"Based on the novel by Hanne Vibeke Holst" "The latest polls are detrimental to the Social Democratic government." "Public confidence is down 7 % since the last election." "Prime Minister Viksten's popularity has also reached a new low." "Our political reporter is on hand." " Will there be a shake-up?" "As far as we can tell, no surprises are in store." "Prime Minister Per Viksten has informed us..." "Not bad, for a milkman." " 13:27." "Running away from your cares?" " Not any longer." "I made my mind up last night." "Any unpleasant surprises in store for us?" "Well, if you make me Minister for Housing, I'll quit." "You're the best Minister for Finance I've ever had." "You're so anal." " And you're vulgar." " I'm a man of many talents." "The list of ministers will be presented at three o'clock." " What can I do for you, Elisabeth?" " Make a few changes." "Apart from Christina Larsson and Sofie Malling, the ministers are all men." "White middle-class men between 40 and 60 years of age." "The only new face is Ivar Hellenius." "A man with thinning hair who most probably can't dance." "It's not a shake-up, it's recycling." "And we need to be resuscitated." "Charlotte Ekeblad as Minister for the Environment." "That loudmouth activist?" "She headed the Greenpeace campaign against nuclear power for years." " Aggressive." "Anti-democratic." " Committed." "Innovative." "She turned "Nature's Friends"" "into a society with more than 100,000 members." "People listen to her." " No." " She's young, dedicated, competent and she's a woman, that's right." " You're asking for quite a lot." " I'm not asking." "I'm the one sitting in this chair, not you." "And why is that, do you think?" "Competence outranks gender." "So that's why Bergwall's been the Minister for the Environment for years." "He's positively brilliant..." "at consuming whisky." " He has 35 years of experience." " So give him a gold watch." "I have nothing against the fact that Charlotte is a woman." "But I refuse to accept her solely based on her gender." "She doesn't have enough political experience." "Yes, she does." "You mean that she hasn't worked for the Party." "Give her a year." "That will make you look just as courageous as you truly are, Per." " Dad, what are you doing?" " Not now." "Are you laying a cable all the way to China?" "Hah!" "You are so childish!" "Come here!" "I've told you not to..." "Do up your trousers first, Daddy." "The phone's ringing." " What are you teaching her?" " Would your mother disapprove?" " I haven't had a bowel movement..." " The word is "poop", Thomas." "This is Tove Munch, the Prime Minister's secretary." " He would like to have a word." " Oh, what does he want to discuss?" "Good morning." "This is Per Viksten, your Prime Minister." " It's itchy." " Is it?" "Four days from now, we'll be in Africa." "And you won't have to wear it for two years." "You can run around in a sun hat and sandals." "What's wrong?" "Who was it?" " The government." " The government?" "The Prime Minister." "What have you done?" "What did he want?" "He wants me to be the Minister for the Environment." "Christ..." " Well, what did you say?" " That we were going to Africa." "That you would be working for SIDA and that I'd think it over." "Good." "You would do a damn fine job." "It's been a while since they made such a good call." "What about Africa?" "It would be a bigger shame if you turned this down." "So Africa can wait." "Listen..." "I know you fairly well." "You've already accepted his offer, haven't you?" "MINISTRY OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT" "Hello." "SÖREN BERGWALL CABINET MINISTER" "Yes?" "They'll be all over you, so say as little as possible, but don't lie." "Don't show any trace of fear." "And no sermons about nuclear power." "C-H Bergman from Aktuellt likes to have the first question, or he'll get huffy." "He's in the front row on the right." "As you can see, I haven't made many substantial changes." "Minister for Finance:" "Gert Jacobsson." "Elisabeth Meyer, Minister for Foreign Affairs." "Roine Eriksson, Minister for Education and Culture." "Hans Bengtsson, Minister for Agricultural Affairs." "And we have a newcomer:" "Ivar Hellenius, Minister for Industry and Trade." "And last, but not least:" "Charlotte Ekeblad, Minister for the Environment." "Finally!" "You're welcome to ask questions now." "I'm C-H Bergman, from Aktuellt." "So how does it feel?" "It feels great, and exciting." "And I have the deepest respect for the mission I've embarked on." "Charlotte Ekeblad..." "I'm Magnus Svensson, from Kvällspressen." "You recently criticised the government for their "embarrassing laxness" with regard to nuclear power." "And now you're here." "Isn't that a bit opportunistic?" "I stand by my previous statements." " So we can expect a fight?" " I will remain true to my convictions." "You're a woman..." "Does this have any bearing on your appointment?" "I'm here to work." "You'll have to ask Viksten about his motives." "What's the difference between an activist and a terrorist?" " They both work outside the law." " Sometimes it's necessary." "So terrorism can be justified?" "I have no call to apologise for my past." "But it is difficult to enact change without using political channels." "The grassroots can influence legislators." "But politicians make the laws." "So you like power?" "If power is the opportunity to bring about change..." "Well then, Magnus Svensson, then I do like power." "A great deal." "Maybe I ought to congratulate her." "She is my sister, after all." "That's right..." "Hi, you've