Kristersson dismisses Jomshof bid for ministerial post

Sweden Democrats figure Richard Jomshof says he wants to become democracy minister in the next government, but Liberal Party leader Simona Mohamsson says he is not suitable for the job, SVT reported. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson dismissed Jomshof’s statement as an attempt to attract attention.

“No, I do not think so,” Mohamsson said when asked whether Jomshof was suitable. She also said she did not need to respond to someone who believed they should become a minister.

Kristersson said ministerial posts would be allocated only after an election victory and that he would personally approve every minister in a government he led.

“I think this is only about getting attention. The unfortunate thing is that it takes attention away from the real issues in the election campaign,” he said.

Asked whether he took Jomshof’s statement seriously, Kristersson replied: “No, I do not take it seriously. Quite right.”

The Sweden Democrats have received assurances from the prime minister that they will join the government after the election if the Tidö side wins.

Jomshof has previously said several times that he was not interested in becoming a minister. But in an interview with SVT this week, he said he would immediately accept a post dealing with Islam and the issue of Islamisation.

Opposition parties have criticised the possibility. Social Democratic Party secretary Tobias Baudin said Jomshof had urged people to burn Qurans during the NATO process and had described a journalist and a party leader as traitors.

Baudin said Kristersson must now answer whether there was a limit to which Sweden Democrats could serve in his government.

Centre Party secretary Hannes Hervieu also criticised the prime minister, saying Kristersson could not control the Sweden Democrats and repeatedly failed to stand up to party leader Jimmie Åkesson.