagens Samhälle between 400 and 500 employees in these PR companies and organizations are tasked to monitor and influence policy. In PR firms there are 200 to 300 professional lobbyist with good political contacts who are hired as consultants by those who want to influence decisions.

Dagens Samhälle has listed Sweden's 50 most powerful lobbyist and among them, most are linked to political parties. The organisations are made up of past of failed or fallen off politicians. Some are just other professionals who have experiences as a politician or have worked in the party organizations. The list includes such people as Peje Emilsson who worked for the Conservatives in several election campaigns.

Ilija Batljan who has been mayor of Nynashamn and opposition councillor in Stockholm, Anders Lago, who for many years was mayor of Södertälje and Mikaela Valtersson, former MP for the Green Party.

Even former Minister, Nyamko Sabuni the only ever black minister in a Swedish government is also becoming a PR. She has started her own organisation Sherpa communications along with four people with PR and advertising as their business operations according to various Swedish media sources.

Ms Nyanko Sabuni was Equality and Deputy Minister of Education, but resigned on her own in January and was succeeded by Mary Arnholm.

Could she be lobbying on improved Swedish - African relations and that the government makes it possible that companies recruit more Africans and minorities in their organisations? Just kidding...

by Scancomark.com Team

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