reached Charlotte Ekeblad." "I'm unable to take your call..." "An unexpected move." "Hellenius has a background in our Youth Sector." " I meant Charlotte Ekeblad." " She was at the top of our list." " What about Sören Bergwall?" " He's received a fine offer from the County Council of Västerbotten." "Hello." "Christina Larsson, Minister for Housing." "Charlotte Ekeblad, Minister for the Environment." "Sofie Malling, Minister for Education." "There are a lot of names to memorize." "I've met most of the people here." "At summer camp in Bommersvik..." " Did you imitate Erlander?" " Actually, it was Palme." "Ekeblad..." "Elisabeth Meyer's former intern." "Nice legs." "I thought it was Jakob Steen's turn to get an appointment." "Wrong gender." "She'll have to accept that Sweden needs its farmers." "There's Gert." "I have to..." " Maybe we should introduce ourselves." " I certainly know who you are." "And I know who you are." "You must have been surprised when Viksten called." "We were." "Louise Kramer." "I'm your assistant." "Would you please come with me?" "Bye." "This is Åke." " Here's your pass." "Welcome." " Thank you." " Have you been here before?" " Only on a visit." " Your staff." " I'm used to doing everything myself." " Welcome." " Thank you." "Please feel free to say a few words." "Hello." "I realise that this was a surprising development." "But I hope it will be a pleasant surprise." "I expect many of you have heard rumours that I'm pretty intense." "And my response to you is:" "Yes, I am pretty intense." "It's a reputation I treasure, it means my efforts are meaningful." "I hope you will feel the same way." "When I look around, I see a room full of intense people." "Just imagine how much we'll accomplish!" "Hello!" "Your pass, please." "Thank you." " It was Meyer, wasn't it?" " Who else?" "It looks like another one of those letters has arrived." "File it." "Henrik Sand, the under-secretary of State." "That's our conference room." "And this is Eva's desk, she's our press secretary." "Right now she's out for a flu shot." "Eva is a real-live "Google", she knows everything." " Here's the kitchen." "Nils and Tommy." " Hi, I'm Charlotte." "This is Jakob Steen's office." "He's our political expert." "He's also crazy about horses, just like me." "I told them to change that..." "This is my office." "And this... is your office." " Wow!" " A bit like a men's club..." "No, I like it." " That's Hjalmar Branting's sofa." " The famous one..." " How did you know that?" " Rumours." " I'm so happy you're here." " Thank you, so am I." "You're supposed to meet Henrik Sand in five minutes." "He's a bit curt." "Not everyone likes him." "What do you think?" "Me?" "Five minutes." " Thomas speaking." " Guess where I am." "In my office." "I can see the entire Riddarfjärden Bay." "All the way to Västerbron." "This is completely insane." "Sören Bergwall has left a Monchichi behind on the lamp." " How's the little guy?" " Fine." "He ate like a horse." " Someone's at the door." " Go get it." "Hurry on home." " You're with me on this?" " Of course." "Always." "Come in." " Hello." " Hello, you must be Henrik Sand." "I've heard that you bite." "Good luck." "Your car." "This is Freddy." "I'll take the car today and walk tomorrow." "Nice meeting you, Charlotte." "There are two trips no ministers ever forget: the first and the last." "Hello!" "Hello, sweetheart!" "Did you make me a drawing?" "I'll get that later." " Hello!" "They couldn't settle down until they had seen you." " Has Lisbeth called?" " Only your mum and the whole world." " We saw you on TV." "How are you?" " Fine." "I feel great." "Cheers... you bloody official." " What was he like?" " He offered me a mint." "Wow!" " I don't know what to call him." " How about his name?" "Well, what if I had to call out to him? "Hey, Prime Minister"?" ""Per!" "Pelle!"" " Why would you call out to him?" " Say I got lost in the hallways." "Right..." "Cheers." "Come here." "Some more wine, Mrs. Minister?" "And maybe a massage?" " And then..." " Curb your ministerial instincts." " You don't make all the decisions." " Oh, yes I do." "It's the same stuff every Christmas:" "the best wine, the best sex..." " What's your headline?" " "The trimming on the PM's tree."" " And the shot?" " Full figure, in front of Rosenbad." " She's a looker." " Let me see." "My, that's a short skirt." "They'd never have appointed her if she had been a man." "Did you write that?" "Leave home 06:45, morning talk show 07:23." "The interviews are pink and the meetings are yellow." "The Society for Nature Conservation from nine to eleven, when their youth organization arrives." "Then you and Sand will fly to Malmö at one o'clock for an overnight stay." " On Tuesday?" " Yes. "The 10th Session..."" ""...of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change."" " It's my daughter's birthday." " Too bad." ""Several cabinet ministers criticise Viksten's appointment of Ekeblad."" ""The real issues may be overlooked." "Ekeblad is not a typical minister."" "Dull." ""The party is no longer recognisable, says an anonymous source."" "But we certainly recognise your touch, Hans." "He hasn't felt at ease since Sträng was around, farting like an old Trabant." "The Pro-nuclear Environmentalists want to talk to you." "And so does Radio Värmland." "Tell them you're a country girl." "I hail from Bua." "Eva Edin." "Hello, Pierre." "I'm glad you called." "We've got to cut them all out." "Here's a summary of this year's environmental and agricultural issues." "I'm rather pleased with it." "Have you met the chairperson, Margareta