Citizens' Coalition

Citizens’ Coalition (Swedish: Medborgerlig Samling, (MED) earlier: Borgerlig Framtid) is a right-wing[2][3] political party in Sweden that was founded in 2014. The party considers itself liberal-conservative and green conservative[4][5] but has been described by some as far-right.[6][7]

Citizens’ Coalition

Medborgerlig Samling
AbbreviationMED
Party chairmanIlan Sadé
Founded2014 (2014)
Membership (2017)1,000[1]
IdeologyGreen conservatism
Liberal conservatism
Soft Euroscepticism
Right wing populism
Political positionRight-wing
ColoursBlue, Green
Riksdag
0 / 349
European Parliament
0 / 20
County councils
0 / 1,597
Municipal councils
4 / 12,780
Website
www.medborgerligsamling.se

Citizens’ Coalition received 0,20 % of the vote in the 2018 general election, making it the third largest party with no seats in the Riksdag, behind Feminist Initiative and Alternative for Sweden.[8] The party received 0.15% of the votes in the EU parliament election 2019.[9]

As of the 2018 municipal elections, the party holds four seats in municipal assemblies; Höör,[10] Laholm[11] and Torsås.[12][13]

History

The party was founded in 2014, initially as “Borgerlig Framtid” (“Bourgeois Future”) by the cook and nutrition consultant Patrik Evaeus, accountant Tomas Evaeus and journalist Anders Königsson.[14] The party name was later changed to “Medborgerlig Samling” (“Citizens’ Coalition”), abbreviated as MED, at an extra general meeting during the fall of 2016. The name change was prompted by a falling out between Königsson, then party leader, and the party's board, leading to Königsson leaving the party to set up a new party, re-using the party name “Borgerlig Framtid”.[15][16][17] At the same general meeting Ilan Sadé was elected new chairman and party leader.

The party name “Medborgerlig Samling” was first registered with the Swedish Election Authority,[18] in 2017.

Ideology and political positions

Citizens’ Coalition declares itself to be a liberal-conservative political party and favors a liberal economic policy as well as a conservative view of society and culture.[19]

The party policy includes a liberal financial policy, a strengthened emphasis on the individual's own responsibilities, as well as rights, and it has a conservative view on society and culture. The party promotes stronger national defense, including seeking NATO membership, added resources to the police and justice system and expanded individual rights to self defence; including a stand your ground law.[20] The party also wants to manage Sweden's Nordic model welfare system by greatly reducing asylum and refugee immigration, abolishing state taxes on income and raising the standard tax deduction to SEK 100 000 per year.[21][22][23]

In the election to the EU parliament 2019 the party pushed their vision of a drastically smaller EU limited to trade, environmental regulation and security.[24] Since 2018 the party has repeatedly highlighted the need for focus on the core services of the government, and pushing for a drastically smaller government and democratic renewal – in particular removing party subsidies and increased personal responsibility for politicians and government employees.

Controversies

Stockholm Pride ban

MED was banned from participating in the Stockholm Pride festival in 2018, with festival officials citing several reasons, among then a perceived "obvious difference" in the festival's and the party's views on transgender people. Officials pointed to hateful messages festival's social media pages, the party's lack of specific HBTQ politics and an article written by Sadé they say is evidence of transphobic politics.[25] Sadé, who is openly homosexual, denies the allegations made by Pride and stated that the exclusion was rather because Pride had been hijacked by the far left's identity politics.[26]

References
  1. "Medborgerlig Samling har passerat 1 000 medlemmar" (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  2. Madon, Sakine (2018-04-24). "Sakine Madon: Medborgerlig samling för maktkritiska högerväljare". vlt.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  3. Beglund, Anton; Ingströmer, Karin (2017-01-20). "Lämnar M – startar nytt parti i Laholm". Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  4. "Om oss - vår ideologiska hemvist". www.medborgerligsamling.se/ (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  5. http://www.skogsaktuellt.se/artikel/55310/skogsagare-blir-styvmoderligt-behandlade.html
  6. "Trångt på yttersta högerkanten när Medborgerlig samling vill in". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  7. Stigsson, Hans (13 September 2018). "Brutal demokrati". Norrköpings Tidningar. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  8. "Röster - Val 2018". data.val.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  9. "Röster Val 2019". Valmyndigheten. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  10. "Valresultat för Kommunvalet: Höör". valresultat.svt.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  11. "Valresultat för Kommunvalet: Laholm". valresultat.svt.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  12. "Medborgerlig Samling har tagit mandat i tre kommuner - Medborgerlig Samling". Medborgerlig Samling (in Swedish). 2018-09-12. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  13. "Valresultat för Kommunvalet: Torsås". valresultat.svt.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  14. "De startar konkurrent till Moderaterna | Dagens Opinion". www.DagensOpinion.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  15. "Sveriges nya parti: Medborgerlig Samling". Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  16. "Palatskupp inom Borgerlig Framtid". Lars Wilderäng. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  17. "BORGERLIG FRAMTID - Företagsinformation - Ratsit.se". www.ratsit.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  18. "Registrerade partibeteckningar". www.val.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  19. "Medborgerlig Samling". Medborgerlig Samling (in Swedish). Retrieved 2017-07-15.
  20. "DEBATT. Hur ska landsbygdsbor kunna skydda sig?". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  21. "Medborgerlig Samlings Näringslivspolitiska program". 9 July 2017.
  22. "Vår politik - www.medborgerligsamling.se".
  23. Klinga, Roland (18 September 2017). "Nya partier siktar på Riksdagen". Corren. Archived from the original on 10 March 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  24. "Valmanifest EU-val 2019" (PDF). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  25. "Medborgerlig Samling får inte delta i Stockholm Pride". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). 2018-07-12. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  26. "Varför portas Medborgerlig Samling från Pride" (in Swedish).
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