Can the Social Democrats return to power?
On the left the Greens are moving ahead well and are approved in the polls whilst the social democrats are struggling. Social Democratic leader Mona Sahlin is still not very popular amongst the Swedes and faces strong competition on the part of Maria Wetterstrand, the extremely popular Green spokesperson. Mona Sahlin suffered greatly in the 1990’s due to the so-called Toblerone scandal. In 1990 and 1991 when she was Employment Minister she used her professional bank card to make private purchases on several occasions. Amongst the articles she bought were two Toblerone bars. The Greens’ second spokesperson Peter Eriksson is concerned about Mona Sahlin’s low popularity rate which in his opinion might cost the leftwing its victory. “She is an element of discouragement,” he declared. The chair of the Social Democratic Party said “that he was at ease with the feelings she caused” and stressed that she had always been “loved or hated”. “At least people take up a position,” he concluded. The
