1. What are the core values your party represents?
Centerpartiet’s core values are equality, tolerance, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, openness, embracing multiculturalism and respecting and guarding freedoms of individuals of the society.
2. Where would you place your party in the Left-Right political spectrum?
We would place ourselves in the centre – hence, our name. Historically, we’ve been leaning somewhat to the left, but during the last 20 years, we’ve moved slightly to leaning more to the right.
3. Which are the parties you feel closest to in the European Parliament?
In the EP, we are part of the ALDE group, hence parties
such as D66, VVD, FDP etc are close to us. We also have ties to LREM and Ciudadanos (Spain).
4. Why should people vote for your party?
The election this fall mainly revolves around values. Some parties would prefer to have Sweden shut off from the rest of the world and spread hatred and racism,
whereas we argue that Sweden needs to be an open-minded country, embracing globalisation as well as seeing our differences as something positive, not negative (ergo, respecting LGBT rights, minorities, helping asylum seekers etc).
5. What are the general priorities your party aims at achieving throughout Sweden?
1. To prevent the cleavage that is taking place in Sweden as we speak – between urban and countryside areas, between those who have a job and those who do not (through major reforms of the labor market) as well as fixing the issues with the queues to the public healthcare through major reforms, bringing it closer to citizens.
6. Why should people vote for your party on a Local level?
Because we ensure that Uppsala remains a safe city, with more local guards patroling the city and more cameras put up, as well as not wanting to build a tram railway (which would put the municipality in huge debt), but also to expand the construction of housing on the countryside, since one of our fundamental policies of the party is that you should be able to live wherever you want in the entire country.
7. If elected, what will you do for Uppsala? And for Uppland?
See above. We also want to expand public transport in the entire region so that one can live wherever one prefers in the region, as well as reducing carbon dioxide emissions by creating incentives not to drive cars and instead taking the bus.
8. Do you have any links to further material on your party in English?
You can find information in several languages on our website: https://www.centerpartiet.se/val-2018/other-languages
9. Any other closing comments or remarks?
We really do appreciate that you are taking your time to understand Swedish politics. I myself have been an international student and always loved to discuss politics with international students. If you are ever interested in joining or discussing politics, don’t hesitate to contact us!
To read more about the Swedish 2018 Vote go to the homepage of the section.
Photos: Dante Löfstrand ©