Top aide of equality minister resigns over drunken groping incident at embassy reception

Stefan Wallin

Stefan Johansson

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Stefan Johansson, the political Secretary of State at the Ministry of Equality, Culture, and Sport, resigned on Thursday following an incident in which he had fondled women at a reception at the Swedish Embassy after drinking excessively.
      The ministry said on Thursday that Johansson has apologised for his behaviour and that he also wanted to issue a public apology to those who had felt that they had been treated in an improper manner.
     
“I deeply regret that my lapse of judgement, resulting from intoxication and fatigue, led to behaviour that I myself do not find acceptable. I am sorry about what has happened, and I have received an important lesson for the rest of my life”, Johansson said in a written statement.
      Minister Stefan Wallin (Swedish People’s Party) said on Thursday that immediate resignation was Johansson’s only option. Wallin noted that Johansson’s own statement “says much”.
      “This is an unfortunate incident. I said already in connection with the harassment case in Parliament that there is only one policy in cases such as these, and it is zero tolerance.”
      During his interview with Helsingin Sanomat, Wallin looked exceptionally grim as he denounced Johansson’s behaviour.
      “I naturally feel sorry for him, but naturally there was no alternative except immediate resignation.”
      The matter was taken up at the executive committee of the Swedish People’s Party. Wallin says that the committee did not need to make any decisions, as Johansson had already drawn his own conclusions.
      Wallin says that he has not yet considered a replacement for Johansson, because “the situation came down so unexpectedly”.
     
The incident came out into the public eye when Solveig Arle, editor-in-chief of the Swedish language weekly Ny Tid, wrote about it in her publication. She said that the events at the reception were more serious than just some minor squeezing.
      Johansson had said as he left the ministry that he did not want to comment on the matter, and he just left. A Wallin aide said that he appeared quite distraught.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Parliament taking steps to stamp out harassment (25.4.2008)
  HS reprimanded by media ethics watchdog over sexual harassment story (20.3.2008)
  Sexist wannabe alpha-male, MP (27.1.2008)
  Study finds extensive sexual harassment in Parliament (25.1.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat