What Do Swedish People Think About Greta Thunberg?

Hello folks, it’s your friendly neighborhood writer here, diving into the heart of Sweden on this crisp October day in 2025.

 

We’ve all seen Greta Thunberg evolve from that pigtail-wearing teen outside Parliament to a global icon for change.

 

But what do we Swedes really think about her? Are we rallying behind her as our eco-champion, or are we just rolling our eyes at her latest antics? Spoiler alert: the opinions are as divided as a midsummer pole dance gone awry.

 

I’ve sifted through the latest buzz, from rants on X to snippets in the news, and it’s clear: Greta is our lightning rod, igniting love, disdain, and everything in between. So, let’s dive in and unpack this, shall we?

 

The Die-Hard Fans: "Greta's Our Fierce Truth-Teller"

We love a good underdog story, and for many of us on the left-leaning side, Greta's that and more. She's the kid who called out the world when we adults were too busy sipping flat whites. Fast-forward to now:

 

Her approval has dipped to about 23% overall (down from 40% in 2020), but among green sympathizers? Sky-high. Just this week, she's chained herself to a logging machine in Arjeplog to halt old-growth forest cuts, pure guts. Folks are buzzing:

 

• Eco-Warriors Unite: "Greta stopped the logging legend!" one Norrbotten local cheered on X, sharing pics of her in the wilds. 
• Heart-Warmers: A Stockholm blogger gushed, "She's the rare affluent kid choosing activism over Instagram fame. Bless her powerhouse soul." 
• Crowd Power: Back in June, when she docked after that Gaza flotilla drama, thousands lined Stockholm streets chanting "Free Palestine" and her name. We felt the vibe of solidarity over silence.

 

These supporters see her as authentic, unfiltered, and us at our best: Standing up for Sami rights, climate justice, and calling BS on power. We're proud she's ours, even if the world's watching.

 

The Eye-Roll Brigade: "Enough with the Drama Queen"

We're talking eye-rolls from the right, rural folks, and anyone tired of her Israel-Palestine tangents (accusations of Antisemitism fly hot). Her February court loss on that climate lawsuit? The Supreme Court said no dice to suing the state. And her October claims of Israeli "torture" in detention? Emails later debunked 'em as exaggerated, per the Foreign Ministry.

 

Swedes are pragmatic; we hate hype. Critics? They're loud lately, especially post-Arjeplog:

 

1. Media Fatigue: Why's SVT shoving her down our throats again? We don't care about her weekly protests!" a frustrated viewer vented. 
2. Grifter Vibes: Irrelevant antisemite chasing terrorists for clicks. Her diagnoses explain the chaos, sniped a conservative poster.
3. Global Embarrassment: Apologies to the world, Greta's no rep for us. Obnoxious brat, Hamas-hugger, a priest tweeted in June, echoing many. 
4. We get it: Sweden's not all blondes and ABBA. With rising knife crime and economic woes, her yacht selfies feel tone-deaf. One X user nailed it: She's full of shit, and we know it, cautious before buying her tales."

 

Supporters vs. Detractors: A Quick Snapshot Table

To make sense of the noise, here's a tidy table of fresh 2025 quotes I've pulled, balanced bites from both camps. (Sources cited inline for the sleuths.)

 

Camp	Voice	Takeaway Quote	Date/Context
Supporter	Eco-Activist on X	"Greta's chaining up for forests real change, not chat!"	Oct 22, Arjeplog protests
Supporter	Left-Wing Sympathizer	"75% of us back climate action; she's our megaphone."	Ongoing, per polls
Detractor	Rural Conservative	"Professional agitator wrecking honest loggers. Tröttsamt!"	Oct 21, re: SCA logging
Detractor	Jewish-Swedish Commentator	"Her activism breaks my heart; she's a symptom of our lost kids, not the cure."	Oct 7, Free Press op-ed
Mixed	Neutral X Observer	"Authentic firebrand hated by fools, but the media inflates her fantasies."	Oct 18, press critique

 

Key Takeaways: Why the Divide Feels So Swedish

We're a nation of quiet consensus fika chats over fireworks, but Greta? She forces the debate. Here's what stands out:

 

• Polarization Peaks: Left loves her eco-purity; right sees privilege-fueled chaos. Post-Gaza, antisemitism claims widened the rift. 
• Media's Role: SVT and Aftonbladet amplify her (20-minute segments? Yikes), fueling "attention-seeker" backlash. 
• Local vs. Global: In Arjeplog, Sami allies cheer; loggers fume. Nationally, we're split 60/40 against her spotlight, per Reddit vibes. 
• Evolving Approval: From 2019 darling to 2025 divider, climate buy-in's high (75%), but her style? Divisive AF.

 

Look, we'll keep debating her over coffee because that's us, civil but spicy. Greta's no saint or sinner; she's a mirror to our gremlins. What do you think, reader? Drop a comment, let's keep the convo going. Until next time.