Acknowledgment
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns the recognition of former Members of Parliament for their meritorious deeds, commitment, and hard work in the service of politics and democracy 1. The Speaker thanks the members for having worked devotedly for what they believe in 1. Outgoing members receive a diploma and a gold-colored parliamentary pin 1. After at least six consecutive years of service, the member may receive the parliamentary medal in the eighth size, while at least twelve years of service grants the medal in the twelfth size 1. Members who have served for 20 years or more also receive the medal in the twelfth size 1.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
TALMANNEN
Honorable members and former members of the Swedish Riksdag, ladies and gentlemen! After today's debates and voting, it is now time for a special moment here in the chamber. We have gathered to thank former members of the Riksdag for their meritorious deeds, and I would therefore now like to address you specifically.
You have all placed your commitment, your competence, and your hard work in the service of politics and democracy. One of the conditions of democracy, however, is that parties sometimes move backward in an election, as a whole or in a certain constituency. We all in this chamber know that the seat we sit on is ours to manage to the best of our ability, but it is on loan. Many have come before us and others will take over afterwards. You have worked devotedly for what you believe in, but after the election, you will do so in other forms than as a member of the Riksdag.
As Speaker, it is an honor for me to thank you here today, in the chamber where you perform the task as elected members of the Swedish Riksdag.
During the farewells in June for the members who chose not to run at all in the autumn election, I spoke about the new law regarding the Riksdag medal. However, many here were not present at that time, so I would like to very briefly describe the background today as well.
Outgoing members can have been awarded a medal for quite some time, but since the turn of the year, it has been regulated by law. A member who leaves the Riksdag almost always receives a diploma and a gold-colored Riksdag pin. After at least six years of consecutive service, the member can also receive the Riksdag medal in the eighth size, while those who leave the Riksdag after at least twelve years of consecutive service can receive the medal in the twelfth size.
A small clarification: Medal sizes are regulated by the so-called Berchska scale from the 1700s. The eighth and twelfth sizes are the most common in our time and those that are, for example, used for His Majesty the King's medal. Therefore, we have chosen to use them also for the Riksdag's medal. The numbering has an unclear, almost arbitrary, relation to the medal's diameter. A medal of the eighth size is 33 millimeters in diameter, and one of the twelfth size is 43 millimeters.
Alltnog: The person who leaves the Riksdag with a medal but later returns as a member cannot receive the same medal again. Instead, the next time they leave the Riksdag, they receive a special token that is attached to the original medal's ribbon.
It is now a pleasure for me to hand over needles, diplomas and medals to you. Some unfortunately do not have the possibility to be present today, but I ask you who are in the room to rise when you hear your name and to then remain standing.
Diplomas and parliamentary pins are awarded today to 27 people: Daniel Andersson, Jonas Andersson in Skellefteå, Michael Anefur, Elsemarie Bjellqvist, Clas-Göran Carlsson, Karin Engdahl, Elisabeth Falkhaven, Richard Herrey, Lars Jilmstad, Ulrika Jörgensen, Sultan Kayhan, Åsa Lindhagen, Martin Marmgren, Aphram Melki, Linda Modig, Sofia Nilsson, Caroline Nordengrip, Amanda Palmstierna, Elisabeth Björnsdotter Rahm, Per Schöldberg, Elin Segerlind, Pia Steensland, Pernilla Stålhammar, Arman Teimouri, Lars Thomsson, Jon Thorbjörnson and Jessica Thunander.
Thank you very much for your efforts for the Riksdag, for democracy and for Sweden!
The Riksdag medal in the eighth size is awarded to four persons: Maria Ferm, Johan Hedin, Emma Hult and Teres Lindberg.
Thank you very much for your efforts for the Riksdag, for democracy, and for Sweden!
The medal of the twelfth size is awarded to the following persons: Andreas Carlson, Åsa Coenraads, Roger Haddad and Roza Güclü Hedin.
Thank you very much for your efforts for the Riksdag, for democracy, and for Sweden!
The medal in the twelfth size is also awarded to two persons who have served for 20 years or more in the Riksdag. To them, I would like to say a few words about each of their times in the Riksdag. I would like to ask you to rise when you hear your name and remain standing, and we will then thank you as well with a joint round of applause.
Carina Ohlsson! You have indeed switched over to the European Parliament, but before that, your work here as a member of the Riksdag since 1998. In the Riksdag, you have, among other things, been chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Agriculture and in the Committee on Civil Affairs. You have also been a member of the EU Committee and the Riksdag's election committee and chairperson for the Council of Europe's Swedish delegation - as well as much more than that.
I also want to thank you for the final effort you managed to make as a member of Parliament, something you did with honor. At the assembly in the autumn, you presided over the assembly and, not least, over the election of the Speaker. And it turned out quite successful. Warm thanks!
Now I would like to ask Tuve Skånberg to stand up. With your 27 years and one day in the Riksdag, you have both broad and long experience from both the chamber and committees. You have, among other things, been chairperson of the Committee on Civil Affairs, member of various committees, member of the Swedish delegation to the Nordic Council, member of the board of the Foundation Riksbankens jubileumsfond, the Riksrevisionen's board and Rifo, chairperson of the Riksdag's Christian group and much more. I would especially like to thank you for our fine cooperation during eight years in the Committee on the Constitution and for your meritorious contributions as age president here in the chamber - a rock that we from the presidium's side have leaned on many times.
Warm thanks to both of you for your efforts for the Riksdag, for democracy and for Sweden!
To all of you who have now been thanked, I would like to conclude by saying that the time you have had in the Swedish Riksdag is unique. The mission as a Member of Parliament is characterized by various events in the world around us, by party politics, and naturally by the changing conditions of one's own life.
During your time as members of parliament, an entirely unique election period unfolded. In the Riksdag, the parliamentary work had to adapt to both a record-long government formation and a record number of government formations, but also to recreated ways of working during the pandemic.
Outside the Riksdag, we experienced how the pandemic forced not only Sweden but the world to fundamentally transform. The streets emptied, and the hospitals filled up. We still mourn everyone we have lost and everything that was lost during those years. After that, Russia began its unjust and cruel war against Ukraine. This has, of course, also had a major impact on our country and on your work in the Riksdag.
You have handled all of this and much more in the parliamentary work. In your actions, you have contributed to shaping and developing the policy and shaping and developing our country and its future.
I know that there have been many fun moments - political victories, perhaps liberating laughter around a negotiating table and interesting meetings with people. But I also sense that it has not always been so easy: long days and many meetings, numerous trips away from family and home. I believe, perhaps even know, however, that it has been worth it.
You call for people of great stature. What gives a human great stature? To become nothing and forget oneself for that which is greater than she.
So Karin Boye wrote. And I believe that all of us who have had the privilege of taking on the responsibility that it entails to be a member of Sweden's Riksdag also strive to do our utmost just for something that is greater than ourselves.
That is what you have done, each and every one of you, for which we thank you here today. With that gold needle or that medal that you take home with you, there also follows the knowledge that you have invested the best of yourself in a work for other people, for your conviction, and for the future.
On behalf of the Riksdag, I thank you. Thank you for your actions as a Member of Parliament! Thank you for your efforts for the Riksdag, and thank you for your work for all of our democracy!
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.