Election of third deputy speaker
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 election of the third deputy speaker. C nominates Kerstin Lundgren as she has solid parliamentary experience, strong integrity, and has held the position creditably since 2018 1. V nominates Håkan Svenneling, who is one of their most experienced members, and argues that the election should follow practice to restore respect in the Riksdag 2. S votes for C's candidate because she has great knowledge and has held the office creditably over two parliamentary terms 3. MP intends to vote blank and abstain from the vote 4.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Daniel Bäckström (C)
Mr. Speaker! Honored members! I also wish to join in the congratulations to Speaker Andreas Norlén.
On behalf of the Centre Party, I wish to nominate Kerstin Lundgren for the position of third deputy speaker.
Since 2018, Kerstin Lundgren has been the third deputy speaker in the Swedish Riksdag, a role she has performed in a very trustworthy manner. Kerstin Lundgren has been a member here in the Swedish Riksdag since 2002 and has solid parliamentary experience from both municipality and region as well as the Riksdag.
In her parliamentary mandate, Kerstin has sat in a number of committees, including 20 years in the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Kerstin is respected and has strong integrity and extensive security policy experience, which is an important competence for the Speaker's presidency in a restless world.
Kerstin is used to leading meetings and has performed her assignment as third deputy speaker in a meritorious manner. If it is stability that the chamber seeks, Kerstin Lundgren is the natural choice as third deputy speaker. Kerstin provides important continuity in the work in the Swedish Riksdag and has all the prerequisites to contribute in a unifying and secure manner in the speaker's presidency during the coming mandate period.
Therefore, the Centre Party nominates Kerstin Lundgren to continue the assignment as third deputy speaker.
Samuel Gonzalez Westling (V)
Mr. Speaker! For the third deputy chairman, the Left Party, according to practice, wishes to nominate one of our own very competent members.
The role of Deputy Speaker requires the ability to adapt easily to different situations. In many respects, beyond leading proceedings in the chamber, it is a representative role. Solid experience of the Riksdag's work is almost a requirement. The role requires that one has patience and at the same time finds it easy to keep one's spirits up, both for oneself and for others in one's surroundings.
Håkan Svenneling fulfills all of these requirements. He is one of the members who has served the longest in the Riksdag for Vänsterpartiet. He has many years of experience traveling around the world to represent both Sweden and Vänsterpartiet in various contexts. All of these things combined make that Håkan Svenneling more than qualifies himself for the assignment.
I understand that there may be a desire to almost want to give back against us in Vänsterpartiet. It has been perceived as a kind of injustice that we stood behind Andreas Norlén as Speaker. I would therefore like to remind that the choice of Andreas Norlén was about the fact that the Riksdag needs experience in a very difficult time.
That the Left Party claims the position of third deputy speaker stems from the practice that has applied in the Riksdag during the election of the speaker. We have expressed this, and others have also expressed it from the speaker's chair here today.
It has been more than a decade of broken practice, which benefits neither our country nor our parliament. We in Vänsterpartiet cannot, of course, control the members' elections, but it would probably be considered quite pleasant by the surroundings and, above all, by the Swedish people, if the Riksdag returned to being characterized by respect and to being the trustworthy institution it actually should be.
I also want to say that regardless of the outcome of this election, Magdalena Andersson remains and continues to be Vänsterpartiet's prime ministerial candidate. Nothing changes because of this.
I hereby give the Left Party's and my support to Håkan Svenneling for the election of third deputy speaker. I also move that the election be conducted by secret ballot.
Lena Hallengren (S)
Mr. Speaker! I believe it is difficult for many listening to the debate to understand what is practice and what is not, and that it can take time to return to practice. But it is our ultimate wish that we should return to following principles and have order and clarity in the Swedish Riksdag.
In this vote on the third deputy speaker, the Social Democrats will vote for the Center Party's Kerstin Lundgren, for the simple reason that Kerstin has honorably held just this office for two terms. I have had the privilege of working with Kerstin during this time, and I can state that she has a great knowledge that will be of benefit within the speaker's presidium. She has all the prerequisites to become an excellent representative for the Swedish Riksdag as third deputy speaker.
Annika Hirvonen (MP)
Mr. Speaker! Miljöpartiet intends to abstain in this vote. We will therefore vote blank.
We would have gladly followed practice and voted in a Social Democratic Speaker today. Then we would also have voted in a Left Party third Vice Speaker with the same joy, but based on the outcome of today's Speaker vote, we choose to vote blank.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.