Record number leave Riksdag
The Riksdag, Sweden's parliament, started its summer break on Friday, which will take it right up to the general election on September 17th. The break marks the end of the parliamentary careers of 96 members who are not standing for re-election - a record number to stand down.
Those leaving parliament voluntarily include 23-year old Gustav Fridolin, a representative of the Green Party and the youngest member of the current parliament. He declared that he was not too sad to be leaving.
"It is great to know that in one year another Green Party member will be sitting in this seat who will continue to fight for the issues I believe in," he said.
"There will be times when I will miss the work, but I don't believe you become a good politician by locking yourself in on Helgeandsholmen [the island on which the Riksdag is located], he told news agency TT.
Fridolin said he was satisfied with his achievements while in parliament.
"It is nice that I can be satisfied with being a part of a party effort that has led to the sabbatical year, the congestion charge, the green tax policies and more humane refugee policies," he said.
The Riksdag is also losing its longest-serving member.
Social Democrat Lennart Nilsson, from Uddevalla, has sat on the Justice Committee and been vice chairman of the Housing Committee. During his thirty years in parliament he has sat with 1,295 fellow deputies, and six prime ministers have been in office.
Nilsson said it felt "quite sad" to be leaving, but that it was also "nice in a way."
"I am prepared. Now I'm going to fish and do carpentry."
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Those leaving parliament voluntarily include 23-year old Gustav Fridolin, a representative of the Green Party and the youngest member of the current parliament. He declared that he was not too sad to be leaving.
"It is great to know that in one year another Green Party member will be sitting in this seat who will continue to fight for the issues I believe in," he said.
"There will be times when I will miss the work, but I don't believe you become a good politician by locking yourself in on Helgeandsholmen [the island on which the Riksdag is located], he told news agency TT.
Fridolin said he was satisfied with his achievements while in parliament.
"It is nice that I can be satisfied with being a part of a party effort that has led to the sabbatical year, the congestion charge, the green tax policies and more humane refugee policies," he said.
The Riksdag is also losing its longest-serving member.
Social Democrat Lennart Nilsson, from Uddevalla, has sat on the Justice Committee and been vice chairman of the Housing Committee. During his thirty years in parliament he has sat with 1,295 fellow deputies, and six prime ministers have been in office.
Nilsson said it felt "quite sad" to be leaving, but that it was also "nice in a way."
"I am prepared. Now I'm going to fish and do carpentry."
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