Arne?" "She's sharp." "You do realize the importance of collaboration?" "I can work with anyone." "Charlotte..." "Nuclear power is not on the proposition list." "The expansion of nuclear power saved this country." "That's a lie." "The Swedish people were tricked by the referendum." " Miss Know-it-all..." " We wasted millions building plants instead of developing safer technology and conserving energy." "People were told to trade in their oil and wood-burning furnaces for electric heating." "I don't need a history lesson." "What if we had built houses that required less heating?" "People wouldn't be bogged down by expensive utility bills." "Now back off." "If we phase out nuclear power, we might as well close up shop." "Your party never feels there is a right right time to phase out nuclear power." "I never thought I'd see a new generation of tree-huggers." "We're supposed to discuss eutrophication." "Absolutely." "This was simply a sidebar." "One of our intermediate objectives is to initiate an action plan no later than 2009..." "Sven Årheim." "I was the president of Nature's Friends from 1983-96." "I've been the Green's representative since 1998, and I own a dog." "Do you call that throw pillow a dog?" "And you still have a beard." ""Change is humiliation," as that guy from the Moderate Party once said." "I never thought I'd see you here." "Things are happening at last." "There's only one thing wrong with you, you're a Social Democrat." " Are you keeping Sören's staff on?" " Yes, for the benefit of the Ministry." " I'm enough trouble." " As long as they know who to back." " I heard the session was rowdy?" " That was just for starters." "Before we went on to eutrophication." "Please let me know in advance when you decide to ignore my brief." "Then I won't bother to waste my time." "How about a reality check?" "That's right, I'm the boss." "Your job is to make sure that I can do mine." "Whining about your brief is not only petty, it's embarrassing." "You're right." "I apologize." "They're an odd bunch." "Jakob Steen is pig-headed." "And Margareta Arne totally lacks empathy." "She's a clever politician." "You may have certain preconceptions, but if you want to get things done..." "Then I ought to take a few lessons from you?" "Democracy does not necessarily involve getting your own way." "So democracy is being like Bergwall, a lapdog of industry?" "A sell-out?" "What do you think of allocation according to sex?" "In all arenas of life I prefer freedom." "Am I an allocated alibi?" "Viksten promised me space." "He could have chosen a yes-man." "Everyone's so territorial." "Your appointment was unexpected." "People get anxious when they can't predict the next move." " They worry about their own position." " Does that go for you too?" "I worry about Swedish politics." " Do you miss Sören?" " Not for a second." "Welcome to Agenda, the political news of the week." "Charlotte Ekeblad, welcome." "What do toys have to do with environmental policies?" "Why make safety laws that only apply for the age range 0-3?" "Why not simply ban softeners?" "Dolls shouldn't put my daughter's fertility at risk." "You don't have a background working within the Party." "How will that affect your work?" "A lot of people feel that politicians spend their time bickering." "But our tasks are very clear-cut." "She comes through the screen." "My granddad used to say that "pretty words aren't always truthful..."" " "And the truth isn't always pretty."" " And you're a politician." "My first speech for the assembly..." " Do you have any specific issues?" " Yes." "Such as?" " I want to discuss our lifestyle." " Be a little more specific." "Things are getting out of hand." "We can repair environmental damages." " But problems arise in other sectors." " Don't look down." "What's the point of water legislation if agricultural methods are unchanged?" "Slow down." "What's the point of bicycle paths if our transportation sector caters to the interests of the automotive industry?" " Am I being too straight?" " For some people, yes." " What about you?" " Does it matter?" "No." "...met Olof Palme in Tanzania." "And then..." "This was later on..." "I'm coming." "Why can't I see the Minister for Finance?" "Louise has called a dozen times trying to book me in." "You've been busy with that for three days running." "It's time to party." "And by the way..." "Merry Christmas." "Merry Christmas." " Are you coming?" " I'm coming." " How's she doing?" " Gert's giving her a hard time." " And the next one." " Is that the right hole?" " He'll never be a scholar." " Try it again." " I think he wants a gingersnap." " Could you give him a hand?" "Hello." "It's a gift from my mother-in-law." " What are you doing here?" " Same as you, working." "Charlotte, happy holidays." " What are you doing?" " Louise!" " She isn't here." " It's Christmas." " You have to learn to delegate." "It's so typical that newcomers try to do everything themselves." "I thought you were going to say it's typical for women." "I want to do things my way." "Many people have a hard time accepting a female boss." "Most leadership patterns are founded on male values." "And we need to change that." "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help each other." "Then you'll be going to heaven." "Happy New Year." "Listen, ease off nuclear power." "I'll get it." " Hi there!" "Come on in." " Happy New Year." " Hi there, boys." " Maya, come and say hello." "We haven't seen you since you got famous." "I had no idea you were such a camera hog." "Give me a kiss." " How's the