Prime Minister's wife's priest job raises questions about Church of Sweden's hiring practices

Birgitta Ed, the wife of Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, secured a position as a priest in Strängnäs parish without the job ever being advertised, a situation that has drawn significant scrutiny. Ed described the role as a "dream" in her application, despite not initially meeting the qualifications.

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It must be a limit to when a private person becomes a national news story solely because she is married to a prime minister.

The hiring process was managed by Dean Christofer Lundgren, who shares board memberships with Ed at Europaskolan, a school. Also on the Europaskolan board is lobbyist Göran Thorstenson, a co-founder of Ed's Fållöknastiftelsen (Fållöknastiftelsen Foundation). Bishop Johan Dalman, who previously served on a Europaskolan board with Ed, approved her qualifications for the priest position and is also active in the Fållöknastiftelsen.

Political figures, including Moderate Party Secretary Karin Enström and Minister Anna Tenje, have defended Ed, suggesting she is being unfairly targeted due to her marriage to the prime minister. Enström criticized the media's focus on Ed, while Tenje labeled the situation a "witch hunt." The article notes that Ed has used the official residence, Sagerska palatset, for meetings related to her foundation and planned a Europaskolan event there. The foundation has also used its volunteer recruitment to offer networking opportunities, implicitly including the prime minister, who has participated in volunteer work.

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witch hunt

However, the article argues that the core issue lies with the Church of Sweden itself. The mere suspicion that the prime minister's wife received preferential treatment for a prominent church position is damaging to public trust, according to priest and ethics docent Elisabeth Gerle. While the Church of Sweden is not a government agency and thus not bound by public job advertising requirements, it maintains a close formal relationship with the state, stemming from a historical separation that the article describes as "half-hearted."

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The mere suspicion that the prime minister's wife would have received a cream-puff path to a fine position in a cathedral parish is bad. Confidence in the church can be damaged.