The press photographers leave the room. The buzz dies down. President Åsa Torstenssson begins to speak. It is time for the Transport Ministers Council in Luxembourg, and alongside the Minister is Leif Zetterberg. He is the State Secretary who has done his EU training among farmers and who compares politics to a football match.

Almost every weekday, Leif Zetterberg’s diary is packed full of meetings with people who represent different interests in society – organisations, enterprises, lobby groups and agencies. These meetings are all about making and developing personal contacts, contacts that can provide valuable knowledge about the horizon-watching that Leif sees as the key to success in his work as State Secretary.

“If we are to design a policy that meets people’s different situations, we have to listen to more than just one information flow. It’s not enough to just read the biggest morning paper or just listen to the news, because you won’t get a balanced view of reality. In the same way, it’s important to move in circles other than political ones,” says Leif.

Making everyday lives better

Leif has a background in the Federation of Swedish Farmers, where he worked for 20 years to improve the situation and conditions of around one hundred thousand farming families. This experience has given Leif confidence dealing with EU issues. He is used to meeting different interests from different geographical areas, and all that this entails in terms of differing expectations of what politics can actually achieve.

“Sweden has 21 regions with completely different conditions, while the EU is made up of 27 different countries. The proportions in the EU are somewhat larger, but it is the same perspective. It’s about making things better for individuals in their everyday lives, and if you see it like that then it all becomes a bit more tangible,ˮ says Leif.

New match

Prior to the meeting in Luxembourg, Leif’s primary task has been to ensure that the Minister has sufficient information – and the correct information – to be able to chair the meeting and make decisions on current issues. Assuring the quality of the Minister’s background data is a job that carries on right up until the start of the meeting.

“Once the meeting has started there’s not much I can do. Then it’s like a football match – eventually the final whistle is blown and we have a result. But there’s always a new match to play, so that’s why I always have to keep up-to-date with what’s happening and listen carefully to what is being said. This makes it easier for me to understand future processes,” says Leif.

Networking

Being responsible for the Presidency of the EU is a challenging job, but Leif is careful to point out that it also gives Sweden a unique opportunity to develop its circle of contacts and really understand how EU processes and institutions function.
 
“We’re doing a job for Europe, but it is most definitely also further training for everyone involved. This is a major training initiative that will benefit us for many years to come,” concludes Leif.

Facts:
The State Secretary is the Minister’s closest political adviser and is responsible for the planning, coordination and follow-up of the everyday work of the Ministry.