Political quarrel about Gällivare municipal weapons - can be changed

- It's really poster politics, now you politicize it, says Lars Alriksson (M)

"We do not see equality as populist politics," says Birgitta Larsson (S), municipal council

Gällivare's municipal arms have two reindeer that represent the reindeer industry and two Iron Marks that represent ore mining and that the political leadership wants to change by changing one iron emblem to copper emblem instead.

The iron and copper symbols are the same symbols as for the male and female sex, respectively. As a result, a political battle has arisen between the ruling parties and the opposition. The opposition accuses the municipal leadership of populism, while the municipal leadership believes that the change is part of the work on gender equality.

On Monday, the issue was raised at the municipal council's meeting, but was re-submitted to produce an implementation plan with proposals for successive implementation in connection with a change in the design of the municipal arms. This will be presented to the local council on February 24, 2020.