house-husband?" " Fine, just don't say I'm being good." " Any liquor in this place?" " Loads." "Take your pick." " I think you've met each other." " A long time ago." "Katrin?" "Katarina." "How could a busy person like yourself be expected to remember that?" " And it's a fairly new relationship." " It's been a year." "How about a drink?" "Come on, girls." "It's party time." "Listen..." "What flashed through your mind when the PM called?" "Well, I just went..." "Finally!" "I felt nervous, happy, proud..." "And then scared to death." " What do you mean?" " About pulling it off." "What was it like, meeting him?" ""My, it's big," she said." "Let's raise our glasses." "Welcome." "Perish the thought of being a politician." "All that jawing." " It's unbearable." " All those promises." "And never a straight answer." "They wouldn't make it in the real world, right?" "You work at Rosenbad." " He's not a politician." " No, he hasn't been contaminated." "He's only a civil servant." "It's easy to run down politicians, but how much do you do?" "That's easy for you to say, when you you talk people listen." "Then listen." "Cheers!" "A politician is born every day." "Use condoms." " Oh, Klas..." " What happened to the festive mood?" "There are courses that teach stand-up comedy, you know..." "It's me." "I can't take it..." "I don't feel like justifying what I do on New Year's Eve." "In my own home, to boot." "It's just..." "Oh well, who cares?" " No baby this time around either." " You have your boys." "I really want to have a little girl." "In striped tights." " Happy New Year, darling." " Happy New Year." "Happy New Year, you silly bastards!" " Why don't they leave?" " Want me to throw them out?" "Soon." "I just need to..." "Good morning." "Happy New Year." "Back around five." "Love you!" "I'll see you later, in my office." "Happy New Year." "How's the speech coming along?" "I need to study it before we go to Brussels." "I've put a lot of work into it, so it should be smooth sailing." "Happy New Year." "A typical civil servant product." "It's bureaucratic and lacks vision." " A speech like Sören would deliver." " I want it to have more of an edge." "Apparently, it's considered sharp enough." "This is the official Swedish position, not your personal views." "I know." "I'll have to wing it." " No." "Please don't." " I was only joking." ""We promise to uphold the objective of working towards this end."" "What does that mean?" ""We intend to promote environmental polices with the commitment..."" "This isn't me." "You're the first person who ever found fault with my speeches." "It's true that your predecessor and I had a good working relationship." "But I hope that you won't hold that fact against me?" "I mean..." "You don't know me." "I expect us to collaborate in a professional manner in the future." "In my opinion..." " Excuse me." " Hello, Charlotte." " I don't know if I can do this." "Remember Madeleine Albright's words: "Interrupt."" ""Don't sit around waiting for your turn."" " You're right." "Thanks." " Good." "Bye." " Where were we?" " Dziekuje." " Dziekuje bardzo." "So, do you come here often?" "I'm so proud of you." " My ex-girlfriend is a minister." " That's right." "It's fun, but it's a lot of work." "Sometimes it's like being confronted by an invisible wall of tired old men." "How do you like Brussels?" " I'm no good at small talk." " Don't even mention it..." "And you have to be good at it here." "At first I got sloshed at every function just because I was nervous." "But after a while you learn to have a few stock phrases on hand." " Like what?" " I don't know..." "You can always run down the ministers." "You can do the Italy trick." "If you call Italy a fascist state there will be plenty to talk about." " Are you still free-lancing?" " I can't afford anything else." " What do you write about?" " The war." " Which war?" " All of them." " You've really climbed to the top." " I didn't climb." "I fought my way up." "There's a big difference." "So watch your step." "You're looking very pretty." "Is it all right that I say so?" "Cheers." "Are you tipsy?" "This was fun." "We'll have to do it again." "This was very nice." "Here you go." "You're such a great girl." " Hello?" " Lotta?" "It's me." "Why was your mobile switched off all night?" " And you weren't in your room." " I was out late." "I was worried, you know." "It's a fabulous interview." "She couldn't get better PR." "And she's right, too." "A GOVERNMENT OF TIRED OLD MEN" "She's young, she's committed." "She's competent and she's a woman." "Give her a year." "Charlotte Ekeblad?" "This is Tove Munch, the PM's secretary." "That was the Prime Minister, he wants me for Minister for the Environment." "You must have been surprised when Viksten called." "We all were." " My, that's a short skirt." " They wanted a woman for the job." ""Is she as intense as they say?" Yes, I am pretty intense." " Another letter has arrived." " File it." "Some more wine, Mrs. Minister?" "Please let me know the next time you plan to ignore my brief." "Time for a reality check." "That's right, I'm the boss." " I don't know if I can do it." " Remember M. Albright: "Interrupt."" " "Don't just wait for your turn."" " Do you go here often?" " So my ex-girlfriend is a minister." " It's like facing an invisible wall of tired old men." "It's a fabulous interview." "She couldn't get better PR." "Based on the novel by Hanne Vibeke Holst" "Get up." "You already knew that he isn't a serious journalist." "It wasn't exactly an interview." "I... confided in him." " In Jesper, your former