Political extremsits were busy during EU-election campaign

The Swedish Security Service, SÄPO, reports about increasing political violence during the EU-election campaigns. It is the so called white power movement (neo-nazis) and the autonomous left (left wing extremists), who attacks political opponents and people they do not like.

The latter is the group that has intensified their violence. It used to be directed against the nationalists in the Sweden Democrats. During this election campaign however, also liberal and conservative party campaigners were attacked. At a public meeting with Folkpartiet (social liberals) one person was abused when he tried to stop the left wingers from vandalizing their campaign material.

What we see is a rather worrying development that we need to take seriously.  SÄPO knows that some of these groups are inspired by the German and Italian extreme left wingers from the 70ies; movements who later evolved to terrorist cells.

The number of extremist individuals are not many, 50-60 in the whole country has been mentioned. But that is enough to create trouble for individuals. When people are leaving their political positions because of threats (as have happened) it is not only a problem for the affected individuals, but for the democratic system.

Tommie Ullman

Election on Sunday

On Sunday is the Election Day to the European parliament in Sweden. The election is held on different days across the European Union, but all are gathered between June 4 and June 7.

In Sweden it is possible to vote in advance. Already two weeks ago seventy places opened up in Stockholm where people could cast their vote. The polls are located in museums, libraries, swimming halls etc. If people vote in advance they do not need to do it in the city where they live, it is possible to do wherever you want in the country. To make it easier for people to vote is a way to increase the voting.

One thing that is a bit different in Sweden than in many other countries is that each party has its own ballot with the name of their candidates on. The advantage is that it is difficult to do a mistake. If there is one ballot with all the party names on, one can tick the wrong space. The back side is that smaller parties have difficulties distributing all their ballots. There are however ballots with no text at all polling stations, if a voter write a party name on it, it is a valid vote.

If you have the right to vote in Sweden and have not done it yet, you can go to your nearest library before Sunday. Or if you have any questions regarding the election, call the Election authority’s info number + 46 (0)20 846 846 or visit their homepage.

If you do not know what to vote for, visit the small temporary houses that are put up on many main squares. In Stockholm they are outside Åhléns at Sergels torg, Medborgarplatsen and other places. Each party has put up their own little house so people can go in, get information and ask questions. You can also read our election guide.

Tommie Ullman
tommie.ullman@stockholmnews.com

A Union of peace love and Bass

The Swedish humor group Grotesco stirred up some feelings when they performed with the ironic Eastern European techno artist DJ Trexx (above), during an intermission in the Swedish finale to the European Song Contest.

The Russian Ambassador in Sweden protested against the song Tingaliin – “Russian base lovers remix”. The performance made fun of Swedish clichés about Russia, but the song also made references to the communist era and contained  the phrase “good bye Putin”.

The song hovewer became very popular in Sweden and quickly climbed the lists.

Now DJ Trexx (comedian Michael Lindgren) is back, but with a mission to promote Swedish youths to vote in the election to the EU Parliament. This time the song is called A Union of peace love and Bass.

In a press release DJ Trexx explaines that:

he grow up in East Berlin during the 80s and listened to bootleg tapes with electronic music from the other side of the wall. His view is that techno music and democracy goes hand-in-hand.

David Jonasson

US should do as Sweden

The Swedish Minister for Finance, Anders Borg, is critical against the Obama administrations handling of the US banking crisis.

He appeared at FOX Business and explained that to much tax payers money is put a risk. Instead he recommended the way the Swedish Government handled the Swedish bank crisis during the 90s.

Anders Borg was an unbendable libertarian in his youth and was also the speech writer of Carl Bildt, Minister for Foreign Affairs, when he was Prime Minister from 1991 to 1994. The administration of Carl Bildt is remembered for having stood for “the only direction of politics”, a strong market liberal line in the shadow of a fallen Soviet empire, inclining the uselessness of all kind of socialism.

Since then he studied at a postgraduate level and worked in the banking sector.

