Liberal Party shifts focus from climate to feminism in election campaign

Sweden’s Liberal Party will prioritise feminism over climate policy in its upcoming election campaign, climate minister Romina Pourmokhtari told SVT on Tuesday.

Pourmokhtari, returning from parental leave, said the party’s new emphasis on “livspusselfeminism” — a term she uses to describe policies enabling women to balance careers and parenting — could help attract voters.

“I truly believe this can help us cross the threshold,” she said. “Many people see these problems and wonder where politics has gone.”

In the 2022 election, the Liberals campaigned on integration, climate, and education. This time, the party’s manifesto dedicates only three of 99 points to climate, with school policy, freedom, and feminism taking centre stage.

Pourmokhtari dismissed suggestions that climate had become a liability for the party, insisting the issue remains relevant. She noted, however, that smaller parties have limited space to address multiple topics.

An internal review after the 2022 election found the Liberals had failed to appeal to female voters, in part because gender equality was absent from their campaign.