Sweden's Changing Political Landscape

 Source: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/09/weeping-with-an-eyepatch-no-pirates-elected-to-the-swedish-parliament/

Sweden has always been known for its social democracy, its paradisiacal welfare system, high living standards and a strong economy.  In 2005 the British Guardian called Sweden “the most successful society the world has ever known” (“The Strange Death of Social-Democratic Sweden”). The results of September parliamentary elections in Sweden indicate that all this may very soon change.   The election night of September 19 was a turning point in Sweden’s history and its political landscape.  This is how a Swedish newspaper describes the election results: “A centre-right government (The Alliance) without a majority, a crashed social democracy and a kingmaker party with roots in the far-right” (“Swedish Election Result”).

For the first time since the 1930s the Swedish Social Democrats were ousted by the main centre-right party, the Moderates. Its leader and incumbent Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt and his four-party centre-right coalition won under 50% of the vote and took 172 of the 349 seats in the Riksdag (Swedish parliament). However, the alliance -- which includes the Moderate Party, Liberal People's Party, Christian Democrats, and the Center party – did not secure its outright majority in the parliament. This happened because the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) gained more than 4% of the vote, what enabled them to enter parliament for the first time. With 20 seats in the Riksdag, the SD, whose anti- immigrant policies shocked the majority of people in Sweden, now hold the balance of power between the two big blocks of Swedish parliamentary politics  (“Sweden Narrowly Re-Elects Centre-Right Alliance”).

Sweden was dominated by the Social Democrats since the 1930s. The party has been in government for 65 years of the past 78 years. It has built the famously generous welfare state avoiding wholesale nationalization. But its popularity was steadily dropping in numbers in the past few years. The poll made just before the elections showed that the Social democrat’s rating was below 30% compared with the 40-45% of former times One of the reasons for that, analysts say, is the overall dissatisfaction with the “Swedish model,” as well as “a malaise in socialism in the whole world” (“The Swedish Election. Moderate and Happy”).

Sweden has joined a string of European countries which have seen far-right parties win the electorate. The highest vote for the far right in all of Europe – 17% – was remarkably in the Netherlands, where the Freedom Party won four seats out of 25. Another example is the Danish People’s Party, which won 15 % of the vote in Denmark. Far right parties gained three seats apiece in Romania and Bulgaria, as well as one seat in Slovakia. They are joined by Greece’s Popular Orthodox Rally, the Austrian Freedom Party, Italy’s Lega Nord (Northern League), the British National Party, the Jobbik party from Hungary, and the Finnish Perussuomalaiset (‘True Finns’) (“Europe’s Far Right Rises”).

It is difficult to predict the exact way the parliamentary elections in Sweden will reshape its political landscape and that of Europe. But it definitely will. Another question to ask is: will the Moderates be able to gain support from the majority in Parliament? They better do, because if they do not than an opposition party (the far-rights) can call for a no-confidence vote – a tool to undermine the majority party, leading to political chaos.  Time will show. The last word has not been said quite yet.

Works cited

“Europe’s Far Right Rises.” Red Pepper. 31 Aug. 2009, 29 Sept. 2010 <http://www.redpepper.org.uk/Europe-s-far-right-rises>.

“Swedish election Result a Nightmare Scenario.” The Swedish Wire. 20 Sept.  2010, 29 Sept. 2010 <http://www.swedishwire.com/politics/6265-swedish-election-result-the-end-of-an-era>.

“Sweden Narrowly Re-Elects Centre-Right Alliance.” BBC News UK. 19 Sept. 2010, 28 Sept. 2010 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11360495>.

 “The Strange Death of Social-Democratic Sweden.” The Economist. Sept. 18-24, 2010. Vol. 396.  No 8700.

 “The Swedish election. Moderate and Happy.” The Economist. Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2010. Vol. 396. No 8701.