Greta Thunberg's path from school striking teen to icon

Strasbourg on April 16. The atmosphere in the crowded hall is breathtaking. On stage, flanked by EU politicians, stands a Swedish 16-year-old who has a hard time holding back tears and holding a speech. Her message: "I ask you, wake up and change".

Among the audience this Tuesday, just before Easter, is the Swedish EU parliamentarian Fredrick Federley (C). He is already saved and describes how the episode felt like a revival meeting.

- There was incredible tension in the room. It was crowded and people queued outside without getting in. When Greta stepped into the room it became silent, then she received standing ovations. She gave a very good speech, says Federley.

Politicians dream of people listening to them, here Greta has really succeeded.

- Yes indeed. Political strength is not about having the most muscle, gaining maximum or even having the most mandate in a political assembly, but it is about what Greta has been able to show. She has an idea, a mission and is willing to sacrifice things for it.

Do you feel any envy because there are so many people actually listening to her message?

- I'm not jealous of what she is now a part of. Everyone wants to own her and everyone wants to cling to her struggle. Greta Thunberg is not a cake that we others should share. She is a messenger who gives us a mission and the only thing we politicians can do to do her justice is to take this burden off her shoulders.

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But the story of Greta Thunberg, daughter of opera singer Malena Ernman, does not begin in the European Parliament, but in August 2018, when the then 15-year-old girl sits for the first time outside Sweden's parliament with her now world-famous poster with the message "School strike for the climate" .

Since then, several church representatives, including Berlin's Bishop Heiner Koch, have likened the Swedish 16-year-old to Jesus. In fact, she even met Pope Francis in Rome. One month before the European elections, Greta Thunberg was hailed by former US President Barack Obama and just one month earlier, Time magazine named her one of the world's 100 most influential people

Among the many Hollywood fans include California's former Governor Arnold "The Terminator" Schwarzenegger.

“I love to see someone who not only complains but actually does something about it. You inspire me. Keep going to school and I would love to invite you to Vienna and R20 so you can inspire even more, ”he wrote on Twitter in September 2018.

Since Greta Thunberg first sat outside the Swedish Parliament, her movement has spread throughout the world and hundreds of thousands of young people have demonstrated for the climate.

Could there be any psychological explanation for Greta Thunberg's explosive popularity? The answer is yes, according to Maria Ojala, associate professor of psychology at Örebro University.

- We humans are social beings in the first place and we are significantly affected by others than we think. Role models are not least important in adolescence when looking for their identity. Not least, friends and role models in society, such as idols and influencers, are given greater importance, she says.

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Among other things, Maria Ojala talks about self-efficacy, the belief that you as an individual can actually influence - or even change the world.

- One way to increase that feeling is to see others succeed in doing what you see as impossible or difficult to accomplish. Greta is a role model that shows that as a young person you can influence when it comes to the climate issue, she says and continues:

- In addition, she shows that it is socially correct to care about the climate issue. The social norms, that is, what is considered "cool" to do regarding the climate issue have changed through her commitment.

Studies, conducted by Maria Ojala, among others, also show that the collective commitment gives a sense of community that makes sense to everyday life.

- Finding something to engage with that is important for one's self but also for the larger society is something that is important for all people, especially young people, and is associated with increased well-being.

We talk a lot about climate anxiety but it is also about community, you fight for a common goal - to save the world?

- Yes. In the study I conducted, many young people talked about making friends for life when they got involved. Some also mentioned that they felt a little outside in the past with their concerns about issues that perhaps not so many young people express in everyday life, says Maria Ojala and continues:

- Suddenly you meet many who think and feel the same way you do yourself, which becomes a confirmation of your own identity, that you are okay. And maybe even more than that when working for a thing that is considered morally right by many.

But not everyone likes Greta Thunberg and her message. Many online people have an opinion about the 16-year-old - many are extremely critical. And there are also Swedish politicians who are calling for reflection.

One of them is Sara Skyttedal, KD's top candidate for the European elections.

"As a former youth union chairman, I have full respect for her strong commitment," Skyttedal said, recently to Aftonbladet.

She continued:

- Then I think it is a bit problematic when you portray her as an expert, she is still a child.

