Could Petter Stordalen Become Sweden's Prime Minister?

Expressen reports daily on the hustle, the people, and the blunders from Almedalen Week 2025. Victor Malm reports from the fourth day in Visby.

VISBY. Once, he was Ulf Kristersson's state secretary.

Then came the eel, the police, and the media frenzy, and PM Nilsson became the CEO of Timbro, a right-wing think tank that has taken on a dance band form in Almedalen. A real dance band, that is. They call themselves Timbroz. Singers? Lisa Dos Santos and Andreas Johansson Heinö.

On Thursday evening, they held a concert and party, and PM Nilsson looked happier than ever. Everyone was there to dance with the new dance band right.

Björn Ranelid, Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer, hyped S-top Lawen Redar, S-press chief Odd Guteland, Minister of Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall, the traitor Sara Skyttedal, and many others from the social stratum sometimes called the clique.

Presumably, there was some political point to it all.

Something about freedom.

Kitsch so necessary that it attracts beyond political considerations.

Hours earlier, Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson stood in as a speaker in Almedalen and seemed, like the rest of the Moderates, unsure of what story her party should tell. The Tidö government is delivering on its promises. Laws are being enacted, and reforms are being implemented, the train is running as it should. But at the same time, Svantesson made it sound like Sweden is currently hell on earth.

The reforms aren't helping.

The country is in free fall.

Timbroz and PM Nilsson are the cheerful face of this complaining right, an attempt to dance out of the apocalyptic depression and start dreaming of a happier time.

Doomed to fail.

Sweden's dance floors are empty. Young liberals dancing to four beats in a courtyard in Visby is the same kind of nostalgia as when Magdalena Andersson wants to make Sweden Sweden again.

The last sweet years.

Petter Stordalen could probably become prime minister if he wanted to.

Earlier that day on Expressen's stage, he described Sweden as the happiest, best, and most well-functioning country in the world. The audience was spellbound. Optimism and faith in the future, a glass of cold water after a glass and a half of wine.

In a passionate speech at his expensive power mingle in the Visby evening, Stordalen claimed he has higher trust ratings than Ulf Kristersson.

Then he fled his guests to show up at the trendy restaurant Supper.

Victor Malm is the culture editor at Expressen.