Voters on V's ministerial demands: "Be realistic"

In the Stockholm suburb of Bagarmossen, it is not difficult to find voters who voted for one of the red-green parties. Here, S, MP and V together received the most votes in this year's election. And the tenacity of government formation still engages the residents, even if a certain fatigue is beginning to be felt.

Åsa, who does not want to give her last name, is one of them. She believes that the Left Party is making a mistake by not letting go of its ministerial demands.

- I think they are making a mistake and that they are losing from it. The fact that the Sweden Democrats have now given in will win over the people, unfortunately, she says.

Last Friday, SD announced that they are dropping their demand to sit in a government. At the same time, the Center Party wants to see political so-called total packages from both S and M to choose a side.

Since then, the pressure on the Left Party leadership to drop their ministerial demands has increased. Magdalena Andersson wants to see the Left Party as a cooperative party rather than a government party with ministerial positions.

The Left Party's local party associations in Hammarby-Skarpnäck, which includes Bagarmossen, decline to comment on the formation of the government and the V leadership's demand to be part of the government. Järva district chairman Rashid Mohammed also declines participation.

However, several of the party's district chairmen around the country do not. In a written comment to TT, August Flensburg, chairman in Stockholm, writes that "There is solid support for the party line in Greater Stockholm. Our members expect the congress decision to be followed."

Jonatan Wassberg, chairman of the Left Party in Kalmar, believes that there is strong support among the voters to stick to the requirement.

- I have not heard a single person who is a member of our district who thinks we should go a different way. There is pressure to maintain this line, he tells TT.

In Bagarmossen, student Hjalmar Karlsson, 21, hurries to the subway. He voted for the Left Party in the election.

- The politicians have not behaved. The fact that they don't talk to each other feels childish, especially when you have campaigned on not having a Tidö government, he says and continues:

- C's red line against SD should weigh more than a government formation line. At the same time, SD got through an incredible amount of politics in the Tidö Agreement without being part of the government. Then one might think that the Left should have thought a little more realistically and pushed even before the election for what they will get through if they are not allowed to sit in government.

For Sofia Bertilsson, 36, on parental leave, the climate was the most important issue in the election. She wants to see a change of government, she says.

- I think that the climate is also important for the Left Party and then it is perhaps more important to compromise than to get exactly what you want this term.

In Järva's suburbs, the Left Party grew strongly and overtook the Social Democrats in some districts.

Sara Rhawi, 65, loads the car full of grocery bags. She has lived in Tensta for 43 years, voted for the Christian Democrats and would like to see Ulf Kristersson re-elected prime minister, she says. According to her, the fact that crime decreased during the Tidö government meant a lot.

- I don't think the red-greens should be allowed to form a government. I agree with the Tidö parties. I think Tensta has meant much calmer and that is positive, she says.

Rinkeby resident Fatima, who only wants to give her first name, is one of those who switched from the Social Democrats to the Left this election.

- I think it is important that the Left get ministerial posts, but on the other hand the Center should ask themselves why they are not willing to let the Left in now that they have won votes anyway. They should focus on the ultimate goal, which is to keep SD out.