lover?" " It's been 13 years." "My calendar is booked solid." "I'm constantly making decisions." "Everything's been so hectic." "And I felt kind of lost." "I needed to talk to someone." "You weren't there and he was." "That's not fair!" "I'm here for you." "For our family." "And you blame me for not being available?" "Christ..." "I'm sorry." "He needs a fresh diaper." "And I've got laundry to do." "I'm Louise Kramer, the assistant of the Minister for the Environment." "Unfortunately, she is unable to attend your 25th anniversary in Göteborg." "No, I'm sorry." "Thank you." "Goodbye." "Press conference at Harpsund after government session" ""Tired old men"..." "You're doing your best to become unpopular." "You were a student-body president at school, weren't you?" " How did you know that?" " You're just the type." "How nice to be reduced to a stereotype at 7 in the morning..." "So, what kind of type are you?" "What do you know about the new budget?" "What's Gert's plan?" "For question A, I say "nothing"." "And for B, "no idea"." " You must have heard something?" " Nothing more than you have." "Here's the latest report from Standard  Poor." "For anyone who has difficulties reading graphs," "I can tell you that they have downgraded Sweden's credit rating." "That means that the Swedish economy is weaker than it has been for 20 years." "In other words, it's high time to tighten the proverbial belt." "That goes for all of us." "As a newcomer, I cannot claim any responsibility for the situation, but I take these figures very seriously." "And I also accept the challenging task we face." "I'm not merely hopeful, I have utter faith in the fact that we will improve these conditions." "What are you really saying?" " Growth." " Increased growth?" " Sustainable growth." " This will lose us the election." "We're not going to lose anything." "TO THE MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT" "File it." "If you let him do his thing, it usually works." "But you're moving too fast." "Some people expand in a vacuum." "Just carry on." "Come on, don't take it personally." "What should I do?" "Gert is so damn patronising." "Jens!" "Don't touch that." "He's putting the remote in the toilet." "Either he doesn't like women, or he doesn't like me." " Viksten would like to have a word." " I'll call you back later." "A breath of fresh air is nice." "And it keeps you away from the cake, too." "Don't try to seem superior." "According to the press, you claim that your colleagues lack vision." "And that they're not as honest as you." "If there's any truth in that statement, there might be a reason for it." "They might have been forced to yield for the good of the group." "Government work is teamwork." "Everyone has to give up their principles in the name of the group." "That's why it causes resentment when someone acts like they're more of a free-thinker, or claims to be more civic-minded than their colleagues." " Is that clear?" " Yes." "I never thought of it that way." "No, I realise that." "You're an individualist, Charlotte." "For better or for worse..." "Viksten speaking." "I'm out on the jetty at Harpsund." "Yes." " Everyone has to cut back." " My budget has been cut by a billion." "We are facing the biggest economic crisis since the 70s." "If productivity increased by 2 %, then we can achieve growth amounting to 0.2 percentage points." " Is this because of that article?" " "Tired old men"?" " Then what is it?" " Politics." " A reversal of a parliamentary decree." " We're facing an economic crisis." "We have to make our way out of it." "That's the bottom line." "What about biological diversity...?" "Ballooning interest rates will ruin people." "So tell them we don't care about growth, because we put a higher priority on the survival of moss in Hälsingland!" "Shall we continue?" " We both share the same objectives." " Really?" "The environment and the economy don't have to be in opposition." "In the best of all worlds everyone is happy and rich." "Well, if 5 % of the population on earth would start sharing the wealth." " Revolution." " Evolution." "I would like you to give me a straight answer." "Yes." "I would have done the same thing to Sören Bergwall." "Only he wouldn't have cared." "Our top story centres on the budget negotiations held at Harpsund." "We would like to inform you as to the result of our negotiations." "Why is Charlotte on the steps?" "She's their hostage." "...will ensure growth and continue to boost employment rates." "I'll let our Minister for Finance Gert Jacobsson take over from here." "We are approaching the elections with a realistic and pro-active stance." "Unemployment rates will go down." "Charlotte Ekeblad, what are you doing here?" "Have you joined the ranks of the "old men" now?" "I'm here because I support the Minister for Finance's proposal." " What does it involve?" " Getting Sweden back on its feet." " Is that all?" " Could we all go inside?" "I'm freezing my behind off." "Hello, Thomas." " Look at the baby..." " He's asleep." " He looks more and more like his mum." " Only she never sleeps." " When are you going back to work?" " I don't have a job." " What about you?" " I'm on sick leave." "No one can stand me during these hormone treatments." "It's hard on the boys when things don't go as planned." " Everything will be fine, Maria." " I hope so." "Take care." "No wonder Gert makes cuts when we have little Miss Celebrity here." "Right, you can't take her seriously I'll call you back." "Should you really be exposing your minister like that?" "She runs roughshod over all the decisions