The issue of politicians' expenses in Sölvesborg has been protracted and infected, since it emerged that the Moderates left the coalition after the election and took power together with the Social Democrats.

In the new board, it was decided to pay the M leader Kith Mårtensson full-time, something that aroused strong feelings.

Now the Sweden Democrats, led by Louise Erixon, want to have a referendum in the municipality on whether the fee should be reduced back to 20 percent.

- There are many municipal residents who have shown and still show a strong dissatisfaction with the decision about more full-time paid politicians and it is impossible to get away from the fact that it is precisely the residents who are forced to pay for the party, says Louise Erixon (SD), in a press release.

Collecting signatures

The party has submitted a so-called people's initiative to the municipality, with the goal of collecting ten percent of the signatures of those entitled to vote in six months.

In this way, they would then force the municipal council to hold a referendum on the matter.

- If we succeed with the initiative but the board still, despite what we believe to be a positive result in a referendum, does not choose to listen, it will be extremely obvious who is working for the people's interests and not in Sölvesborg municipality.

I am nowhere near doubtful about how such a referendum would turn out, says Louise Erixon.

Has been debated

Kith Mårtensson (M) still believes that the salary increase is justified and widely agreed upon, and questions Louise Erixon's actions.

- Indirectly, this is a referendum against me and my influence in politics in Sölvesborg.

But when we in the new board discussed how badly it can work when there are two different parties that must govern on equal terms, we drew up another model for Sölvesborg.

"Ultimately for the sake of the citizens of Sölves, so that they get the most elaborate decisions possible that everyone can feel comfortable with," says Kith Mårtensson.

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Louise Erixon (SD) is critical of the fact that the new board in Sölvesborg wants to see both Birgit Birgersson Brorsson (S) and Kith Mårtensson (M) as full-time paid municipal councillors.

Hear more in the clip above.

Photo: SVT/Erik Lundmark