After the election in September, it was clear that the Sweden Democrats won the largest in Tomelilla with 30 percent of the votes in the municipal election.
Then the given government looked like SD together with the Moderates, who had ten percentage points less.
But the Moderates were clear even then that the highest priority option would be to form a minority government together with the old alliance parties.
- We have an alliance that governs and if we can continue with it, we will, said group leader Per-Martin Svensson (M) shortly after the election.
Would punish the Moderates
The Sweden Democrats did not take it lightly that the Moderates preferred the old alliance, but warned M that if they did not choose their alternative, they would vote against them in the municipal council.
- We will not be as kind this time, said Per Gustavsson (SD), group leader in Tomelilla at the time.
So now the Moderates have decided to govern in a minority with C, L and KD.
- We cannot be much more dissatisfied, says Per Gustavsson (SD).
Do you stand by what you said after the election?
- Nothing has really changed, we will vote against them if they do not want to negotiate with us, he says.
Another municipality that excludes SD
That the Sweden Democrats are excluded from power is not unique to Tomelilla.
Similar situations have arisen in Sjöbo, Bromölla and Simrishamn, among others.
- It's strange that people don't want to cooperate with us, after all, we agree on most issues, says Per Gustafsson (SD).
Per-Martin Svensson (M) believes that the reason why it has become so in Tomelilla is that people do not trust that SD will be able to fill their seats.
- We already have defections from SD.
By the next council, they won't even be able to fill their replacement positions in full, he says.