we've already made." "That's damn unprofessional." "Charlotte can be a bit impulsive, but that's a strength as well." "You're disappointed, aren't you?" "You thought he'd appoint you, but he chose her instead." " That must be hard to swallow." " I'm the wrong gender." "Forget it." ""Official report No. 342."" ""The presence of methyl tert-butyl ether in wastewater."" "Is there a sequel as well?" "Do you really have to read it all?" " Couldn't you just sign it?" " You've been watching too much TV." ""What are you going to do tomorrow?" "Well, when I'm done with the chores,"" ""I guess we'll go to the playground." "It's lovely there this time of year."" ""Good night, Thomas." "Sweet dreams."" "I'm Magdalena Rosling, from Amelia magazine." "This is the only time slot I had available, I'm afraid." "Some people feel that I waste my time on trivial matters." "But according to a British study, women who have had children have a lower concentration of toxins in their blood." "That means that these toxins were passed on to their foetuses." "And there's nothing trivial about that." "Your husband's name is Thomas?" "And you have two children?" " Please don't publish their names." " No, I understand." " Your parents must be proud." " My dad, at any rate." " Could I interview him?" " No, he's dead." "He died in an accident." " And your mother is...?" " A nurse." " She's in Nigeria, at an orphanage." " She must be pleased?" "She's not impressed by titles." "She's been a great mother to my sister and me." "Are you and Lisbeth close?" "Did you see the new Minister for the Environment on TV?" "What do you think of her?" "She'll close us down." " If she has her way." " It's not her call." "When will Sweden ever become a country we can take pride in?" "Importing dirty coal power from Poland...!" "Our product is clean." "It won't be easy to get rid of us." "I hope the high price of electricity scares the Greens this winter." "I know what we can do next winter." "We can find out who voted against nuclear power." "Then we turn off their electricity and they can sit and freeze in the dark." "You and I have a future together." "We'll be representing the Nuclear Power Industry's Environmental Committee." "We're going to Stockholm to see the Minister for the Environment." "What the heck was her name?" " Would you rather sit with the girls?" " And network?" "I'll sit here." "Congratulations on another front page:" ""Freezing her behind."" " Are you envious?" " No, I'll be getting press too." " Not about your behind, though." " I'd rather focus on the issues." "That's a good call." "Then again, you're not exactly in the spotlight." "Even though we voted them into office, we don't recognise them." "We went out and polled the general public." "Hello." "Do you recognise any of these men and women?" "The Prime Minister..." "They're politicians, I guess." "No, not a single one." " Are you sure?" " I don't know who they are." "I recognise her." "And that's the Minister for Finance..." "The Prime Minister and..." "Charlotte, the Minister for the Environment." "Charlotte Ekeblad." "She's fantastic, a superwoman." " What's great about her?" " We're on the same page." "Charlotte." "She's great." "Not exactly a high rate of recognition, what are the others doing wrong?" " What are you doing right?" " That was just a fluke." "Three high-profile months have passed since your appointment." "A choice that rubbed quite a few of your colleagues the wrong way." "That's an overstatement, but the media likes to promote that image." "You continue to ruffle feathers..." "What about the Kvällspressen article?" "I've said all I have to say about that article." "Being in office could make it harder to maintain your edge." " Are you still a hard-liner?" " I'm still loyal to the issues." " Is that really true?" " Yes." "But your budget was slashed by nearly a third." "That ought to make it hard to keep the promises made to the voters?" "Of course it does." "Your budget determines your clout." "So why did you accept the cuts?" "I wasn't in a good bargaining position after the Kvällspressen article." "I had no other options." "But I will make the best of the situation." "Naturally, I feel like my hands are somewhat tied." " Have you considered resigning?" " No." "Absolutely not." " You air your opinions freely." " I run up against so much opposition." "You take politics personally." "Men don't." "Viksten is unhappy with me." "It will do him a world of good." "All the others are his lap-dogs." " You speak your mind." " Maybe I shouldn't have accepted." "Guess what this is." "Oh my God, you actually kept it?" ""Dear Elisabeth Meyer,"" ""I've seen you on TV." "One time you had this dress with butterflies."" ""I have a question for you."" ""How do you change the world?"" " I was ten years old." " You still are, at heart." "She's terrific." "I figured she would fizzle out." "She knows her stuff." "She won't change the world of politics, but still." " She's great to write about." " The stories write themselves." "A journalist's wet dream." "Please don't get me wrong." "She can go all the way to the top." " We'll see when she gets divorced." " Is there trouble at home?" "Is there a man alive who can take being married to a powerful woman?" "Come to my office." "Sand!" "A meeting, in my office, right now." "Hold all my calls for the next hour." "Where's the fire?" " It's time for a fresh start." " With empty hands and happy faces?" "Everything said here must remain in the strictest of confidence." "Not to be a wet blanket, but why is that?" "If this