When SVT News asks Sara Skyttedal about who is painting Greta Thunberg as an expert, she answers:

- I feel that in the climate debate she is portrayed as an authority of the same dignity as just experts. There, it becomes problematic as Thunberg's various choices - such as the view of the flight - make her used as a bat in the debate in an inappropriate way.

If she gets the authorities to listen and act, is her age a problem?

- Neither Thunberg's age nor commitment is a problem, on the contrary. It is about how adults handle this and try to use it to emphasize themselves and capitalize politically or financially at the expense of her.

Eyebrows were also raised when Greta Thunberg's family, in conjunction with the school strike, published the book "Scenes from the Heart". A sales success to be published in several languages. However, Malena Ernman, Greta Thunberg's mother, has fought back against the criticism.

"When the book was published, we clearly stated that all profits will go to various organizations working with climate, environment, animal rights issues and children with special needs," she has written on Facebook.

The fact that Greta Thunberg previously collaborated with PR expert Ingmar Rentzhog has also created headlines. Ingmar Rentzhog has been accused of using Greta Thunberg in a rights issue that raised over SEK 10 million for one of his companies, We Don't Have Time.

However, according to Ingmar Rentzhog, Greta Thunberg's role as a youth adviser must have been terminated due to lack of time even before the matter was reviewed by, among others, Svenska Dagbladet.

Ingmar Rentzhog also backs the claim that he must have used Greta Thunberg's name.

"Nowhere in the marketing for the new issue is Greta Thunberg mentioned," he writes in an email to SVT News.

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Freelance journalist Andreas Henriksson was one of the early ones to examine the relationship between Greta Thunberg and Ingmar Rentzhog.

- I discovered that from day one, Greta collaborated with a skilled PR consultant who sold his agency to work full time with his climate commitment and climate activism. As an old PR reporter, I thought that story linked to Greta Thunberg also deserved to be told, he says.

Is it a problem that Greta Thunberg has been helped by a PR expert?

- No not at all. This is how modern opinion formation goes. But I do not understand where both Ingmar Rentzhog and the Thunberg family have darkened and denied the cooperation. There is nothing to be ashamed of when two skilled activists team up on the same issue.

According to Andreas Henriksson, one explanation may be that it is easier to sell a movement that has grown organically.

- So it can be, he says.

According to Ingmar Rentzhog, this claim is also not true:

“Neither I nor the Thunberg family have ever darkened or denied that Greta was active in We Don't Have Time, as Andreas Henriksson states in a quote. We have not darkened anything, but have always been open with our cooperation, even after it has ended, ”he writes in the email.

In January this year, Malena Ernman also stated that Bo Thorén from the Fosilfritt Sweden association was the one who hatched the idea that Greta Thunberg would strike from school to pay attention to the climate. Something that gave the critics additional water at their mill - is everything really just a very cleverly executed PR campaign?

The discussion is held at the highest political level. On April 25, the Swedish Democrats' party leader Jimmie Åkesson called the 16-year-old's activism just a "staged PR campaign" when he was interviewed in TV4.

A statement that drew criticism from Greta Thunberg's supporters. Among them Social Security Minister Annika Strandhäll (S) who writes on Twitter that it is all "shameful".

Greta Thunberg himself rejects the criticism in a text message to Expressen:

“There is no single organization or person behind me. There has never been anyone who told me what to do or what to say ”.

As mentioned, the discussion is not new and Malena Ernman has previously defended her daughter against this kind of criticism:

“Greta has no one and has never had anyone who 'stands' behind her. She did all the planning herself. Last month, she received voluntary, ideal assistance to handle all international press requests. Otherwise, she has definitely not had any help or support from any PR agency at any time, ”she has written on Facebook.

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There are, as I said, many opinions about Greta Thunberg, whose influence has only grown since that day in August when she first decided to take a stand for the climate. One thing is certain though - today, the 16-year-old is an icon for a growing environmental movement in change.

The question, however, is whether her fight will have any effect on the European elections on 26 May. We ask the question to Karin Malmström, public relations consultant at Westander with a focus on the EU, opinion formation and lobbying.

- Greta acts as a catalyst, her commitment has become a given dinner discussion and has given the climate issue a breakthrough we have not seen before. That it changes how voters vote is not certain. But the fact that the climate issue is ranked higher definitely affects the political conversation and thus also the MEPs, she says.