Ohlsson’s switch to Center Party deals blow to Liberal leader Mohamsson ahead of key meeting

Birgitta Ohlsson’s decision to run for the Center Party in Sweden’s 2026 election is a major setback for Liberal Party leader Simona Mohamsson, just days before a critical party conference, according to an analysis by SVT’s political commentator Elisabeth Marmorstein.

Ohlsson, a former EU minister and long-time figure in the Liberal Party’s social-liberal faction, had been seen as a potential leadership candidate for years. Her move to the Center Party now—amid deep internal divisions within the Liberals—weakens Mohamsson’s position further as she faces a vote of confidence at Sunday’s national party meeting.

Marmorstein described the timing as “a kick to Mohamsson’s already vulnerable position,” noting that Ohlsson’s defection removes a key moderate voice from the Liberals at a moment when the party is deeply fractured.

The Liberal Party has been embroiled in internal conflict, with regional branches and party officials openly criticising Mohamsson’s leadership. The Center Party, meanwhile, stands to gain from Ohlsson’s experience and profile as it prepares for the 2026 campaign.