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The importance of being honest

The last few weeks I’ve had reason to think a lot about the importance of being honest; to be honest to yourself, to your values and to the people around you. For me it is really important to wake up every morning and be able to look at myself in the mirror and say: “I shall face this day with the true intent to treat my fellow beings as I want them to treat me”. The day I look at myself and find that I have betrayed my ideals and have become a person who fights for himself all the time, I must take the consequences and change my life. To fight for a position or power should never be so important that ideals and values are betrayed.

How then shall I live up to my intent? This is the most important question for me and many of my fellow politicians. Most politicians are true idealists who have a real intention to make their visions come true. We have a common goal, the best for our society and the best for the inhabitants of Arjeplog. We must keep this in mind all the time, since the task we are given by the voters in the election is to co-operate in order to improve our future.

As you have seen in the papers there are several persons competing for the highest political position in Arjeplog in the forthcoming election. The party I represent will choose its candidate on Monday and the other parties will also soon choose their candidates. The final decision will be given by the results of the election in September. It is really good for the society that persons from different parties compete against each other. This gives the voters a chance to choose a leader that will represent them.

My sincere wish is that the election campaign in Arjeplog will be characterized by honesty, respect and a true willingness to discuss facts and ideology. The election campaign on a national level has not started in a very positive way, and if I were part of what’s happening in that campaign, from both the left and the right wing parties, I would have had reason to question my own integrity.

I am glad that the political climate in Arjeplog has changed during the past few years so we can co-operate more and together find the best ways for Arjeplog to develop. My hope is that, irrespective of who wins the election, there will be a willingness to continue and deepen the co-operation between all parties in Arjeplog. We have far too much to lose on political shattering and disruption and we must take all suggestions from the different political parties seriously.

I have an urgent request to all politicians in Arjeplog. Be honest to your values and your ideals! Give straight answers to the inhabitants of Arjeplog and give them a clear vision of what you want to accomplish. Respect yourself and respect your fellow competitors. Then you can wake up the day after the election and state: “I can face this day and be proud that I have treated my fellow beings as I want them to treat me.” Then you have honoured your ideals and earned respect. Let this be a guideline for all of us!

Bengt-Urban Fransson, 

Mayor of Arjeplog