Anna Dahlberg, political editor (Head of the Editorial board in Expressen newspaper), yesterday at her chronicle in Expressen:
Congratulations, the King - and long live the monarchy!
The Royal House makes great efforts to protect Swedish interests abroad and functions as a unifying symbol at home. Expressen's editorial board hereby abandons the demand that the monarchy should be abolished.
King Carl XVI Gustaf turns 75 years old. For more than 47 years he has been Sweden's head of state - longer than any previous regent. When he took over the throne after the death of his grandfather on September 15, 1973, he was only 27 years old.
Most of the others had probably wanted to step down and retire after such a long working life. But not the King or for that matter Queen Silvia. They continue to work on behalf of Sweden week in and week out.
The King inaugurates exhibitions, gives speeches, receives visits, visits Swedish soldiers abroad and so on. From my contacts at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, a consistent picture is given: The King, Queen and the Crown Princess couple are toiling hard. The programs during their trips abroad are full from morning to evening. They are decent people, who are in Sweden's service without grumbling.
With their help, doors are opened that would otherwise have remained closed, including for Swedish export companies, but also for civil servants and ministers. They sell, so to speak, both Swedish goods and values. The Royal House strengthens Sweden's brand enormously in the world, my diplomatic contacts attest. "The royal family is one of Sweden's absolute foremost assets alongside the Nobel Prize, the Vasa ship, meatballs, Karolinska Institutet and ESS in Lund", sums up a veteran.
But for this effort, the royal family rarely receives any recognition. (...)
The king has, of course, allowed his children to marry out of love, not duty, and himself nurtured a long-term commitment to the environment. Crown Princess Victoria gave an inaugural speech during the latest Pride festival, and touched many deeply by addressing everyone in Sweden who doesn't dare to stand up for their love openly: "I stand behind you". Her personal involvement in the issue means at least as much as many political initiatives.
The royal family tiptoes cautiously as it should in the public eye, but no one can seriously claim that it is a conservative force that stands in the way of progressive ideals. Rather, the royal family seems to want to contribute to make Sweden a little kinder. Princess Sofia stepped in as a care assistant during the pandemic and Prince Daniel is involved in issues as children's movement and organ donation, for example. (...)
If you seriously want to introduce a republic in Sweden - and prevent Victoria from one day becoming the Queen of Sweden - you must at some point try to strike in the matter and be precise. Should we follow the German model or the Finnish one? What exactly should the alternative to the monarchy look like and what mandate should the Swedish president have?
Expressen's editorial board no longer intends to pretend that we want to abolish the monarchy.
So congratulations, the King, on your 75th birthday! And thank you for that you and the rest of the royal family work so hard for Sweden.
Grattis, kungen – och leve monarkin!
Translation
The swedish media about Anna Dahlberg's chronicle
Expressen abandons demands for the abolition of the monarchy
Expressen överger krav på monarkins avskaffande - Sydsvenskan
Expressen's editorial board changes side on the issue of the monarchy
Expressens ledarsida byter sida i frågan om monarkin
Victoria's hard work makes an impression. Now the former critic is making a complete U-turn.
Respected editorial writer Anna Dahlberg reveals in a text in Expressen the newspaper's new official attitude to the royal family, and it is positive. Dahlberg writes that most actors who have traditionally been against the royal family and on paper are for a transition to a republic now in practice "have put all those demands on the shelf". "But it is high time to stop pretending. Sweden's modern form of monarchy has served us well and there is no reason to replace it in the foreseeable future".
She highlights Victoria as a representative of the modern royal house, which during the fifty years since the constitutional change that removed all the king's political power has adapted, survived and become one of the country's most important symbols.
Expressen's reversal in the matter is the first of its kind in a very long time, it remains to be seen if anyone will follow suit.
Oväntade vändningen – ändrar sig helt om Victoria _*Svensk Dam
PM Nilsson, political editor of Dagens Industri, about Anna Dahlberg's chronicle at his Twitter
"Totally agree @_annadahlberg about this. "When weighed together, however, the arguments for maintaining the Swedish monarchy weigh more heavily. And then it's time to admit it and follow suit".
Political editor of Dagens Industri