‘Establish state brothels’: Christian Democrat

Sofie Jakobsson of Borgholm on the west coast of the island of Öland announced on Thursday that she supported the introduction of municipal or state-controlled brothels in Sweden, naming it one of the top three political issues that are most important to her on her website.

Jakobsson is the second delegate on the Christian Democrats’ ballot for the municipal council election in Borgholm. Jakobsson backs the proposal as a measure to combat human trafficking, but party colleagues reacted strongly against the proposal, saying it is contrary to the party line.

“The Christian Democrats are the party that most clearly out of all parties has stressed the importance of the law [against] buying sex and that it should be forbidden to buy sex in Sweden and other countries,” said Maria Fälth, chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Women’s Association.

“That Sofie Jakobsson says she wants to legalise brothel activity is something that conflicts with the party line as well as the Christian Democrats’ core values and vision of humanity. Her statement is highly inappropriate,” she added.

Jakobsson, who is a horse trader and restauranteur, emphasised that it is her personal opinion. She is also in favour of lowering the legal age for purchases from state retail alcohol monopoly Systembolaget to 18 from 20 and calls Margaret Thatcher her political role model.

“What she said in the survey is in no way sanctioned by us,” Mikael Almqvist, the top Christian Democrat delegate on the ballot, told local newspaper Ölandsbladet on Thursday. “This is the private person Sofie Jakobsson who spoke on behalf of herself and not the party.

Arne Sjögren, the third delegate on the Christian Democrat ballot, also rejected her statement.

“This did not seem well thought out at all,” he told Ölandsbladet on Thursday. “I think she regrets it.”

Attempts by The Local to reach Jakobsson were unsuccessful.