Sweden’s prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has imitated US tradition by pardoning a pig prior to Christmas.
“Dear Smulan, in my role as PM I pardon you and wish you a long and happy life,” Reinfeldt said in his address to the pig in central Stockholm, Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported.
Squealing
Smulan’s owners at the Berga Agricultural School promised that the PM’s pig shall never be slaughtered.
Reinfeldt said it had not occured to him that pardoning would mark him out as close to US tradition. He said the idea came from a tv station.
“They asked me to do it and I thought it sounded kind of fun,” he said.
Related websites:
• Berga Agricultural School (in Swedish)
• Aftonbladet (in Swedish)