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The leader and their political backgrounds
  • Jan Björklund, 50, head of the people's party (the Liberal Party), took over as party leader in September 2007.
  • Göran Hägglund, 53, Head of the Christian Democrats, became leader in October 2006.
  • Stefan Löfven, 55,  Social Democrats took office as head of the largest party in the country in January this 2012 after intense period of leadership tussle in the party.
  • Annie Lööf, 29, head of the Centre Party, took office in September 2011 after the party dismissed Maud Oluffsson.
  • Fredrik Reinfeldt, 47, head of the Conservative Moderate Party, took office in October 2006. Currently prime minister of Sweden
  • Asa Romson, 40 head of the Green Party, took office in May 2011. He is regarded as a spokes person instead of a leader as in other parties.
  • Jonas Sjöstedt, 47 heads the Left party and took office in January 2012.
  • Jimmie Akesson, 33, head of the far right party, Sweden Democrats, took office in May 2005.





The clash on jobs, healthcare, and immigration as Swedish political leader descended on TV for open debate

Monday, 08 October 2012
Swedish political leaders descended on the TV last night to draw contrast on each other's program and plan for the future of the country. Hot topics on discussion were immigration, unemployment, and private profiteering in the welfare system.

Overall, there were eight political leaders on the platform representing eight political parties including the leader of the far right party, Sweden Democrats.
 
From the start the leader of the Social Democrat, Stefan Löfven went straight on the attack and accused the government for allowing companies to make big gains from the provision of welfare services and in return provide poor quality services and ferrying their wealth abroad. He added that they create too few jobs.
The question of jobs is expected by many to decide the election 2014 and at this moment, the Swedish unemployment rate is still high at 8.9 percent with youth unemployment among the highest in Europe.

"We have higher unemployment and higher long-term unemployment than when you took office," said Löfven to the prime minister and the Alliance coalition parties.

Mr  Stefan Löfven was combative and seemingly confident  but also faced attacks from the four government parties party leaders in return.
"They seem satisfied with their jobs, our main criticism is that they think they have done what they can do and now they only want to lean on their tax cuts, "said Löfven after the debate, and thought that he had met an alliance that sprout.

Prime Minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt thought the same, of the opposition after the debate. The only time he seemed to see a united view with the Red- Green opposition coalition was when the Left Party, Jonas Sjöstedt, whom as Reinfeldt puts it, "made himself the interpreter of all three said that if we win, then a Red-Green government will repeal the rule on time limits on health insurance."

Mr  Stefan Löfven accused the government and the Prime Minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt of dodgy figure and not providing real figures. The Prime Minister on his part responded by accusing the Social Democrats' policy of creating more unemployment among young people. How this happens given that the social democrats have been in opposition for more than 5 years remain puzzling.

"Last spring, when we stood here Reinfeldt said that employment will increased by 300,000. Now it is 200,000. These are number dodging maintained," Stefan Löfven said after the debate. Reinfeldt argue that "there are more than 200,000 increase in employment compared to when we took office"

The governing alliance parties and the opposition joined forces against a common enemy, Sweden Democrats leader, Jimmie Åkesson and his immigration talking point.

Jan Björklund called Sweden Democrat's policy on immigration, inhuman characterized by "pure selfishness". Löfven turned to Jimmie Åkesson  and said that
"We should not be using the" us and them "in Sweden, we'll just have 'we'."

They were reacting to the Sweden Democrat leader, Jimmie Åkesson, who had attacked the seven other parties because he strongly wants to reduce asylum and family reunification in Sweden.

Sweden Democrat leader, responded by asking Liberal Party leader, Jan Björklund, how it is humane to take money from the economic aid budget and put it on migrants who come to Sweden.

That is when Jan Björklund called Jimmie Åkesson's insinuation , "pure selfishness"
By Scancomark.com Team


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