Swedish minister dismisses climate questions as “politically coloured”

The head of Sweden’s public broadcaster has criticised Christian Democrat leader Ebba Busch for accusing a journalist of political bias when questioned about the government’s climate record, calling it a “striking example” of how contentious energy policy has become.

In an op-ed published by SVT Nyheter on Wednesday, Karin Ekman, the broadcaster’s editor-in-chief, described a confrontation between Busch and reporter Kristina Lagerström during filming for a documentary on fuel prices. When presented with data showing Sweden’s lagging electric vehicle adoption compared to Norway and Denmark, Busch dismissed the questions as “incredibly politically coloured.”

The exchange, captured in the documentary At the Pump, centres on Sweden’s struggle to meet climate targets after the centre-right Tidö government slashed both fuel taxes and the biofuel blending mandate—a policy shift climate experts have identified as the primary reason for rising transport emissions.

Ekman argued the incident underscores the tension between rural voters reliant on cars and urban climate ambitions. “It’s a classic conflict of objectives,” she wrote, noting that while cheaper fuel eases household budgets, transport sector emissions have surged since the policy changes. Electric vehicle sales, meanwhile, have stalled.

The documentary is part of SVT’s Swedish Pain Points series, examining divisive issues shaping the election—from regional divides to the gap between policymakers and citizens. Fuel prices, Ekman suggested, may prove decisive: “In many ways, At the Pump is the ultimate pain point.”

Busch’s party, the Christian Democrats, is a junior partner in the governing coalition. The minister has not publicly responded to the criticism.