How much of an IT Minister is our IT Minister?

Karl Sigfrid (M) writes on SvD Brännpunkt about the great task that now rests on the shoulders of our new IT Minister Mehmet Kaplan. That of taking advantage of the opportunities of digitization. And I can only agree with Sigfrid that this mission is (at least) a full-time position. That we then have an IT minister who officially goes by the title "Minister of Housing and Urban Development", feels a bit worrying. Sure, maybe it's more semantics than anything else (how long a ministerial title can you really have?) but it still sends out a certain signal.

I have previously stated that what Sweden needs is a Minister for Digitization. A centrally located minister with a clear mission and mandate to push all ministries and all policy areas in the digitization work. A person with the power to develop and push through national plans for the digitization of schools, for health and social care and for a sustainable Sweden.

Unfortunately, there was no Minister for Digitalization among the 23 ministers Stefan Löfven presented on 3 October. But until our Prime Minister understands that digitization is actually crucial to achieving most of the goals described in the government declaration. Until we get that coordinating Minister for Digitization, Sweden needs at least one IT Minister who puts these issues at the top of his agenda, on the entire government agenda. Who makes sure to follow up the good initiatives that the previous government took (Digital Agenda for Sweden, the Digitization Commission, Broadband Forum, etc.) But who also makes sure to take several steps forward and ensure that Sweden continues to be a leader in using IT to achieve political goals for growth, social welfare, democracy and climate improvements.

Because just as Sigfrid writes, the IT minister position could be one of the heaviest in the government, given the reforms that must be implemented. The question is just how much IT can fit in our new IT minister's portfolio?