Swedish Christian Democrat: Abortion biggest mistake in my life

Sara Skyttedal (35) made her confession during the programme "My truth" on Swedish television station SVT, Swedish daily Dagen writes.

In the run-up to the European Parliament elections of 2019, the Swedish Christian Democrats were accused of being opposed to abortion. The media claimed that the then EU politician Lars Adaktusson had voted against abortion in the EU Parliament on several occasions. In response to those accusations, party colleague and future EU parliamentarian Sara Skyttedal was asked about her views on abortion rights.

In "My truth", she revealed last week that the debate was extra heavy for her because she herself had an abortion in 2016 – something she now describes as her "life's biggest mistake".

Fear

When told that she was pregnant, Skyttedal was in an unclear relationship and would have had to take care of the baby herself. She then chose to have an abortion, Världen idag writes.

According to Skyttedal, she did not listen to her inner convictions at that time. "I gave in to the fear of being yourself. The fear of forcing someone else to start parenthood. The fear of what others would think. And I felt so incredibly alone", she says in My truth. "But I learned that you should not make decisions that are contrary to your inner convictions. You will feel so bad about it."

Skyttedal, a Catholic, also states that you do not have to believe that pregnancy puts things at their peak.

Skyttedal explains that she tells her personal story to nuance the abortion debate, which she believes is too black and white. She emphasises that the Christian Democrats are still behind the Swedish abortion legislation.