A temporary public flag day to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the King's accession to the throne
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
M advocates for a temporary flag day on September 15 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the King's accession 1. M believes that it is a historical event that gives the population an opportunity to manifest national unity 1. V argues that it is a strange priority for the government given high food prices, mortgage costs, and cuts 2. V believes that there is no need to introduce the flag day and refers to the fact that the committee recently considered that there were no reasons for the Riksdag to take the initiative for a new flag day 2. V moves for approval of the reservation 2.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Lars Johnsson (M)
Mr. Speaker! This year is a jubilee. On September 15, it is exactly 50 years since His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf ascended the Swedish throne.
The Government therefore proposes in a bill to the Riksdag that just September 15 shall be a temporary flag day to solemnize this jubilee.
I share the government's view that it is a historical event that there is reason to note. It also gives the Swedish population an opportunity to manifest national solidarity.
This year is actually a double jubilee. In addition to the jubilee of 50 years since the accession to the throne, it is also the jubilee of 500 years since Gustav Vasa was elected king. It is therefore a double jubilee for the Swedish monarchy. Both of these things deserve to be noted.
A temporary public flag day to solemnly observe the 50th anniversary of the King's accession to the throne
I think so, Mr. Speaker, even though I here in the Riksdag represent Skåne, which has not been a part of Sweden and Sweden's history during all these 500 years. Gustav Vasa was, as is well known, never king over Skåne.
It therefore makes me somewhat disappointed when I can state that not all parties here in the Riksdag are so generous as to be able to stand behind the proposal for a temporary flag day.
When one moves for a rejection by referring to being an opponent of the monarchy, one has missed the point. The consideration is not about what form of government we should have in Sweden. It is about solemnizing a jubilee.
The question of Sweden's form of government is debated here in the chamber when the Riksdag annually rejects the Left Party's traditional motion on a republic. This last occurred on 26 April.
Mr. Speaker! I would like to conclude by joyfully moving for approval of the committee's proposal for a decision. I also want to move for the rejection of the Left Party's motion. Flag up for Sweden's King and the Swedish monarchy!
In this speech, Susanne Nordström (M) and Gudrun Brunegård (KD) concurred.
Jessica Wetterling (V)
Mr. Speaker! It is certainly fine to live in a democracy where one can have different opinions even in a matter such as this.
Mr. Speaker! It is probably no news to anyone that the Left Party's principled position is that we want to abolish the monarchy and that we therefore annually submit a motion to introduce a modern and democratic system of government, just as the previous speaker said. There, the head of state, who holds the highest office in Sweden, shall also be appointed according to democratic principles. It is something that in all other contexts is usually considered a self-evident matter.
Mr. Speaker! It is actually quite surprising and unreasonable that the government, in today's situation, prioritizes presenting this proposal to establish a temporary flag day. There are so many other much more prioritized issues for the government to set its teeth into.
It concerns, for example, the high food prices, the increasing mortgage costs, or the alarms from municipalities and regions that will need to make extensive cuts in the coming period. And I do not believe that any of us is completely unaffected by the shootings that have occurred recently.
In light of this, it becomes a least strange prioritization that the government has now chosen to make. With this short notice, and what seems to be quite impulsive, the government presents this proposal which has not been announced in advance. It seems to be a very spontaneous impulse from the government.
Mr. Speaker! Recently, a few months ago, the KU [Committee on Constitutional Matters] dealt with the report on public holidays, which also includes the flag days. At that time, the committee concluded, largely in agreement, that a review of the public flag days has recently been conducted and that the Riksdag last spring dealt with the government's proposition A modern public reward system and the public flag days.
In that bill, the government submitted proposals for guidelines for a new system regarding public rewards as well as guidelines regarding Sweden's general flag days.
The new guidelines mean, among other things, that the general flag days with a connection to the Swedish Royal House shall become fewer and, after the next succession, only include the monarch's birthday and the heir apparent's birthday from the year they turn 18.
A temporary general flag day to solemnly observe the 50th anniversary of the King's accession to the throne
The Committee on the Constitution considered three months ago that the proposal for guidelines on the general flag days was well-balanced and has also previously considered that questions regarding flagging at the state agencies and institutions should be decided by them themselves.
The committee also considered just a few months ago that, against this background, there were also no reasons for the Riksdag to take any initiatives for a new flag day. One has simply changed opinion in just a few months.
Mr. Speaker! The Left Party does not intend to hinder the public, authorities, or others who wish to fly the flag. We consider, however, that the Constitutional Committee's previous reasoning, which we shared, should reasonably be applicable even to the government's current proposal.
We therefore consider that there is no need to introduce this flag day. I move for approval of the reservation.
I would like to wish the Speaker, the other members, and also everyone who works in the Riksdag a pleasant and relaxing summer holiday.
The deliberation was hereby concluded.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.