Kristina and Niklas lead the municipality across borders

Both Kristina Edlund (S) and Niklas Borg (M) have many years of experience in local politics. Kristina has been a full-time politician since 2010 and was entrusted with the role of chair of the municipal executive committee from 2014 to 2018. Niklas Borg, who has been a member of the municipal executive committee since 2007, then took over the role between 2018 and 2022. After the last election, in the fall of 2022, they are now working to govern Linköping municipality together, with Kristina in the role of chair and Niklas vice chair.

“We needed a special game plan in Linköping after we had a local party receive almost ten percent of the votes. Without any of the blocs receiving a majority, we had to find a new constellation to lead the municipality, so members of the Social Democrats and the Moderates took responsibility together”, Kristina says.

“It may seem a bit odd to lead this way, across borders, with the party that has been our strongest competitor over the years. But when we sat down and talked, we quickly came to the conclusion that this is the best solution for Linköping”, Niklas continues.

How did the voters/public react?

“Among the average Linköping resident, I would say that our collaboration has been received very well and far beyond expectations. There have been many who pat us on the back and say things like ‘it's great that you are taking responsibility for Linköping’”, says Niklas.

“Yes, wherever you go, people come forward and express their appreciation. And of course that feels very good. The more Niklas and I have gotten to know each other, the more comfortable we are, and the way we complement each other is very positive”, emphasizes Kristina.

What are the biggest strengths in your collaboration?

“It is a very big responsibility, and it is not easy being the chair of the municipal executive committee in such a large city, in Sweden's fifth largest municipality. But two heads are better than one, and this gives us the opportunity to split up the work. Together, we put the most energy into finance and security issues, while Niklas focuses a little more on business issues and corporate governance, and I focus on segregation and environmental issues”, Kristina explains.

“In terms of cooperation, there is a long tradition in Linköping, including between the public sector, academia and business community. It is what we often refer to as the Linköping spirit and something we should be proud of. For example, we have seen a boost in everything that has been developed at Linköping Science Park and the tech sector, which has grown tremendously in recent years. The same applies to safety-enhancing technology, where expertise from both the university and the business community has contributed to making Linköping a safer place”, says Niklas.

So much is happening in Linköping right now, especially considering Ostlänken and Framtidens Stadskärna project. What is your dream scenario of what the city will look like in 15 to 20 years?

“Even though we are in an economic downturn with major financial challenges, I am convinced that the municipality will continue to show strong growth. There are homes and jobs here. But we need to continue to put a lot of effort into creating the right conditions. In 15 to 20 years, I hope that the infrastructure has been developed to the point that we offer better and faster commuting options by train. And it is important that we continue to develop our airport, which offers our residents a quick and easy option to get out into the world. The good aviation communications also means that it is easy to receive visitors from other countries and that strengthens the business sector”, says Kristina.

“We want to strengthen our position as one of the country's largest cities, and the central district will grow significantly, including across the river and at Stångebro. According to surveys, we are the city in the country that is most often associated with the phrase ‘city of the future’, and there is, of course, a good reason for that, considering all of the ground-breaking innovations that have been born here and continue to be developed here. It is something we need to safeguard and continue to develop, together with our strong business sector”, says Niklas Borg.