leaks out I don't stand a chance." "I'm all ears." "I would like to instate a credibility council." "A council that would act as a pressure group and watchdog." "To ensure that the government makes good on their promises." "And finds out why if they don't." "If that leads to fewer promises, so be it." "But any promises made should be kept." "You're the Minister for the Environment." "You can't build houses on rotten foundations." "Are you trying to get back at Gert?" "This isn't about me, it's about democracy." "It's about restoring people's faith in humanity." " A stirring cry to action?" " Was my grammar all wrong?" " Am I insane, Sand?" " Yes." "But I like it." " Jakob?" " Sure." "I know I ought to be grateful for my kids, but I really want another child." "A baby." "I live for my kids, and now the boys are getting so big." " I miss being needed." " But Micke and the boys..." "It's not the same." "When the doctor told me I didn't have a single ovum..." "I felt like..." "I felt like such a failure." "And you were supposed to be in Uganda right now." "Well, what's so special about a sweaty office Kampala?" " Is it difficult for you?" " I had prepared for six months." "So it's like missing your plane." "But I have no regrets, we have the best Minister for the Environment ever." "I WAS DADDY'S GIRL" "Right..." " Maya, time to go home." " Come over to our place." " Not tonight." "We've got to go home and make dinner for Grandma and Grandpa." "Say bye-bye." "Come on." "Phone call for Lisbeth Olsson." " Lisbeth here." " Hi, it's me." " Congratulations." " Thanks." " Have you seen Amelia?" " I don't read that sort of thing." " There's stuff about Dad." " What did you tell them?" " The truth." " Your version of the truth?" "I'm too busy to talk right now." " I miss you." " Thank you." "Take care." "Goodbye." " Where's Meyer?" " She's in Quebec." "Attendance is poor..." " I only have 20 minutes." " Let's hurry up and network." "How long have you been a member of the Party?" "I joined the youth section at birth, Social Democracy is all I know." "I did it all, attended summer camp at Bommersvik." "Gert Jacobsson was there too." "We're the same age." "Christina knows everything about the history of the Worker's Movement." " I joined in high school." " We're one big happy family." "Complete with the odd bastard." " I love the Party." " I love my husband." "Here you go... "Women in Parliament", have you seen it?" "Ivar and Roine wonder how our "faction" is coming along." "They always think we're plotting against them." " No sweet roll?" " I'm thinking of the election posters." " It's only a group picture." " Well, Charlotte has a high profile." " What are you going to use it for?" " Something big." "Hello, girls." "So here you are, gossiping away." "A credibility council?" "A contract with the people?" "It's a good thought." "Only it should have..." " It should have been our move." " We need support in the committee." " Give me three weeks." " I'll give you one." "Only if Charlotte stops saying that the Greens are impractical romantics." "I can't promise you that." "Move over, you don't use enough spices." "Grandma..." "Mummy says there were dinosaurs around when you were a girl." "Mummy was joking, Maya." "So how is our little Lotta doing?" "She works 60-70 hours a week, but she loves it." " The "old man" thing was unnecessary." " Don't bad-mouth your own." " And she's quite the camera hog." " You know what the media is like." "That's what I say." "Christina asked if I was making a guest appearance in the Party." "That's why you need to be a member of Parliament." "If you have your own voter base Viksten can't fire you after the election." "Isn't new blood good?" "Keeps inbreeding at bay." "Several of the older Social Democrats think that the new ministers who are hand-picked by the PM are letting the working classes down." " "Where has all the solidarity..." - "...gone?"" "But I have a working-class background." "There are no college graduates in my family." "That's a surprise." "What about you?" "Uppsala, physician, old money..." "It's easy to identify with the elite classes if you belong there, Sand." " My name is Henrik." " I know." "But I think of you as Sand." " Will you be going abroad?" " Of course." "Is Rodriguez still in charge?" " Look who's here!" " Hello!" " It's eleven o'clock." " And you're still here." "Come and sit down." "Let's toast our very own little minister." "Power becomes you." "Only leave our industries alone or they'll relocate to the Baltic region." " I'll get you a drink." " I'll come with you." " You knew they were coming." " Sorry, I forgot." "You smell like a bar." " You were supposed to be working." " I need to breathe too." "Two gin  tonics." "I was out with Henrik." "Sand?" "No..." " Have you ever seen an electric eel?" " Yes, I have." " Really?" " Sure." "Grandma." "You're not supposed to say stuff like that." "Daddy, no." "Daddy..." " How thick is your file this weekend?" " There is no file this weekend." "I thought I'd take some time off." "Maybe do some baking." "Don't, Mummy." "The stuff you bake is yucky." "What?" " Need some aspirin?" " No, why should I?" " Some coffee?" " Yes." "Fantastic." "It's on its back." "There." "Louise." "Come here." "Here's the first draft for the credibility council." " Some appendices are missing." " They're being copied." " That's confidential material." " It won't happen again." " Are you tired?" " No problem." "Why would you be tired?" "Have you seen my desk?" "Answering phones is like being on vacation." "I expect there's been too