SD's former party leader saws criticize Jimmie Åkesson: "Do it for personal gain"

Just a few days ago, it became clear that Magdalena Andersson (S) will rule on a budget that has been partially negotiated between the Moderates, the Sweden Democrats and the Christian Democrats.

For SD's leadership, this is a great victory - but for Mikael Jansson, who was party leader for SD between 1995 and 2005, it is disappointing.

- It is the Moderates who make demands on SD, I think that SD is completely flat.

I think the Moderates are very surprised that it is so easy to negotiate, he says in Politikbyrån.

"Something has really changed"

Mikael Jansson sat in the Riksdag from 2010 to 2018, when he chose to leave the party and join Alternative for Sweden, which was founded by disappointed SD defectors.

A heavy name in the context, thus.

Mikael Jansson lists several issues where he thinks that SD has become too liberal and where they have adapted to the establishment.

Two such issues are the view of the EU and NATO.

- In the party board we had 95 and onwards, we had a very large consensus that Sweden should leave the EU.

It was something that Åkesson was very firm in the belief that it was a good goal.

That it has now been shifted in such a way that SD no longer wants Sweden to leave the EU.

It is an example that something has really changed.

"It's about personal gain"

Jimmie Åkesson joined SD in 1995, what do you think the young Åkesson would have felt if he had been able to see into the future?

- I think Åkesson has lost his course a bit and he would probably be quite disappointed in himself.

I think so, says Mikael Jansson and adds:

- I do not know what Åkesson's aim is now.

If it is very important that he becomes a minister, for example, or if the most important thing is to save Sweden.

It feels like Åkesson at that time was much more in line with the purpose of the party, to save Sweden, and that it is now more about personal gains.

It did not go very well for Alternatives for Sweden in the last parliamentary election, will you attract more disappointed SD votes next year?

- Yes, in the last election we did not have room in "system media" and it is very difficult to reach over four percent if you are turned off there.

But I think we have better conditions now and that it will go very well.

SVT Nyheter has contacted Jimmie Åkesson for a comment.