How a socialist party should be able to cooperate with a market liberal party is one of the main issues in the government formation that has been going on for almost 11 weeks.
The red-green majority in the Riksdag is blocked because the Center Party refuses to govern with the Left Party, which at the same time demands a place in the government. The centre's reasons are major differences in economic policy and a lack of confidence in the left's ability to govern.
In Haninge municipality, C has only one red line: against the Sweden Democrats.
- You can say that the Sweden Democrats have a problem with people who have a different origin, while the Left Party has a problem with people who earn too much money, says Petri Salonen (C), group leader in the municipality, and jokingly pushes his new board colleague Sevim Altunsayar (V).
After the Environmental Party in Haninge said no to being part of a bourgeois majority, the Center Party turned to S, V and MP.
The jargon between the two group leaders is occasionally a bit teasing, but above all friendly.
- We have noticed that we have a lot in common and that the Center Party actually pursues issues that are important to us. You can solve a lot as long as the basic values and view of people's rights are firm, says Sevim Altunsayar.
- After all, Petri is very nice, she adds.
One of the issues that has united the parties is that they focus on the entire municipality with its 100,000 inhabitants.
Right now, a particular focus is on the more vulnerable areas, according to the group leaders.
- We want the residents of Haninge to also feel that something is happening in Jordbro and Brandbergen. Those who have lived there for a long time have been waiting for this change and we know there is a need to prioritize it, says Altunsayar.
In the program that the new Haning government will follow, the compromises appear clearly. V could imagine raising the tax, while C would have preferred to lower it by a few cents. The result? An unchanged tax level. V wanted a surplus target of one percent, while C wanted to see three. Now the target is two percent.
- The whole thing went very quickly and smoothly, says Petri Salonen (C) about the negotiations.
At the same time, they expect that conflicts and discussions will arise along the way, when decisions need to be made.
It is only when they start talking about the former government, the Haningealliansen (M, KD, L), that the differences in their views on the way forward become clear.
- The municipal management that is now leaving has also done good things, for example in the business sector, where development has really gone in the right direction. We don't need to turn the tables completely. There are areas where we want to do more, but also areas where we need to continue their work, says Salonen.
Altunsayar looks thoughtful when Salonen says that there is no need to change the course.
- I do not completely agree. Certain investments must be implemented during these years. But for us it is above all about the view of the people and activities in the municipality starting to change for the better, she says.
Despite their cooperation, they both stand behind the parties' demands and red lines at national level.
- The big difference between us and the government is that they need to make much bigger decisions. For example, we set a tax rate – they have thousands, says Salonen.
After Expressen's revelations that several V candidates around the country had spread anti-Semitism, C leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist directed strong criticism at the left's party leadership.
Altunsayar emphasizes that she distances herself from what has emerged.
Have those revelations affected your collaboration here in Haninge?
- Absolutely not. We know each other in a completely different way, and I have a lot of confidence in Sevim and her group management. I don't feel doubtful at all, says Salonen.
