A dispute over seating arrangements overshadowed a recent appearance by the leader of Sweden’s Liberal Party, Simona Mohamsson, on the political talk show Agenda. The incident highlights growing internal divisions within the party as it navigates a recent policy shift.
Mohamsson appeared on the program March 15, 2026, to discuss the party’s change in stance regarding the Sweden Democrats. She was joined by two prominent critics within the Liberal Party: Malin Sjöberg Högrell, regional councilor in Uppsala and chair of the Liberal Women, and Cecilia Rönn, the party’s economic-political spokesperson.
During the broadcast, the program’s host, Tomas Nordenskiöld, noted that Mohamsson and her critics had chosen not to sit at the same table. “We shall shortly hear two of your internal critics in the party. You have not wanted to sit at the same table,” Nordenskiöld said, according to reports.
However, accounts of the situation differ. Sources told Aftonbladet that Mohamsson was the one who declined to share a table with her colleagues. One source suggested that neither side wanted to sit together. Alexandra Örenmark, Mohamsson’s press secretary, dismissed the reports as inaccurate, stating, “I experience that it was spin from SVT’s side that does not correspond to reality.”
Cecilia Rönn also refuted the claim that she had requested separate seating. “It is important to see the difference between substance and person. I hugged Simona before the program,” she told Aftonbladet after the show. Reports also indicated that Mohamsson sought to depart the studio as quickly as possible following her interview.
The internal friction comes as the Liberal Party grapples with its evolving relationship with the Sweden Democrats, a right-wing populist party. The seating dispute underscores the challenges Mohamsson faces in uniting her party behind the new direction.
