Sweden Democrats leader stands by decision to bypass parliamentary attendance system

Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson has said he does not regret his party’s decision to circumvent the Riksdag’s attendance compensation system, according to a live interview with public broadcaster SVT on Tuesday.

Speaking in SVT’s new programme Ask the Party Leader Anything, Åkesson faced questions from viewers about the controversy, which has dominated political debate in recent weeks. The system, known as kvittningssystemet, allows MPs to offset missed votes in one committee by attending others, ensuring balanced participation.

When asked whether he regretted breaking the agreement—given that he may now need to spend significantly more time in parliament—Åkesson replied: “No, I don’t regret it, because the alternative would have been much worse. But now I’ll have to go and vote tomorrow and on Thursday—and then we’ll see.”

The issue arose after the Sweden Democrats opted to bypass the system, a move that other parties have criticised as undermining parliamentary cooperation. During the interview, Åkesson also addressed claims by independent politician Elsa Widding, who accused him of lying in statements suggesting her vote had been “bought” by the Green Party.

Pressed by SVT’s Fouad Youcefi on whether he still believed Widding’s vote was purchased, Åkesson said he was unclear on what had been “said in the negotiations” between her and the Greens but added: “I don’t know if it was bought.”

The interview was part of a series where all party leaders answer questions from the public ahead of the 2026 general election. Viewers submitted queries ranging from Åkesson’s salary and immigration policies to personal questions, including “Do you regret breaking the attendance system?” and “What do people misunderstand about your party?”