Riksdag approves tighter checks on Royal Court finances
Against the wish of the four parties of the centre-right Alliance government, the Riksdag decided on Wednesday to review agreements made with the Royal Court from 1996 and 2005.
The review will allow the Riksdag to have more insight into how the Royal Court spends the money it receives from state coffers.
Afterwards, Andreas Norlén, MP for the Moderates, criticized the Social Democrats for recently changing their position on the matter, arguing the about face stemmed from the hullabaloo around the scandal book "Carl XVI Gustaf - den motvillige monarken" ("Carl XVI Gustaf - the reluctant monarch"), which was published last November.
The controversial book detailed the King's alleged visits to porn clubs, claims of an affair, as well as alleged connections to the criminal underworld.
According to Norlén the book might not have had anything to do with the Royal Court’s finances but its claims initiated an attack on the King from the media and made it acceptable to assail him in any way possible, Norlén said to news agency TT.
“Anyone who wanted a space in the limelight and to weaken the monarchy had a golden opportunity. The Social Democrats of the executive committee made good use of that,” he said.
However, Social Democrat Sven-Erik Österberg repudiated claims that his party was reacting to the book or the debate in the press.
As a more open society is inherent in contemporary society, the party thought the time was right, said Österberg.
“If I represented the Royal Court I wouldn’t be most frightened of the Social Democrats but of the circle of friends that the King has been involved with, “ he said.
While the vote allows for more control over how state money is spent by the Royal Court, the Riksdag will still not be privy to any information regarding the King’s personal accounts or expenditures.
The measure calling for a review of the current agreements passed by a slim margin, 146 for to 144 against.
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The review will allow the Riksdag to have more insight into how the Royal Court spends the money it receives from state coffers.
Afterwards, Andreas Norlén, MP for the Moderates, criticized the Social Democrats for recently changing their position on the matter, arguing the about face stemmed from the hullabaloo around the scandal book "Carl XVI Gustaf - den motvillige monarken" ("Carl XVI Gustaf - the reluctant monarch"), which was published last November.
The controversial book detailed the King's alleged visits to porn clubs, claims of an affair, as well as alleged connections to the criminal underworld.
According to Norlén the book might not have had anything to do with the Royal Court’s finances but its claims initiated an attack on the King from the media and made it acceptable to assail him in any way possible, Norlén said to news agency TT.
“Anyone who wanted a space in the limelight and to weaken the monarchy had a golden opportunity. The Social Democrats of the executive committee made good use of that,” he said.
However, Social Democrat Sven-Erik Österberg repudiated claims that his party was reacting to the book or the debate in the press.
As a more open society is inherent in contemporary society, the party thought the time was right, said Österberg.
“If I represented the Royal Court I wouldn’t be most frightened of the Social Democrats but of the circle of friends that the King has been involved with, “ he said.
While the vote allows for more control over how state money is spent by the Royal Court, the Riksdag will still not be privy to any information regarding the King’s personal accounts or expenditures.
The measure calling for a review of the current agreements passed by a slim margin, 146 for to 144 against.
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