much travelling too?" "You're due for some vacation." "Louise will go to Amsterdam with me." "And you can cover the phones for her, it's like being on vacation." "I'm so glad I got to come along." "Sören never let me." "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help each other out." "She won't be back until Monday." "I'll take a message." "Charlotte Ekeblad?" "Could you spare a minute?" " Who are you?" " Read this." "Read it!" ""Two years ago an accident occurred on the Baltic Sea, on the MS Pandora,"" ""which carried a cargo of radioactive fuel."" ""I can prove that the government covered up the facts."" ""But I have been blocked." "I have been silenced by the government."" "Read it!" " File it." " In the nut file?" "Yes." " She breaks too many rules." " But she's popular." "She reminds me of Willy Brandt." "Both of them can make people interested enough to listen." " Willy Brandt was attractive too." " Wasn't he a bit overweight?" "I don't mean literally." "He was very charismatic." "Aren't you exaggerating Charlotte's appeal?" "She has an enormous impact." "She's efficient." "She's accomplished more than Bergwall ever did." ""Interdependence is a dominant fact in our times."" " Willy Brandt." " It still applies." "Imagine leaving such an impression on history." "And no, I haven't bought myself an estate, if that's what you think." "And I'm not resigning." "I have visions to fulfil when we win the next election." "Then, we'll see." "It all depends." "Whether Ivar Hellenius is ready to take on the challenge." "Now we can present this proposal at the next session." "You must have worked around the clock." "It smells like a fiasco..." "Do you have something to add?" "There are enough superstructures." "That monster EU and the bastardization of democracy is enough." " Why didn't you say anything?" " I've tried." "You wouldn't listen." "What do you have against me?" "Why don't you tell me?" "Are we supposed to commit suicide all because you have PMS?" "It's me." "Gert?" "It must be my lucky day." "I'm glad you enjoy my company." "Was it really wise to get rid of Jakob?" "We didn't click." "What happened?" "Oh, well." "Silence can't be misquoted." "Hello." " Where's Meyer?" " With Putin." "We may be out of a job come autumn, but other issues bother me more." "Public faith in democracy." "A loss that's hard to recoup." "That's why I propose a credibility council that would be a watchdog to ensure that political promises were kept and be a link to our regular citizens." "Fine words, but there is no base in reality." "It would smack of Big Brother." "And be expensive." "We have to reclaim our credibility." " That's a media phantom." " Pure imagination." "Isn't this just for show?" "People want better schools and better health care, not castles in the air." " A vote isn't worth much today." " Yes, it is." "Then nuclear power would have been phased out by now." "We just lost the election." "It's difficult when one of the players on a team pulls in another direction." " The proposal requires an increase..." " How would you know?" "How would you know what it costs?" "It's a bastardization of democracy." "Yet another superstructure." "The big monster EU is enough." "They knew." "Jakob." "Bloody Jakob." "This is your office." "Charlotte's going through a rough time." "Her proposal for a credibility council wasn't popular." "The janitor was out of A's." "Why the resistance?" "Against the credibility council." "It's a bastardization of democracy." "A minister who criticizes their government doesn't get off lightly." "Eva Edin, press secretary." " Kamal Prasad." "No wonder people despise politicians, they look down on regular folks." " Charlotte caught a lot of flak." " Persuasion is the best route." "The proposal had no real foundation in the committee." "No wonder they were upset." " How old are you?" " I'll be 28 in September." " Are you single?" " That's none of your business." "Have you had any media training?" "10 years at Kvällspressen, 14 years here." "I've learned that anything new is intimidating." ""No" is a knee-jerk reaction even when a yes would take us further." "Charlotte!" "You do know that I didn't leak?" "I know it wasn't you, Sven." "I can take the fact that Jakob doesn't like me, but not the betrayal." "And now the whole thing's down the drain." "It's one of the best proposals I've ever heard." "I know what to do." "Charlotte Ekeblad." "Four minutes." "Mr. Speaker, Sven Årheim has asked me to develop the concept of a credibility council." "It's one thing to formulate a strategy in a campaign program, but it's entirely different to create an action plan." "I was up north in Norrland for four days, in Norsjö." "My fears were confirmed, politicians make ordinary people feel powerless." "That means us." "There's an abyss caused by broken promises that is so great that in a few years voting participation may mirror the US." "How few voters can you have and still call yourself a democracy?" "The only way to overcome this is to show our voters respect." "That's what credible means to me." "A credibility council." "The Social Democratic Messiah." "Are you going to save the government?" "Well, last week I was Judas, so I'm getting a bit confused." "You Social Democrats are odd." "You want to stimulate bureaucracy in favour of growth." "Charlotte is splitting your ranks." "But I won't complain, the voters will have their say." "Time to go job-hunting?" "We'll have a new government come autumn." "Hello?" "Hi..." "Five minutes." "I'll see you downtown." "And Jakob..." "No window table."