The group picture that could finally be taken at Harpsund.
Photo: FS/TT / TT NEWS AGENCY
Ulf Kristersson and Ebba Busch pose for a group photo.
Photo: FS/TT / TT NEWS AGENCY
However, the photo opportunity was greatly delayed – partly because Johan Pehrson was 40 minutes late.
Photo: Anette Holmqvist
The government’s traditional gathering at the Prime Minister’s summer residence, Harpsund, takes place every year as a starting point for the political autumn, and to present the scope for reform in the upcoming budget.
The day always begins by tradition with a group photo with all government ministers. At 1 pm on Thursday it was announced, and the media was there to cover.
But the government’s meeting in the courtyard at Harpsund was delayed, and 40 minutes late, the leader of the Liberals, Johan Pehrson, suddenly appeared in a black Volvo, which he drove himself. Others from the Liberals were also late. And the photo shoot only took place at 2:30 p.m., i.e. an hour and a half after the appointed time.
The reason for the delay is still unclear. But according to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson, it was nothing strange.
– Johan Pehrson is often late, she said with a laugh.
Tough negotiations
But in the last week, there have been intense negotiations between the four Tidö parties about the autumn budget, which is described as the most important the government has to come up with during the mandate period. And there is heavy pressure on several of the parties to deliver, and not least on the Liberals, who have recently reached rock bottom in public opinion.
According to information to Expressen, the negotiations have been going on until the very end, and the parties must have been sitting on the night of Thursday.
The plan was that the first part of the negotiations, where they agree on which reforms the budget should contain, would be finished tonight. This is ahead of Elisabeth Svantesson’s press conference at Harpsund on Thursday afternoon.
Government sources are tight-lipped about how the negotiations went, and outwardly they have given the impression that things are going well.
“Everything is not clear”
– They (negotiations) are ready when they are ready. Everything is not clear, but much is clear, Elisabeth Svantesson said at the press conference.
At the same time, there have been signals from the Liberals of internal dissatisfaction during the negotiations, and the concern has primarily concerned climate policy, which is on the Liberals’ table in the government. The party feels great pressure to come up with new reforms that lower Swedish emissions, which have so far increased during the mandate period as a result of the government’s policies. And it is a pressure that increases even more when the government is simultaneously expected to lower or even abolish the aviation tax in the upcoming budget.
Expressen has contacted the Liberals for a comment.
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