Porn appeal shocks Swedish conservatives

More TV porn "may boost Sweden's birth rate"

A candidate in Sweden's general election has called for pornography to be broadcast on television every Saturday to encourage people to have more sex.

Teres Kirpikli says she wants to help boost the Swedish economy by encouraging people to have more children.

I think most people like porn, even though they don't want to admit it

Teres Kirpikli
Local councillor

Her party, the conservative Christian Democrats, has reacted by asking her to leave its women's association and withdraw her candidacy from the election.

"People would feel like having more sex," said Ms Kirpikli, a 35-year-old mother of three originally of Turkish origin.

Ms Kirpikli, a councillor in the southern town of Skoevde, is standing for parliament in the election on 15 September - a vote the ruling Social Democrats are tipped to win.

"I want erotica and porn on television every Saturday and all day," she said.

"I think most people like porn, even though they don't want to admit it," she added.

The Christian Democrats have been actively fighting pornography and have called for a complete ban in all media.

'Totally out of line'

Ulla-Britt Hagstroem, head of the women's association, said she planned to meet Ms Kirpikli and that she would probably not be re-elected to the board of the association.

"This has nothing to do with our official platform," she said regarding Ms Kirpikli's views.

Christian Democrats: Remarks out of order

"This is totally against our policy."

The Skoevde councillor later withdrew her comments, and apologised to her party.

Ms Kirpikli said she had wanted to "start a debate on how to get more children".

She added that she understood the party was "mad" at her because she had gone against the official line.

Sweden has a negative natural growth rate, with more deaths than births now registered every year.