Sources: Pourmokhtari has declined to become L-leader

The favorite tipped Romina Pourmokhtari, 29, has declined to become the new Liberal Party leader. Sources tell Expressen.

With two weeks left until the election, the election committee is having major problems getting candidates to stand.

A persuasion campaign has been launched to get Pourmokhtari to change her mind. Latest news clips from Expressen.

The Liberals’ election committee has had a busy few weeks since Johan Pehrson announced his resignation. Among the top candidates to succeed Pehrson, three names have been mentioned: Romina Pourmokhtari, Lotta Edholm and Erik Ullenhag.

Most districts have nominated Pourmokhtari as their candidate, and she is considered the most suitable.

But she herself has declined. This is according to sources with insight into the work of the nomination committee to Expressen.

Persuasion campaign underway

The reason is that she thinks it’s too early to step into the role.

But the question is, is it possible to convince her?

In an interview with Expressen, Pourmokhtari said that she cannot imagine sitting in government with SD after the next election.

– Then I’m not included. Then I have to support the Liberals in other ways, she said.

This can be interpreted as a condition for a possible “yes” to the nomination committee after all.

The persuasion campaign is ongoing.

– There are many who hope that the persuasion will succeed.

Ullenhag and Edholm decline

Two other top candidates who have declined to run, according to Expressen’s information, are Erik Ullenhag, 52, and Lotta Edholm, 60.

Ullenhag, Consul General in New York, and former Minister of Integration under the Reinfeldt government, is said to have declined because he does not want to uproot his family from New York and move back home to Sweden.

Neither does Education Minister Lotta Edholm, a favorite for the Stockholm district, intend to run, according to reports. Here, it is previous experience of being married to a party leader for the Liberals that is said to come into play. Edholm, married to Lars Leijonborg from 1992-2004, knows from the inside what the party leadership position requires.

The only person actively seeking the party leadership at the moment is Minister of Labor and Integration Mats Persson.

– But he is probably the only one who votes for himself. He has weak support within the party, a source says.

New Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson, 48, who quickly succeeded Paulina Brandberg, is also said to be interested. But she is considered too unknown and low-profile to be considered.

The election committee is expected to submit its proposal on Tuesday. On June 24, the Liberals will hold an extraordinary national meeting to elect a new party leader.

Expressen has contacted Romina Pourmokhtari, who declines to comment.