Lobbying is taboo in Sweden

Lobbyists: they’re active in politics, marketing and media. Yet Swedes don’t like the concept at all. Radio Sweden's Azariah Kiros met a lobbyist, and examines what lies behind the public's mistrust of the profession.

"My name is Cecilia Wassaether. I am the head of a public relations company called "greatness"”

I met lobbyist Cecilia Wassaether at a big political event. This was the annual Almedalen week when the who and who of the Swedish political and business worlds descend on the Swedish Baltic island of Gotland for the annual encounter. And Cecilia Wassaether would of course not miss such an event. This is a golden opportunity for her clients.

"We help them prepare for this very big event. It’s a huge event and they need help to meet the right people and to focus on the right things. But of course we don't only work with politics - we work with relations in general. Because that is what it is all about people and relations."

But how easy is it to do lobbying in a country where the profession is regarded by many people as, well, if not dishonourable at least not enviable one. Cecilia Wassaether says she is proud of her work and the result she achieves for her clients but at the same time she is also aware of the prejudices people have about her work.

"In Sweden it is the word "lobbyist" that you don't like, because everybody knows that you have to to speak to the public and create relations. That's the job. So to go public with the information that you charge for meetings - like we do - is not accepted. How do people react when you tell them you are a lobbyist? It depends. If you talk to a person face to face - the reaction is very good. If you are journalists however - I think their commonly held opinion is that its not OK... Everyone does it - everyone is lobbying in one way or another - and everyone is dependent on each other. I think it is simply the word "lobbyist" it’s just not accepted in Sweden. We seldom use the word "lobbyist" ourselves - we say "public relations"."

Call it public relations or lobbying Swedes still remain sceptical about the salesperson who tries to interest them in an idea, a product or a service. But lobbying is an accepted phenomenon in Western countries. Why has Sweden proved to be a maverick? "I admit for a very long time in my life I didn't know the word. Or the concept whatsoever."

Professor Emeritus Ake Daun is an ethnologist and regarded as one of the leading authorities on Swedish culture. "the negative slant - if that is the term is that we don't really look at it as democratic. Sort of as an intimate way of persuading others. I think many Swedes would think of a lobbyist as a person who makes personal contact with politicians or whatever. Its not really consistent with the idea of democracy with equal possibilities in the decision process."

If lobbying is an art of salesmanship would the lobbyist then work for two opposing groups simply to earn money?

"Yes- we have actually right now. We are working with two political opponents. But its not a difficulty for us. We help them to promote their special issues but we don't take a particular stand. Our job is to make the contact and help our contacts build good relations, so its not a problem for us."

So what is the future of lobbying in Sweden like? Prof. Emeritus Ake Daun says lobbying is here to stay. And politicians are already making good use of it and will continue to do so.

"I would guess that Swedish politicians realise more and more over time that the use of lobbyists is necessary. Because you have to use all means that are available. You can't simply say no."

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