Former Parliamentarian Jan Emanuel Returns to Social Democratic Party, Advocates for Policy Shifts

Jan Emanuel, a former parliamentarian for the Social Democratic Party (S), confirmed his re-entry to the party in an interview conducted last week in Norrtälje. Emanuel, speaking from his luxury yacht in Visby, noted that the party was completely comfortable with his return. He was previously removed from the party due to his involvement in the EU elections with former Christian Democrat leader Sara Skyttedal, where they launched Folklistan, an alternative political faction.

Emanuel stated that his temporary exit from the Social Democratic Party was a mutually agreed upon decision between himself and party secretary, Tobias Baudin. This was due to his involvement in Folklistan. Emanuel and Baudin had reached an agreement that he would return to the party after his engagement with Folklistan ended, a return that happened quicker than anticipated.

Emanuel’s return to the Social Democratic Party has raised questions, given that Folklistan was a competitor to his former party in the EU elections, securing 0.6% of the vote, or approximately 26,000 votes. Folklistan’s ten-point program included proposals for the EU to abolish asylum rights, imprison criminals abroad, and return power from Brussels to Sweden. Emanuel still supports these policies and hopes to influence the party towards these changes.

Emanuel served as a parliamentarian for the Social Democratic Party from 2004 to 2010. He is considering running for parliament again in the 2026 elections. He emphasized that his return to parliament would be contingent on the Social Democratic Party becoming a “workers party” once more.

If he were to run for parliament again, Emanuel’s stance on government matters would greatly deviate from the party line. He believes that the Social Democrats should form a government with the Sweden Democrats, potentially with the support of the Moderates. He also suggested that the Green Party should be dropped from the Social Democrats’ coalition.

In response to questions about why he is a Social Democrat rather than a Sweden Democrat, Emanuel highlighted the Social Democrats’ track record of leading Sweden through crises, and their success in managing the country. He added that Sweden is about more than just migration policy and security on the streets.

Emanuel, who grew up in Gottsunda in Uppsala, became a household name in Sweden when he won the reality show “Expedition Robinson” in 2001. He has been described as a public figure, entrepreneur, outspoken welfare entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. Emanuel has served in different periods in the Norrtälje Municipal Council between 2002 and 2014. He has a large following on social media, with 227,000 followers on Instagram and 165,000 on TikTok. He was the leading candidate for Folklistan in the 2024 EU elections, a party he co-founded with former Christian Democrat leader Sara Skyttedal. Emanuel also authored a book titled “So That’s That,” which was published in 2023.