He came back to party politics when Fredrik Reinfeldt became chairman of the Moderate Party (liberal conservative) and helped him revitalize the party with a more pragmatic and compassionate party programme.

From being a firm ideologue he nowadays advocate a pragmatic view on politics and is interested in how modern economic theories can be made useful when forming political reforms. He have spoken out for a middle way in political economics, a synthesis of the economic theories of Friedman and Keynes.

David Jonasson

What are we voting for?

Soon we have a European parliamentary election coming up. Some of the parties have already put up their posters for the election campaign. Unfortunately it seems like they have confused it with a national election. Two posters for Folkpartiet (social liberal) imply this anyway. Whether Sweden should introduce the Euro or not is not decided in Brussels, nor is the future for the nuclear power.

      

Yes to the Euro and keep the nuclear power says Folkpartiet. But what has it to do with the upcoming election?

Tommie Ullman

Party differences

The party congress for the Center party had just finished and this weekend the Greens had their congress. One public service channel (SvT 24) broadcast many hours from most party congresses. It is interesting that you can really see a difference between the parties in how people behave, how they speak, how they dress. It is not just prejudices even though there are of course exceptions.

It is not as in the past however, when all Green politicians had beard and wooden shoes and many people at the Center party congress wear national costumes.

Tommie Ullman

Need some help for the EU election?

In the 7 June is the election to the European Parliament, where Sweden will receive 18 seats.

If you are an EU citizen living in Sweden, registered as such by the authorities and before 8 May was in the electoral register, you will be able to vote in this election.

If you are undecided or unsure about which party that best would represent your opinions then check out the electoral compass/voting aid EU Profiler, a project by among else the European University Institute.

We at Stockholm News will of course try to do our best in reporting about the Swedish campaign to the European Parliament.

David Jonasson

The Canadian ghost

Once again Sweden lost against Canada in an important ice hockey game. The Canadian victory was not undeserved (not that there are any victories that are undeserved, the team that wins deserve to win. Period). What is frustrating for Swedish ice hockey fans is that they (almost) always loose against Canada. This was the third year in a row the Canadians beat Sweden in a semi final, and most people also remember the two very even finals in 2003 and 2004 that eventually were lost to the Canadians. This is, of course, no coincidence.

The Swedish players always seem stressed when facing Canadian opponents. One would think that they by now had come up with a way too meet their aggressive fore checking and rapid attacks but they haven´t. Maybe Sweden would need a Canadian coach for a couple of years. I just hope they are not too proud for it. Or why not a couple of Canadian coaches in the Swedish league?

Tommie Ullman

What about Per-Albin?

Who is the most important Swede throw all times? This is of course almost impossible to determine, and the answer will certainly vary depending on who you ask. A list was published last week and king Gustav Vasa’s first place is nothing that I want to protest against. He was really the founder of the nation state Sweden. But there is at least one person missing.

Per-Albin Hansson introduced the concept of Folkhem (‘people’s home’, the Swedish version of welfare society) in a broader context and managed to keep Sweden out of the second World War (toghether with the rest of the parties in the broad coalition government that included all parties except the communists). He also lay the ground to the unique position and domination of Swedish Social Democracy. And he is not even on the list. Instead they have Olof Palme on fifth place. Palme was Prime Minister twelve years in the 1970ies and 80ies but it is difficult to see his legacy as so important that it motivates his fifth place.

Anyhow, even though it is difficult to take these kinds of lists one hundred percent seriously, I still think they have a role. They stimulate debate and makes people think about history and society.

Tommie Ullman

Stockholm – European Green Capital 2010

As we have written, Stockholm has been elected to be the first European Green Capital in 2010.

This completely new yearly award is an initiative by the European Comission in order to promote and reward efforts by local authorities in improving the environment.

The award to the green capital of Sweden became worldwide news through CNN World Report, see the clip here.

You can find the complete explanatory statement for the award here at the awards official site. 

The Stockholm City’s site about the award is found here.

David Jonasson