Everywhere the Minister Goes, "Remove All the Banana Sprouts"... What Is Happening in Sweden?

Swedish Minister for Gender Equality Reports Banana Phobia
Staff Requested "Please Remove the Banana," Sparking Talk
Government Officials Say "Anyone Can Experience Phobias"

The word 'banana' has unexpectedly become a hot topic in Swedish politics. This follows the revelation that a minister suffering from a banana phobia had his staff request the removal of bananas wherever he went. On the 19th (local time), the French daily Lib?ration reported that "the staff of Paulina Brandberg, Sweden's Minister for Gender Equality, sent an email to the Swedish Parliament Speaker's office last September requesting that 'there should be no traces of bananas in the meeting rooms the minister attends.'"

Brandberg's staff reportedly told other email recipients that bananas must not be present at events she attends. The reason is that Minister Brandberg avoids bananas. In 2020, Brandberg revealed her banana phobia on social media, stating, "I suffer from the strangest phobia in the world." Since then, event organizers have reportedly taken special care to control the presence of bananas at every event she attends.

As this information spread, some in the political sphere reacted that her 'banana phobia' and demands were excessive. However, government officials expressed sympathy for the difficulties she faces. Elisabeth Svantesson, Minister of Finance, told X, "Politicians, like ordinary people, can experience fears, phobias, and anxieties," adding, "If this does not affect their work, is it really an issue that needs to be publicly highlighted?"

Minister Paulina Brandberg. Photo by Kristian Paul, Swedish Government Website

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also said, "I respect people with other phobias," and expressed his embarrassment that a hardworking minister is being known and mocked solely for a phobia. Johan Pehrson, Minister of Education, called the media attention absurd and stated, "Minister Brandberg is a staunch liberal and a former prosecutor who stood with vulnerable women. We should all focus more on that."

Banana phobia falls under specific phobias. It refers to a condition where physical symptoms persist for more than six months in response to certain objects or situations such as bananas, causing intense fear that significantly disrupts daily life. In 2010, a British person also made headlines for banana phobia, revealing that "seeing bananas causes goosebumps, sweating, and vomiting." The most basic solution is avoidance, and in some cases, medication to reduce anxiety can be used alongside.