Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's government on Wednesday was rocked by two ministerial scandals five days after formally taking office, both centered on female ministers and their nannies. Swedish newspapers revealed the new culture minister, Cecilia Stegoe Chilo, whose brief also covers sports and the media, failed to declare wages she paid to nannies, while foreign trade minister and mother-of-four, Maria Borelius, paid her nannies cash throughout the 1990's. Borelius explained the cash-in-hand payments were due to her not being able to afford the going rate for the care of her children.
In addition, "Sweden's minister for culture ...
has failed to pay her TV license for most of her adult life," according to Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter. The minister owed "at least" 15,000 Swedish kronor (1,620 euros; $2,030) dating back to 1990, according to Radiotjaenst, the authority responsible for collecting payments. "However regrettable this is it is not a unique case," Reinfeldt said according to Swedish news agency TT.
Reinfeldt said he was "very disappointed," TT reported and looked upon the affair as "extremely serious." He was however "ready to give her a second chance." In common with Borelius and Chilo, Reinfeldt has no previous experience in government.
He led his four-party Alliance for Sweden to victory in general elections on Sept. 17, edging out the Social Democrats and their allies, the Left and the Greens.
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