Outspoken Member of Parliament Elsa Widding has been a political independent in the Swedish Parliament since she left the Sweden Democrats in May 2023. Now she reveals that she plans to start a new party – with a launch date set for just one month from now.
– It has been a long discussion and a very long process, I can say that much. I have been open about the fact that I have been looking at various possibilities, and now I have decided to do this, she said in an interview with Swebb TV.
According to Widding, the party will be based on fifteen different areas that she describes as “very important”, but she does not want to reveal any further details about these before the launch on June 12.
– I’ve built it somewhat from the ground up, trying to find people responsible for each area who are experts. I believe this – having proper expertise – is something that has been lacking in the Riksdag.
– I’ve tried to build it almost like a small corporate group around each issue, so that there is strong competence. And of course, you can work in several such groups, but it’s about really driving these issues and being able to challenge.
“Everything is swept under the rug”
Widding believes that there is currently no real political opposition in the Riksdag. According to her, many decisions are passed without debate or opportunity for influence.
– On the big, important issues, things slip through far too easily. No one questions anything, she argues, citing the new pandemic law as an example of a lack of transparency.
– How did it come to this? We don’t get any information from the media. Everything is just swept under the rug. And new legislation keeps coming. We’re getting entangled in this, moving away from democracy and increasingly toward this globalized world order. Decisions are being made and we’re basically left behind.
– More eyes are needed on this and someone who can be active – and that’s easier if you’re more than just one person. It’s pretty tough for me, she adds.
Widding hopes that in the new party she will be able to focus more on climate and energy issues, which are her original area of expertise and what she most wants to work with.
“As down-to-earth as possible”
She emphasizes the importance of expertise, but also that politics must be grounded in reality and based on experience from the areas it affects.
– If I’m going to talk about agricultural policy, then I really want to have people who run a large farm and have lots of cows, who know what it entails. And the same goes for the economy – I also want very knowledgeable people there. But then I also try to make it as down-to-earth as possible, so that people really understand what it’s about.
The name of the party has not yet been made public. According to Widding, however, it will only run in the parliamentary election – not in municipal or regional elections – and she describes it as “a party for normal people who value common sense”.
